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Water - Physical

There are many physical components of water that have fundamental roles in water processes and cycles. Water in wetlands has a range of different characteristics, some are due to the natural variation in the substrate and surrounds and others to human activities (anthropogenic influences). The physical components of water fundamentally affect what lives in the wetland and how the wetland functions and supports values.

Quick facts

Not all turbid waters
are an indication of poor water quality. Some inland rivers are naturally very turbid and the animals and plants that grow in them have adapted to these conditions.

The vegetation, surrounding land uses, light availability, position in the catchment and many other aspects also influence physical components of water. Physical components of water include temperature, light, clarity and colour and water source - just to name a few.

Physical water attributes are used when applying the Queensland wetland habitat classification scheme to lacustrine and palustrine wetlands.

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Last updated: 24 October 2023

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2023) Water - Physical, WetlandInfo website, accessed 18 March 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/components/water-physical/

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of Environment, Science and Innovation