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Wetland systems (aquatic ecosystems)

Wetlands in Queensland have been classified into wetland systems (lacustrine, palustrine, riverine, estuarine, marine and subterranean) and discrete wetland habitat types on a state scale.

Conceptual models are tools used to describe our current understanding of the ecology, components and processes that characterise these wetland types.

These models can be used to learn about different wetland habitat types, to inform management and underpin research and monitoring.

Use the links on the picture below to find the wetland system you are interested in. More detailed wetland (aquatic ecosystem) habitat types can be found on the system pages.

Quick facts

Wetlands: may contain a number of different wetland systems, e.g. a lacustrine system may be surrounded by a palustrine fringe. Wetland systems may be composed of wetland habitat types, e.g. grass, herb sedge habitat, treed habitat and permanent lakes.

Estuarine wetlands are those with oceanic water sometimes diluted with freshwater run-off from the land.

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.

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).

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.

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.

Pictorial conceptual models

Pictorial conceptual models of lacustrine, palustrine, riverine, estuarine, marine and groundwater dependent wetlands showing natural processes and components are concise and visually stimulating illustrations that use symbols or drawings to depict important features and processes of wetland environments. These models use the most current knowledge or understanding of an environment, presented in a way that is easy to understand.

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Last updated: 22 March 2013

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment and Science, Queensland (2013) Wetland systems (aquatic ecosystems), WetlandInfo website, accessed 13 April 2023. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/aquatic-ecosystems-natural/