Home > Managing A Watershed > Assessing Water Quality > Wetlands Research

Wetlands are a fascinating and important aspect of New Jersey’s ecology. Wetlands help maintain biodiversity by providing habitat for a variety of plant and animal species. Wetlands also contribute to protecting and improving water quality by filtering nonpoint source pollution and even removing contaminants from soils.

Beginning in 1999, the Association led an exciting multidisciplinary study of how wetlands help to control nonpoint source pollution. The study included research on metal uptake in wetlands plants and a survey of public perceptions of wetlands, their benefits, functions, and legal protections.

We then worked to increase the public’s and municipal officials’ understanding of the vital roles wetlands play in the ecology of watersheds (see power point presentation - "Educating the public about wetlands"). The Association produced a Citizen’s Guide to wetlands and the Natural Lands Network (NLN) hosted an educational workshop.

Various types of wetlands can be found throughout New Jersey. Each type of wetland supports a variety of plant and animal species and therefore differs in its ecological wonders and capabilities. Below are a few examples of wetlands found within the watershed.

This beautiful wetland lies to the east of Rocky Brook in East Windsor. Due to the type of plants that grow in this area, it has been categorized as a “Scrub-Shrub” wetland, meaning that the vegetation layer consists of predominantly small, woody-stemmed plants. This area, and other wetlands like it, provides the benefit of flood control during heavy rains. The plants and soils in the area can easily absorb and contain overflow from the banks of a water body in flood conditions.

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus joetidus) emerges in early spring on our Mt. Rose Ridge trail. This plant is a hydrophyte, a category of plant that grows almost exclusively in wetland areas. If crushed, its large cabbage-like leaves emit an unpleasant odor, similar to that of a skunk. These hardy plants serve an important role in a wetland ecosystem; absorbing some types of pollution out of the water that saturates its root system.

Marsh Botanist Dr. Mary Leck and Wetlands Research Specialist Julie Hajdusek follow a muskrat trail through a sedge meadow near Sondek Park in South Brunswick. This area is a wonder of biological diversity, featuring wetland plants such as Soft Rush (Juncus effusus), Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata), Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), and many kinds of sedges (Carex spp).