Global ecosystem typology

Alternative site for the Global ecosystem typology with additional information for ecosystem profiles and indicative maps.

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TF1.3 Permanent marshes

Biome: TF1. Palustrine wetlands biome

Contributors:
(texts)

Permanent marshes occur throughout tropical and temperate regions of the world in flat areas with stable water levels close to the surface. They are essentially treeless, with extensive reedbeds and aquatic grasses, interspersed with patches of open water. Food webs are strongly influenced by highly productive algae and plants, providing food for large numbers of invertebrates, waterbirds, reptiles, and mammals.

Key Features

Shallow permanently inundated freshwater wetlands, dominated by herbaceous macrophytes, supporting high primary productivity and complex trophic networks with abundant insects, birds and amphibians.

Overview of distribution

Mainly on floodplains in catchments with humid tropical or temperate climates.

Profile versions

  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): RT Kingsford; DA Keith
  • v2.0 (2020-05-31): RT Kingsford; JA Catford; MC Rains; B Robson; DA Keith
  • v2.01 ():
  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): RT Kingsford; JA Catford; MC Rains; B Robson; DA Keith Full profile available at official site

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

  • Grace JB, Wetzel RG (1981) Habitat partitioning and competitive displacement in cattails (Typha): experimental field studies The American Naturalist 118:463-474 DOI:10.1086/283841

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of TF1.3 Permanent marshes. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

TF1.3.IM.orig_v1.0

Datasets

  • Resolve-Ecoregions-2017

Map references

  • Dinerstein E, Olson D, Joshi A, Vynne C, Burgess ND, Wikramanayake E, Hahn N, Palminteri S, Hedao P, Noss R, Hansen M, Locke H, Ellis EE, Jones B, Barber CV, Hayes R, Kormos C, Martin V, Crist E, Sechrest W, Price L, Baillie JEM, Weeden D, Suckling K, Davis C, Sizer N, Moore R, Thau D, Birch T, Potapov P, Turubanova S, Tyukavina A, de Souza N, Pintea L, Brito JC, Llewellyn Barnekow Lillesø JP, van Breugel P, Graudal L, Voge M, Al-Shammari KF, Saleem M (2017) An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience 67: 534–545. DOI:10.1093/biosci/bix014. Data-set available on-line

TF1.3.web.orig_v1.0

Terrestrial ecoregions containing major or minor occurrences of this ecosystem functional group were identified by consulting available ecoregion descriptions (Dinerstein et al. 2017), global and regional reviews, national and regional ecosystem maps, locations of relevant examples, and proofed by expert reviewers. Consequently they are coarse-scale indicative representations of distribution, except where they occupy small ecoregions. Ecoregions were mapped at 30 arc second spatial resolution. Open image full size.

Datasets

  • Resolve-Ecoregions-2017

Map references

  • Dinerstein E, Olson D, Joshi A, Vynne C, Burgess ND, Wikramanayake E, Hahn N, Palminteri S, Hedao P, Noss R, Hansen M, Locke H, Ellis EE, Jones B, Barber CV, Hayes R, Kormos C, Martin V, Crist E, Sechrest W, Price L, Baillie JEM, Weeden D, Suckling K, Davis C, Sizer N, Moore R, Thau D, Birch T, Potapov P, Turubanova S, Tyukavina A, de Souza N, Pintea L, Brito JC, Llewellyn Barnekow Lillesø JP, van Breugel P, Graudal L, Voge M, Al-Shammari KF, Saleem M (2017) An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience 67: 534–545. DOI:10.1093/biosci/bix014. Data-set available on-line

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