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Areedbed orreed bed is a naturalhabitat found infloodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reedbeds are part of asuccession from youngreeds colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground. As reedbeds age, they build up a considerablelitter layer that eventually rises above the water level and that ultimately provides opportunities in the form of new areas for larger terrestrial plants such asshrubs andtrees to colonise.[1]
Artificial reedbeds are used to remove pollutants fromgreywater, and are also calledconstructed wetlands.[2]
Reedbeds vary in the species that they can support, depending upon water levels within the wetland system, climate, seasonal variations, and the nutrient status and salinity of the water.Reed swamps have 20 cm or more of surface water during the summer and often have high invertebrate and bird species use.Reed fens have water levels at or below the surface during the summer and are often more botanically complex. Reeds and similar plants do not generally grow in very acidic water. In these situations, reedbeds are replaced bybogs and vegetation such aspoor fen.
Althoughcommon reeds are characteristic of reedbeds, not all vegetation dominated by this species is characteristic of reedbeds. It also commonly occurs in unmanaged, dampgrassland and as anunderstorey in certain types of dampwoodland.
MostEuropean reedbeds mainly comprise common reed (Phragmites australis) but also include many other tallmonocotyledons adapted to growing in wet conditions – other grasses such as reed sweet-grass (Glyceria maxima), Canary reed-grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and small-reed (Calamagrostisspecies), large sedges (species ofCarex,Scirpus,Schoenoplectus,Cladium and relatedgenera), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), reed-mace ("bulrush" –Typha species), water-plantains (Alisma species), and flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus). Manydicotyledons also occur, such as water mint (Mentha aquatica), gipsywort (Lycopus europaeus), skull-cap (Scutellaria species), touch-me-not balsam (Impatiens noli-tangere), brooklime (Veronica beccabunga) and water forget-me-nots (Myosotis species).
Many animals are adapted to living in and around reedbeds. These include mammals such asEurasian otter,European beaver,water vole,Eurasian harvest mouse andwater shrew, and birds such asgreat bittern,purple heron,European spoonbill,water rail (and otherrails),purple gallinule,marsh harrier, variouswarblers (reed warbler,sedge warbler etc.),bearded reedling andreed bunting.
Constructed wetlands are artificial swamps (sometimes calledreed fields) using reed or other marshland plants to form part of small-scalesewage treatment systems.Water trickling through the reedbed is cleaned bymicroorganisms living on the root system and in the litter. These organisms utilize the sewage for growthnutrients, resulting in a cleaneffluent. The process is very similar to aerobic conventional sewage treatment, as the same organisms are used, except that conventional treatment systems require artificial aeration.
Treatment ponds are small versions of constructed wetlands which uses reedbeds or other marshland plants to form an even smallerwater treatment system. Similar to constructed wetlands, water trickling through the reedbed is cleaned bymicroorganisms living on the root system and in the litter. Treatment ponds are used for the water treatment of a single house or a small neighbourhood.
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