Succession Walk

Water plants can change the wetland habitat in a process known as succession.

A boardwalk over open water takes visitors along a trail of aquatic plants. Explore the change of species as the habitat changes from open water, through floating plants like water lilies, emergent plants like reeds, to finally wet woodlands. Field notes apparently produced by an enquiring botanical artist reveal some amazing plant stories along the way.

See the adaptations to life on the water surface where there is better access to sunlight and air, but the soil and silt is still nutritionally quite poor – e.g. carnivorous sacs, floatation bladders, large rhizomes, etc. Floating plant life provides a good environment for dabbling ducks, amphibians and invertebrates.

Plant life here is rich and varied due to the good supply of nutrient-rich mud. See the adaptations to life in the mud where plants jostle for space and compete with one another to propagate and get oxygen to their roots. Emergent plant life provides a good environment for birds such as rails and warblers, which perch amongst the reeds. Invertebrates often pupate on the stems of emergent plants and shed skins and egg cases may often be seen. Dragonflies, caddisflies and butterflies favour these conditions.

Open water has given way to wet woodland. The way in which emergent plants have rotted down to bind the soil until it is stable enough for more robust plants such as creeping shrubs and small trees to survive. Adaptations such as widely spread roots to give stability, propagation via suckers, etc. are shown.

Located in subtropical region, we can enjoy beautiful water lilies throughout the year in Hong Kong. If you are lucky enough, you can also see the Pheasant-tailed Jacana leaping on the floating leaves.