What Is a Wetland Ecosystem?

While wetlands are vital to the life of a lake, river or ocean, they don't have the physical appeal of their attractive neighbors. Typically wetlands include marshes, swamps, bogs and other marshy areas--any area where water covers the soil for at least part of the year. There are two types of wetlands: coastal or tidal wetlands and inland or non-tidal wetlands.

Like the other water ecosystems, wetlands have numerous sources for their water. Their contiguousness to other bodies of water makes them a natural sponge for holding excess water from lakes, rivers or oceans. Rain and groundwater also contribute to wetlands, depending on the amount of rain and the level of the groundwater. Although they are not the ending point of any water source, wetlands are a vital part of a watershed because they connect land and water resources, acting as a purifier for larger water resources. Many watershed protection programs include protection for wetlands.