Land and its vegetation which is permanently, periodically or ephemerally wet but not covered by water all the time (see Freshwater Habitat Project). The underlying soils are usually peat (accumulated organic matter which is very or moderately acid - bogs, marshes and fens respectively) or gleyed (grey mineral soil caused by anaerobic/anoxic conditions reducing iron to steely blue-grey colour rather than red rusty oxidised colours). The latter include swamps, flushes and seepages. [link to NZ Wetland Trust]. Bogs, marshes and fens support cushion, turf and insectivorous plants, reeds, tussocks and shrubs or stunted trees; whereas the more fertile swamps are usually vegetated by tall tussocks and trees which over time may become swamp forest. Their boundary with freshwater aquatic environments (see Freshwater Project) supports emergent or floating reeds and bulrushes. Some wetlands are ephemeral - that is are wet only during the winter and become quite dry in summer. Some of these in inland dry basins may accumulate salt and become salt pans very similar to coastal or estuarine salt marshes. less ↑