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Wetlands In Texas And Their Role In Our Native Landscape
In the spirit of the Society’s new motto, Native Plants = Healthy Habitats, this article discusses one of Texas’ most important habitat types: the wetland. Most readers will identify a wetland as a swamp or bog; however, wetlands are complicated ecosystems that serve an important role in our native landscape. Among other things, wetlands help to improve water quality, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, reduce flood damage and pollution, control erosion and recharge groundwater. The diagram below in Figure 1 illustrates the many physical, chemical and biological functions of a wetland. Wetlands also serve a socio-economic function due to their role in fishing, hunting, agriculture and recreational opportunities.
Wetlands are generally defined as an area of land that is saturated with water long enough to support plants adapted to life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands vary widely due to regional differences in topography, climate, hydrology, and human disturbances. Considering Texas’ size and wide variety of ecoregions, it is no surprise that the state has many different types of wetlands. See Map 1 illustrating the location of wetlands in Texas. From the bottomland forested wetlands of east Texas to the spring-fed wetlands (or cienagas) of west Texas, wetlands can be found in one form or another and in almost every part of the state.
Plants play an important role in the many functions of a wetland. Plants help filter excess nutrients, sediment and pollutants from surface water. They help to soak up rainwater that may otherwise cause rivers and lakes to flood and help slow the flow of water that can prevent the rate of erosion, particularly on the Gulf Coast. Wetland plants also provide protection, breeding grounds and food for fish and aquatic wildlife, as well as nesting areas for migratory birds. Indeed as many as five million migratory birds depend on Texas’ wetlands annually.
Wetland Functions figure, courtesy of SWCA; illustration design by Marcy Dorsey.
From 1780 to 1980, the expansion of livestock and agriculture contributed to a loss of almost 50% of wetlands in Texas. More recently the expansion of oil and gas in East Texas and the Gulf Coast has contributed to the majority of wetland loss in the state. However to some degree many of the wetlands lost in the last several years have been replaced through wetland mitigation and conservation efforts. In 1989 President George H.W. Bush established the national policy of “no net loss of wetlands.” Vital to accomplishing this goal was the implementation of wetland mitigation, whereby development projects that impact wetlands must mitigate those impacts by creating, enhancing, restoring or preserving a wetland of the same size and of similar ecological functions and values. The success and failures of these efforts have yet to be fully summarized on a statewide level.
For those of us concerned with the preservation of native plants, we are likewise concerned with the preservation of our native landscape. People can help preserve native wetlands species by continuing to plant native, by cleaning their hiking boots and outdoor gear before exploring a new area and by responsibly using herbicides and fertilizers in your lawns and gardens.
Wetlands are more than just swamps: they are complex ecosystems that play a vital role in water quality, wildlife diversity and economy. The preservation and conservation of our native plants is one way we as Society members can help contribute to the preservation of our native wetlands. Further Information on Texas wetlands can be found online from the following resources: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Coastal Wetlands, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: kjanni
