Estuarine Deltaic Wetlands, Table 3 (Continued )
Estuary and climate Delta type
Delta wetland
habitats
Hydrography/
oceanography
Substrate
Hydroperiod/
salinity
Biota
Walpole-Nornalup
Inlet Estuary;
Deep River
Delta; temperate,
humid
Wavedominated
delta
Swales between
beach ridges
(sumplands)
on the
supratidal
delta plain,
dissected by
distributary
channels
Wavedominated,
microtidal
Sand, peaty
sand, and peat
Recharged
annually by
rain and water
table rise,
freshwater
Vegetated by wetland
forests, heath, and
rushes/sedges;
sparse invertebrate
infauna of
crustacean, insects
Lagoons (lakes
and
sumplands)
on the
supratidal
delta plain
Wavedominated,
microtidal
Sand, peaty
sand, and peat
Recharged
annually by
rain and water
table rise,
freshwater
Vegetated by wetland
heath, and rushes/
sedges; sparse
infauna of
crustacean, insects
Tidal flats
seaward of
subaerial delta
Wavedominated,
microtidal
Sand
Flooded daily by
tides and
annually by
river, marine/
brackish
salinity varying
to freshwater
annually
Sparse infauna and
low diversity of
molluscs,
crustacean,
polychaetes
Swan-Canning
Estuary;
subtropical,
subhumid
Fluvially
dominated
delta
Subaerial shoals
oriented
parallel to
river flow
(floodplains),
abandoned
channels
(sumplands),
and dissected
by
distributary
channels
Fluvially
dominated,
microtidal
Sand, peaty sand Recharged
annually by
rain, water table
rise, and river
flooding;
freshwater
Vegetated by wetland
forests, heath, and
rushes/sedges;
sparse infauna of
crustacean, insects
Tidal creeks
dissecting the
subaerial delta
Fluvially
dominated,
microtidal
Sand and mud
Flooded daily by
tides, flooded
annually by
river; marine/
brackish
salinity
Margins vegetated by
salt marsh (zoned
chenopods and
sedges/rushes),
sparse infauna of
low diversity
molluscs,
crustacean,
polychaetes, and
sea grass
Tidal flats
seaward of
subaerial delta
Fluvially
dominated,
microtidal
Sand and mud
Flooded daily by
tides, flooded
annually by
river; marine/
brackish
salinity
Sparse infauna, low
diversity of
molluscs,
crustacean,
polychaetes, and
sea grass
Leschenault Inlet
Estuary; Collie
River delta;
subtropical,
subhumid
Mixed wave and
fluvially
dominated
delta
Subaerial plain
(floodplains)
with cheniers,
abandoned
channels
(sumplands),
and dissected
by
distributary
channels
Fluvially and
wavedominated,
microtidal
Sand, peaty sand Recharged
annually by
rain, water table
rise, and river
flooding;
freshwater
Vegetated by wetland
forests, heath, and
rushes/sedges;
infauna of
crustacean, insects
ESTUARINE DELTAIC WETLANDS
269