Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States

Authors

Lewis M. Cowardin, U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Virginia Carter, U.S. Geological Survey
Francis C. Golet, University of Rhode Island
Edward T. LaRoe, U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coastal Zone Management

Date of this Version

1985

Citation

1985 Authors

Comments

Classification of Wetlands and Deep water Habitats of the United States 1-79

Abstract

This classification, to be used in a new inventory of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States, is intended to describe ecological taxa, arrange them in a system useful to resource managers, furnish units for mapping, and provide uniformity of concepts and terms.Wetlands are defined by plants (hydrophytes), soils (hydric soils), and frequency of flooding. Ecologically related areas of deep water, traditionally not considered wetlands, are included in the classification as deepwater habitats.

Systems form the highest level of the classification hierarchy; five are defined—Marine, Estuarine, Riverine, Lacustrine, and Palustrine. Marine and Estuarine Systems each have two Subsystems, Subtidal and Intertidal; the Riverine System has four Subsystems, Tidal, Lower Perennial, Upper Perennial, and Intermittent; the Lacustrine has two, Littoral and Limnetic; and the Palustrine has no Subsystems.