Changes in the functioning of wetlands along environmental gradients

One of the prevalent gradients in wetlands is the continuum of depth and frequency of flooding. While much emphasis has been placed on the importance of hydrology as a driving force for wetlands, few other perspectives have emerged to demonstrate unifying patterns and principles. In contrast to the wetness continuum, the functioning of wetlands can be separated into two broad categories: (1) landscape-based transitions that occur within a wetland or group of similar wetland types and (2) resource-based transitions that allow comparisons of the flow of water and processing of nutrients among very different wetland types. Landscape-based continua include the transition from upstream to downstream in riverine wetlands and between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems within a wetland.