Wetland-riparian wildlife of the Mid-Atlantic region: An overview

The Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR) encompasses five major physiographic regions or ecoregions ranging from coastal habitats to mountainous terrain. It includes both unglaciated and glaciated sections. The topography is further differentiated and dissected by several major river basins draining into the Delaware, Susquehanna-Chesapeake, Ohio-Mississippi, and Great Lakes. The biological diversity of the MAR reflects this inherent habitat diversity, with wetland-riparian species well represented. Unfortunately, about 50% of the species of concern in the MAR also are dependent on wetlands, streams, rivers, and riparian areas. This array of diverse taxa is introduced here, with abundant links to prior studies and pub lications, and websites to guide the reader to these sources. In addition, we feature two flagship species that occupy and alter wetland-riparian ecosystems, respectively-river otter and beaver.