Wetland

Adjective that describes the water-sediment interface (= water-lithosphere interface) of an aquatic ecosystem, regardless of its depth (the bottom of lakes or of rivers or of the sea). Also describes an organism living on the river bottom or sea bed (macroinvertebrates, for example).

All aquatic environments (bodies of water, watercourses, groundwater, wetlands, etc) found on a given territory; the term network explicitly referring to the physical and functional links between these environments.

Marshes partially protected from flooding.

Marsh protected from floods and tides by a network of dikes and levees.

A regularly or exceptionally flooded forest ecosystem. It is a wooded strip along a watercourse whose width is greater than 10 metres. In areas flooded during 150 to 200 days per year, the alluvial forest is composed of permanent vegetation consisting of softwood and dominated by willows, alders. A hardwood forest, consisting of ash and elm trees, settles in the highest areas, flooded at least 50 days per year. These forest habitats are home to the newt, European beaver, the otter and many birds. Most of these habitats are of community interest.

All bodies, usually plants, in terrestrial or wetland environments allowing the dispersion of animals and plants between different habitats (forests, wetlands, etc.). Biological corridors play four roles: dispersion corridor for some species, habitat where the species complete their entire life cycle, shelter, home habitat even, which is a reservoir of colonizer individuals. In all cases, they are indispensable to the…

Stream which discharges to the downstream part of a river basin the waters of a lake or of any other wetland.

All stagnant and running waters on the ground and all underground waters, and located upstream of the baseline used for the delimitation of territorial waters.