A type of wetland characterized by alkaline or neutral water conditions and fed primarily by groundwater, supporting distinctive plant communities including sedges, grasses, and wildflowers. Fens differ from bogs in their water chemistry and nutrient levels.
From Old English 'fenn,' meaning marsh or swamp, related to similar words in other Germanic languages. The specific ecological distinction between fens and other wetland types was developed by botanists and ecologists in the 20th century.
The Florida Everglades is actually a massive fen system - its shallow, slow-moving water comes from groundwater and surface flow rather than rainfall alone, creating the unique 'river of grass' ecosystem! In England, the Fens were a vast wetland region that was mostly drained for agriculture, but the few remaining areas show how these landscapes once dominated much of eastern England.
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