List of Figures 



No. Page 



1 Schematic diagram showing wetlands, deepwater habitats, and uplands on 

 landscape 2 



2 The Fish and Wildlife Service's official wetland classification report 3 



3 Classification hierarchy of wetlands and deepwater habitats, showing 



systems, subsystems, and classes 4 



4 Diagram showing major wetland and deepwater habitat systems 5 



5 Examples of estuarine emergent wetlands 7 



6 Cross-section of a Northeastern salt marsh 8 



7 Examples of estuarine intertidal flats 8 



8 Mangrove-dominated estuarine scrub-shrub wetlands of Florida 9 



9 Examples of palustrine emergent wetlands 10 



10 Generalized vegetation zones of a pothole wetland in relationship to water 

 regime 10 



1 1 Examples of palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands 11 



12 Examples of palustrine forested wetlands 12 



13 Wetland habitat utilization by several families of birds 14 



14 Migratory birds using wetlands 15 



15 Waterfowl habitat areas of major national concern 16 



16 Wetlands are important to many other wildlife species 17 



17 Aerial view of Tinicum Marsh near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19 



18 Relative productivity of wetland ecosystems in relation to others 20 



19 Simplified food pathways from estuarine wetland vegetation to commercial 



and recreational fishes 20 



20 Wetland value in reducing flood crests and flow rates after rainstorms 21 



21 Wetland drainage and filling increase the potential for damaging floods .... 22 



22 Estuarine-dependent fish, like salmon, provide the majority of the 

 commercial fisheries in the United States 24 



23 Wetlands provide opportunities for recreational fishing 25 



24 Many Americans enjoy watching birds in and around wetlands 25 



25 Relative abundance of wetlands in the U.S. ( 1984) 28 



26 Extent of wetlands in the conterminous U.S. in the mid-1970's 29 



27 Original and remaining acreages of wetlands in the conterminous US 29 



28 Net losses and gains in wetlands of the conterminous U.S. between the mid- 

 50's and mid-70's 31 



IV 



