Reed bed
A reedbed or reed bed is a natural habitat found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions and
estuaries. Reedbeds are part of a succession from young reeds colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground. As reedbeds age, they build up a considerable litter layer that eventually rises above the water level and that ultimately provides opportunities in the form of new areas for larger terrestrial plants such as shrubs and trees to colonise.
Artificial reedbeds are used to remove pollutants from greywater, and are also called constructed wetlands.
Types
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 by bogs and vegetation such as poor fen.Although common reeds are characteristic of reedbeds, not all vegetation dominated by this species is characteristic of reedbeds. It also commonly occurs in unmanaged, damp grassland and as an understorey in certain types of damp woodland.
Wildlife
Most European reedbeds mainly comprise common reed but also include many other tall monocotyledons adapted to growing in wet conditions - other grasses such as reed sweet-grass, Canary reed-grass and small-reed, large sedges, yellow flag iris, reed-mace, water-plantains, and flowering rush. Many dicotyledons also occur, such as water mint, gipsywort, skull-cap, touch-me-not balsam, brooklime and water forget-me-nots.Many animals are adapted to living in and around reedbeds. These include mammals such as Eurasian otter, European beaver, water vole, Eurasian harvest mouse and water shrew, and birds such as great bittern, purple heron, European spoonbill, water rail, purple gallinule, marsh harrier, various warblers, bearded reedling and reed bunting.