Hydrologic Connectivity and Wetlands

Wetlands are so-named because they are wet for variable amounts of time; hydrology dictates their formation, development, and continued existence. Over thousands of years (time differs by site), organisms in wetlands have evolved to persist within the hydrologic cycle or hydroperiod that dominates each wetland. When hydrology is altered, wetland habitats are altered and organisms must adapt, move, or perish. Humans have not always recognized the importance of natural hydrologic processes, and in an effort to change habitat characteristics for selected plant and animal species, or to support human infrastructure, they have altered hydrology, often by reducing hydrologic connectivity between wetlands and adjacent water bodies.