Glossary

swamp

Low-lying, uncultivated wetland dominated by woody vegetation.

Used in 283 species profiles

blackwater
In ichthyological and aquarium literature typically refers to water rich in humic acids and poor in nutrients such as that associated with ancient peat swamps or parts of the Amazon river drainage, and thus differs from clearwater and whitewater. Fish species inhabiting such environments typically require similar conditions in captivity, especially if wild caught.
mangrove swamp
Tropical or subtropical, tidal marine swamp chaaracterised by an abundance of mangrove trees.
obligate
In biology, able to exist or thrive only under a certain set of environmental conditions, e.g., an obligate peat swamp-dweller.
peat swamp forest
Type of tropical moist forest lying over a thick bed of acidic peat, over 60% of which occur in Indonesia and Malaysia. Typically contain water with very low pH (<4.0) that is stained brown due to the release of various organic compounds from the decaying peat and thus often referred to as blackwater swamps. Usually contain some permanent water but also flood seasonally. Highly biodiverse when in pristine condition, with many species found nowhere else on earth, though increasingly subjected to intensive drainage, burning and subsequent conversion to agriculture in recent decades.
wetland
Area of ground saturated with, normally shallow, fresh, salt or brackish water on a permanent or seasonal basis, e.g., marshes, bogs, swamps.