Cayuga Lake Wetland Canal On Atlantic Flyway Migration Route Royalty-Free Stock Photography

The Atlantic Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in North America. A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently for years or decades or seasonally for a shorter period. Flooding results in oxygen-poor processes taking place, especially in the soils. Wetlands are different from other landforms or water bodies due to their aquatic plants adapted to oxygen-poor waterlogged soils. Wetlands are considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal species. Methods exist for assessing wetland functions and wetland ecological health. These methods have contributed to wetland conservation by raising public awareness of the functions that wetlands can provide. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve in New York State, operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It encompasses part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake and provides important habitat for over 300 species of birds, including nesting areas for more than 100 species123. The refuge is situated in the middle of one of the most active flight lanes in the Atlantic Flyway zone.