With the digging of a centralized channel, the lake basin shrinks and is only preserved in the narrow regions directly on the edges of the channel. Most of the basin becomes too dry to support semi-aquatic vegetation. Development of single, deep catch pits for irrigation run-off are formed in the same manner. Substrate Peat to mineral soils Can do detailed stratigraphy with wetland soils relating to conditions of development Climate reconstructions Hydrology Figure 11-2 Hydrology as in all wetlands is dependent on the balance between the various types. There is no one pattern and individual wetlands can fluctuate between in, out and flow-through.
Seeds germinate best in moist conditions.
Many seeds persist for a relatively long time and restoration can often be little more than adding water. Diversity will be way down however as not all species are persistent. Fertility versus infertile conditions. Often the rarer plants are adapted to a nutrient poor environment and will disappear if nutrients are added. Interesting as nutrient inputs go up that uptake rates do not.