Nobbler Creek South Cape Hillsborough
Photo by Nick Cuff
Quick facts
- Undara Lava Tubes
- in far north Queensland is a groundwater dependent cave system formed by lava. These cave systems can fill with water during floods and hold water during dry times[1].
- Plants
- often use groundwater that we can't see. This vegetation is part of a groundwater dependent ecosystem.
Wetland system classification
Mangrove Photo by Cathy Ellis
Estuarine wetlands are those with oceanic water sometimes diluted with freshwater run-off from the land.
Cape Bedford Photo Photo by Nick Cuff
Marine wetlands include the area of ocean from the coastline or estuary, extending to the jurisdictional limits of Queensland waters (3 nautical mile limit). This definition differs from that in Ramsar, as it includes waters deeper than 6m below the lowest astronomical tide.
Chinchilla Weir Photo by Cathy Ellis
Lacustrine wetlands are large, open, water-dominated systems (for example, lakes) larger than 8ha. This definition also applies to modified systems (for example, dams), which are similar to lacustrine systems (for example, deep, standing or slow-moving waters).
100 Mile Swamp Photo by Cathy Ellis
Palustrine wetlands are primarily vegetated non-channel environments of less than 8 hectares. They include billabongs, swamps, bogs, springs, soaks etc, and have more than 30% emergent vegetation.
Einasleigh River Photo by Cathy Ellis
Riverine wetlands are all wetlands and deepwater habitats within a channel. The channels are naturally or artificially created, periodically or continuously contain moving water, or connecting two bodies of standing water.
Subterranean wetlands are wetlands occurring below the surface of the ground and that are fed by groundwater i.e. caves and aquifers. These wetlands provide water to groundwater dependent ecosystems.
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Einasleigh River Photo by Cathy Ellis
Riverine wetlands are all wetlands and deepwater habitats within a channel. The channels are naturally or artificially created, periodically or continuously contain moving water, or connecting two bodies of standing water.
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Chinchilla Weir Photo by Cathy Ellis
Lacustrine wetlands are large, open, water-dominated systems (for example, lakes) larger than 8ha. This definition also applies to modified systems (for example, dams), which are similar to lacustrine systems (for example, deep, standing or slow-moving waters).
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100 Mile Swamp Photo by Cathy Ellis
Palustrine wetlands are primarily vegetated non-channel environments of less than 8 hectares. They include billabongs, swamps, bogs, springs, soaks etc, and have more than 30% emergent vegetation.
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Cape Bedford Photo Photo by Nick Cuff
Marine wetlands include the area of ocean from the coastline or estuary, extending to the jurisdictional limits of Queensland waters (3 nautical mile limit). This definition differs from that in Ramsar, as it includes waters deeper than 6m below the lowest astronomical tide.
|
Mangrove Photo by Cathy Ellis
Estuarine wetlands are those with oceanic water sometimes diluted with freshwater run-off from the land.
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Subterranean wetlands are wetlands occurring below the surface of the ground and that are fed by groundwater i.e. caves and aquifers. These wetlands provide water to groundwater dependent ecosystems.
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Wetland on-line education modules
References
- ^ Nielsen, D, Brock, M, Rees, G & Baldwin, D (2003), 'Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia', Australian Journal of Botany, vol. 51, p. 655.
Last updated: 12 May 2015
This page should be cited as:
Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2015) Wetland systems, WetlandInfo website, accessed 11 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/what-are-wetlands/definitions-classification/system-definitions.html
— Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
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