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Water and wildlife
Wetland wildlife can tell us a lot about the health of our water environment. The great variety of wet habitats in the UK - from the bogs and springs that feed upland streams to mudflats and marshes at the mouth of an estuary, and everything in between - support a wealth of different plants and animals.
Here is just a taster of the kinds of wetland wildlife you can hope to see in different habitats.
Ponds
Ponds are some of the richest habitats in the UK, sometimes supporting more special plants and insects as nearby rivers. Some specialist species live mainly in ponds, including the natterjack toad - which is found in pools on heathland and in dune-slacks - the great-crested newt, and the rare starfruit and pillwort plants.
Ponds are great places to learn about wildlife - many of us got our first experience of natural history from pond dipping! Check out our advice page on how to create a wildlife friendly pond or for more information, visit the Pond Conservation website.
Rivers
Rivers are home to salmon, trout, the native white-clawed crayfish, water crowfoot, and mammals such as the water vole and otter. Otters have gradually re-colonised many parts of the river network in England, due to the banning of deadly pesticides and better sewage treatment, which has improved water quality.
The Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Agency and Northern Ireland Rivers Agency websites have lots of useful information about your local river. You can also check out what you can do for your local river at the Our Rivers website. Use the links on this page to find out more information.
Lakes
Lakes are home to many birds, fish and plants. The UK is particularly important for its aquatic plants, supporting one of the most diverse floras in Europe. Lakes in the UK range from naturally productive lowland systems such as the Norfolk Broads, to the cold, nutrient-poor waters of lochs in the uplands in Scotland.
Find more information through the Lakes Habitat Action Plan website, linked from this page.
Freshwater wetlands
Freshwater wetlands include fens, bogs, reedbeds and wet grasslands. They are the home of an extraordinary array of wild plants (nearly one third of the flowering plants in Britain occur in fenland habitats), as well as many invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians.
More information can be found by visiting the Ramsar and Wetland Vision websites, linked from this page.
Estuaries and coasts
Estuaries and coasts, as well as being vitally important for birds, support specialist plant communities on saltmarshes and mudflats, and myriad crustaceans and other invertebrate life. Find more information on the UK Biodiversity website, linked from this page.
Last modified: 18 August 2010