Ramsar Classification System for Wetland Type

The Ramsar Classification System for Wetland Type is a wetland classification developed within the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands intended as a means for fast identification of the main types of wetlands for the purposes of the Convention.^[1]

List

Marine/coastal wetlands

Saline water:
- Permanent:
  - (A) Permanent shallow marine waters: Less than 6m deep at low tide; including sea bays and straits
  - (B) Marine subtidal aquatic beds: Underwater vegetation; including kelp beds and sea grass beds, and tropical marine meadows
  - (C) Coral Reefs
- Shores:
  - (D) Rocky marine shores
  - (E) Sand, shingle or pebble shores
Saline or brackish water:
- Intertidal:
  - (G) Intertidal mud, sand or salt flats
  - (H) Intertidal marshes
  - (I) Intertidal forested wetlands
- Lagoons:
  - (J) Coastal brackish/saline lagoons
- Estuarine waters:
  - (F) Estuarine waters
Saline, brackish, or fresh water:
- Subterranean:
  - (Zk(a)) Karst and other Subterranean hydrological systems
Fresh water:
- Lagoons:
  - (K) Coastal freshwater lagoons

Inland wetlands

Fresh water:
- Flowing water:
  - Permanent:
    - Permanent inland river deltas (L)
    - Permanent rivers/creeks/streamss (M)
      - Freshwater springs, oases (Y)
  - Seasonal/intermittent rivers/creeks/streams (N)
- Lakes/pools:
  - Permanent >8 ha (O)
  - Permanent < 8 ha(Tp)
  - Seasonal / Intermittent > 8 ha (P)
  - Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
- Marshes on inorganic soils:
  - Permanent (herb dominated) (Tp)
  - Permanent / Seasonal / Intermittent (shrub dominated)(W)
  - Permanent / Seasonal / Intermittent (tree dominated) (Xf)
  - Seasonal/intermittent (herb dominated) (Ts)
- Marshes on peat soils:
  - Permanent (non-forested)(U)
  - Permanent (forested)(Xp)
- Marshes on inorganic or peat soils:
  - Marshes on inorganic or peat soils / High altitude (alpine) (Va)
  - Marshes on inorganic or peat soils / Tundra (Vt)
Saline, brackish or alkaline waters:
- Lakes
  - Permanent (Q)
  - Seasonal/intermittent (R)
- Marshes/pools
  - Permanent (Sp)
  - Seasonal/intermittent (Ss)
Fresh, saline, brackish or alkaline waters:
- Geothermal (Zg)
- Subterranean (Zk(b))

Human-made wetlands

(1) - Aquaculture ponds
(2) - Ponds (farm and stock ponds, small stock tanks, or area less than 8 ha)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(Zk(c)) - human-made karst and other subterranean hydrological systems

References

↑ "Ramsar Classification System for Wetland Type", Annex I of the Information sheet

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