9781422277553

With regular inflows of both fresh river water and seawater, the channels and mudflats of a river estuary are constantly changing. These areas are home to many small animals, such as crabs, as well as birds and other animals that feed on them.

face water for most of the year, but are temporarily covered with water when seasonal rains or melting snow cause the rivers to overflow. The permanent swamps of the Sudd region of Sudan cover up to 7,700 square miles (20,000 square kilome- ters), but during the rainy season the White Nile River over- flows into the floodplain surrounding the swamps, and adds an additional 5,800 square miles (15,000 sq. km) to the wetland area. In some floodplains the water largely disappears between rainy seasons. During the annual monsoon rains in Australia’s

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Wetlands

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