287
plant wetland. A swamp has woody vegetation,
either shrubs or trees. Further, intermediate
between a marsh and meadow is a wet prairie.
The term peatland is said to be synonymous
with moor and muskeg. There are many types
of peatlands. However, the most general being
the fens and bogs.
10. These common terms do not always convey the
same meaning amongst the international scientifi c community. In fact, there is no direct
equivalent of certain kinds of wetlands in some
languages. For example, the words ‘Beel’ and
‘Haor’, perhaps, have no equivalence in
English language. ‘Beel’ and ‘Haor’ are typical
and peculiar wetlands in the Indian subcontinent and Bangladesh. The former is referred to
as a ‘perennial’ wetland, while the latter is
related to as a ‘seasonal fl oodplain’ wetland.
And, further, the term ‘Anua’ is used in Barak
valley region of Assam to denote a river-formed
oxbow wetlands formed due to change of
course of a river due to meandering.
11. However, the European terminology distinguishes at least four different kinds of freshwater wetlands, namely , (a) mineral-rich reed
beds called reed swamps, (b) wet grassland
marshes, (c) fens and (d) bogs or moors.
According to some (e.g. Moore 1984 ), all
these wetland types are considered as ‘mires’.
12. The European classifi cation is based on the
amount of surface water and nutrient fl ow
(rheotrophy), type of vegetation, pH and
peat-building characteristics.
13. Conversely, the classifi cation of wetlands in
the Indian subcontinent and Bangladesh is
mainly based on certain observable criteria,
like retention of water in the wetland.
14. The vernacular terms may not be much used
considering the international audience.
Suggested Readings
Aselmann I, Crutzen PJ (1989) Global distribution of
natural freshwater wetlands and rice paddies, their net
primary productivity, seasonality and possible methane emissions. J Atmos Chem 8:307–358
Aselmann I, Crutzen PJ (1990) A global inventory of wetland distribution and seasonality, net primary productivity, and estimated methane emissions. In: Bouwman
AF (ed) Soils and the greenhouse effect. Wiley, New
York, pp 441–449
Dugan P (1993) Wetlands in danger. Michael Beasely,
Reed International Books, London, 192 pp
Eswaran H, Reich P (1996) Global wetlands: a fragile
ecosystem vulnerable to degradation. Unpublished
Mimeo. Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Gorham E (1991) Northern peatlands: role in the carbon
cycle and probable responses to climatic warning.
Ecol Appl 1:182–195
Kar D (2007a) Fundamentals of Limnology and
Aquaculture biotechnology. Daya Publishing House,
New Delhi, vi + 609
Kar D (2007b) Lentic fi shery: fi shery of a tropical wetland
(Beel) in Assam. Sci Soc 5(1):53–72
Kar D (2010) Biodiversity conservation prioritisation.
Swastik Publications, New Delhi, pp xi + 167
Kar D (2012) Taxonomy. APH Publications, New Delhi,
102 pp
Lu J (1995) Ecological signifi cance and classifi cation of
Chinese wetlands. Vegetation 118:49–56
Maltby E, Turner RE (1983) Wetlands of the world. Geogr
Mag 55:12–17
Matthews E (1990) Global distribution of forested wetlands. In: Lugo AE, Brinson M, Brown S (eds)
Addendum to forested wetlands. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Matthews E, Fung I (1987) Methane emissions from natural wetlands: global distribution, area, and environmental characteristics of sources. Global Biogeochem
Cycles 1:61–86
Matthews E, Fung I, Lerner J (1991) Methane emission
from rice cultivation: geographic and seasonal distribution of cultivated areas and emissions. Global
Biogeochem Cycles 1:61–86
Moore PD (1984) European mires. Academic, London,
367 pp
William M (ed) (1990) Wetlands: a threatened landscape.
Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 419 pp
Suggested Readings
plant wetland. A swamp has woody vegetation,
either shrubs or trees. Further, intermediate
between a marsh and meadow is a wet prairie.
The term peatland is said to be synonymous
with moor and muskeg. There are many types
of peatlands. However, the most general being
the fens and bogs.
10. These common terms do not always convey the
same meaning amongst the international scientifi c community. In fact, there is no direct
equivalent of certain kinds of wetlands in some
languages. For example, the words ‘Beel’ and
‘Haor’, perhaps, have no equivalence in
English language. ‘Beel’ and ‘Haor’ are typical
and peculiar wetlands in the Indian subcontinent and Bangladesh. The former is referred to
as a ‘perennial’ wetland, while the latter is
related to as a ‘seasonal fl oodplain’ wetland.
And, further, the term ‘Anua’ is used in Barak
valley region of Assam to denote a river-formed
oxbow wetlands formed due to change of
course of a river due to meandering.
11. However, the European terminology distinguishes at least four different kinds of freshwater wetlands, namely , (a) mineral-rich reed
beds called reed swamps, (b) wet grassland
marshes, (c) fens and (d) bogs or moors.
According to some (e.g. Moore 1984 ), all
these wetland types are considered as ‘mires’.
12. The European classifi cation is based on the
amount of surface water and nutrient fl ow
(rheotrophy), type of vegetation, pH and
peat-building characteristics.
13. Conversely, the classifi cation of wetlands in
the Indian subcontinent and Bangladesh is
mainly based on certain observable criteria,
like retention of water in the wetland.
14. The vernacular terms may not be much used
considering the international audience.
Suggested Readings
Aselmann I, Crutzen PJ (1989) Global distribution of
natural freshwater wetlands and rice paddies, their net
primary productivity, seasonality and possible methane emissions. J Atmos Chem 8:307–358
Aselmann I, Crutzen PJ (1990) A global inventory of wetland distribution and seasonality, net primary productivity, and estimated methane emissions. In: Bouwman
AF (ed) Soils and the greenhouse effect. Wiley, New
York, pp 441–449
Dugan P (1993) Wetlands in danger. Michael Beasely,
Reed International Books, London, 192 pp
Eswaran H, Reich P (1996) Global wetlands: a fragile
ecosystem vulnerable to degradation. Unpublished
Mimeo. Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Gorham E (1991) Northern peatlands: role in the carbon
cycle and probable responses to climatic warning.
Ecol Appl 1:182–195
Kar D (2007a) Fundamentals of Limnology and
Aquaculture biotechnology. Daya Publishing House,
New Delhi, vi + 609
Kar D (2007b) Lentic fi shery: fi shery of a tropical wetland
(Beel) in Assam. Sci Soc 5(1):53–72
Kar D (2010) Biodiversity conservation prioritisation.
Swastik Publications, New Delhi, pp xi + 167
Kar D (2012) Taxonomy. APH Publications, New Delhi,
102 pp
Lu J (1995) Ecological signifi cance and classifi cation of
Chinese wetlands. Vegetation 118:49–56
Maltby E, Turner RE (1983) Wetlands of the world. Geogr
Mag 55:12–17
Matthews E (1990) Global distribution of forested wetlands. In: Lugo AE, Brinson M, Brown S (eds)
Addendum to forested wetlands. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Matthews E, Fung I (1987) Methane emissions from natural wetlands: global distribution, area, and environmental characteristics of sources. Global Biogeochem
Cycles 1:61–86
Matthews E, Fung I, Lerner J (1991) Methane emission
from rice cultivation: geographic and seasonal distribution of cultivated areas and emissions. Global
Biogeochem Cycles 1:61–86
Moore PD (1984) European mires. Academic, London,
367 pp
William M (ed) (1990) Wetlands: a threatened landscape.
Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 419 pp
Suggested Readings