519
the Mississippi River by a series of fl ood control
levees. This basin contains c 700 km
2 of wetlands
including cypress–tupelo swamps, bottomland
hardwood forests, marshes and shallow lakes
(Conner and Day 1976 ).
It is important to note here that, at present, the
US Army Corps of Engineers, in association with
the universities and private environmental
engineering farms, has been engaged in designing and implementing a comprehensive strategy
for conservation and restoration of the delta. The
other federal and State agencies have also been
cooperating in this exercise. This is being funded
to the tune of millions of dollars per year under
the Federal Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection
and Restoration Act of 1990. Other informations
on different aspects of delta could be found in
Conner and Day ( 1976 , 1987), Kemp and
Day( 1984 ), Gosselink ( 1984 ), Dunbar et al.
( 1992 ), and so on.
23.6.7 Central and Eastern Province
Wetlands of Canada
The marshes of this region are believed to be signifi cant habitats for migratory waterfowls, particularly those along the Great Lakes in Ontario
and in the St. Lawrence lowlands of Ontario and
Quebec (Glooschenko and Grondin 1988 ). Cap
Tourmente is a 2,400-ha tidal FW marsh complex
located about 50 km NE of Quebec City in
Quebec. It was the fi rst wetland in Canada to be
designated as a Ramsar site of international
importance. It consists of both intertidal mudfl ats
and FW marshes, as well as non-tidal marshes,
swamps, shrub swamps and peatlands.
Concomitant to above, the marshes of this
region are considered to be least stable class of
wetlands. They are signifi cantly changed by variations in rainfall, fl ooding patterns, lake levels
and herbivory from one year to the next. Further,
there are also a considerable number of hardwoodforested swamps in this temperate region of
Canada. The swamps are said to be quite stable
without human intervention. However, logging,
including clear-cutting, has been frequent. It may
be noted here that a clear-cut swamp is often
replaced by a marsh; and the successional pattern
starts all over again.
Notwithstanding the above, the peatlands of
northern Ontario and Manitoba are extensive
regions which are used less by waterfowls and
more by a wide variety of mammals. The wild
rice ( Zizania palustris ) is a common plant in
the littoral zones of boreal lakes. It is often harvested for human consumption (Glooschenko
and Grondin 1988 ). Further, some of the boreal
wetlands are mined for peat which is used for
horticultural purposes and fuel. Moreover, the
fens of the region are quite stable. Bogs, in this
region, are also stable. The Quebec bogs are
supposed to have begun as fens between 9,000
and 5,500 years ago, as revealed through radiocarbon dating.
23.6.8 Hudson–James Bay Lowlands
This is a large wetland complex found in northern Ontario and Manitoba and the eastern NW
territories, wrapping around the southern shore of
the Hudson Bay and its southern extension,
James Bay. The Hudson–James Bay lowlands are
part of the vast sub-arctic wetland region of
Canada. It stretches from the Hudson Bay northwestward to the NW corner of Canada and into
Alaska. It covers 760,000 km
2 of Canada (Zoltai
et al. 1988 ). However, the 24,000-km
2 Polar Bear
Provincial Park in northern Ontario is one of the
largest and best described managed wetland sites
in this region.
Signifi cantly, the coastal marshes, intertidal
sand fl ats and the river mouths of the Hudson–
James Bay lowlands serve as breeding and staging grounds for a large number of migratory
waterfowls, like the lesser snow goose (which
was once in danger of disappearing but now
fl ourishing), Canada goose and pintail, greenwinged teal.
23.7 Wetlands of South America
There are a large number of wetlands in the tropical belt of South America.
23.7 Wetlands of South America
the Mississippi River by a series of fl ood control
levees. This basin contains c 700 km
2 of wetlands
including cypress–tupelo swamps, bottomland
hardwood forests, marshes and shallow lakes
(Conner and Day 1976 ).
It is important to note here that, at present, the
US Army Corps of Engineers, in association with
the universities and private environmental
engineering farms, has been engaged in designing and implementing a comprehensive strategy
for conservation and restoration of the delta. The
other federal and State agencies have also been
cooperating in this exercise. This is being funded
to the tune of millions of dollars per year under
the Federal Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection
and Restoration Act of 1990. Other informations
on different aspects of delta could be found in
Conner and Day ( 1976 , 1987), Kemp and
Day( 1984 ), Gosselink ( 1984 ), Dunbar et al.
( 1992 ), and so on.
23.6.7 Central and Eastern Province
Wetlands of Canada
The marshes of this region are believed to be signifi cant habitats for migratory waterfowls, particularly those along the Great Lakes in Ontario
and in the St. Lawrence lowlands of Ontario and
Quebec (Glooschenko and Grondin 1988 ). Cap
Tourmente is a 2,400-ha tidal FW marsh complex
located about 50 km NE of Quebec City in
Quebec. It was the fi rst wetland in Canada to be
designated as a Ramsar site of international
importance. It consists of both intertidal mudfl ats
and FW marshes, as well as non-tidal marshes,
swamps, shrub swamps and peatlands.
Concomitant to above, the marshes of this
region are considered to be least stable class of
wetlands. They are signifi cantly changed by variations in rainfall, fl ooding patterns, lake levels
and herbivory from one year to the next. Further,
there are also a considerable number of hardwoodforested swamps in this temperate region of
Canada. The swamps are said to be quite stable
without human intervention. However, logging,
including clear-cutting, has been frequent. It may
be noted here that a clear-cut swamp is often
replaced by a marsh; and the successional pattern
starts all over again.
Notwithstanding the above, the peatlands of
northern Ontario and Manitoba are extensive
regions which are used less by waterfowls and
more by a wide variety of mammals. The wild
rice ( Zizania palustris ) is a common plant in
the littoral zones of boreal lakes. It is often harvested for human consumption (Glooschenko
and Grondin 1988 ). Further, some of the boreal
wetlands are mined for peat which is used for
horticultural purposes and fuel. Moreover, the
fens of the region are quite stable. Bogs, in this
region, are also stable. The Quebec bogs are
supposed to have begun as fens between 9,000
and 5,500 years ago, as revealed through radiocarbon dating.
23.6.8 Hudson–James Bay Lowlands
This is a large wetland complex found in northern Ontario and Manitoba and the eastern NW
territories, wrapping around the southern shore of
the Hudson Bay and its southern extension,
James Bay. The Hudson–James Bay lowlands are
part of the vast sub-arctic wetland region of
Canada. It stretches from the Hudson Bay northwestward to the NW corner of Canada and into
Alaska. It covers 760,000 km
2 of Canada (Zoltai
et al. 1988 ). However, the 24,000-km
2 Polar Bear
Provincial Park in northern Ontario is one of the
largest and best described managed wetland sites
in this region.
Signifi cantly, the coastal marshes, intertidal
sand fl ats and the river mouths of the Hudson–
James Bay lowlands serve as breeding and staging grounds for a large number of migratory
waterfowls, like the lesser snow goose (which
was once in danger of disappearing but now
fl ourishing), Canada goose and pintail, greenwinged teal.
23.7 Wetlands of South America
There are a large number of wetlands in the tropical belt of South America.
23.7 Wetlands of South America