Coastal and subcoastal floodplain wet heath swamp

Coastal and subcoastal floodplain wet heath swamp – Nutrient dynamics

• Wet
• Dry

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• Hydrology
• Geomorphology
• Fauna
• Flora
• Nutrients
• Associated habitat types
• Fire
• Photos

Coastal Wet Heath Swamps grow in areas with very low soil fertility.

Many heath species rely on mycorrhizal associations for sourcing nutrients or possess proteoid roots as adaptations for surviving in low nutrient soils. Studies suggest that most heath species have maintained maximum flexibility for sourcing nutrients (particularly nitrogen) and this creates a situation where niche differentiation of nutrient sources is complex and dynamic in these environments.

Some sources of the limited nutrients in these areas are organic matter built up in undecomposed soils and ash from fires.

Last updated: 22 March 2013