semiaquatische

Semiaquatische, or semi-aquatic in English, is a term used in biology to describe organisms or habitats that rely on both water and land. Semiaquatic species spend significant portions of their lives in aquatic environments but also require terrestrial habitats for feeding, shelter, or reproduction. The term contrasts with strictly aquatic organisms (which live primarily in water) and strictly terrestrial organisms (which live on land).

Examples include a wide range of taxa: amphibians such as frogs and salamanders; many reptiles like freshwater turtles and some crocodilians; mammals such as beavers, otters, muskrats, and the platypus; and numerous birds including various waterfowl and rails. In each case, life cycles or daily activities involve both environments.

Adaptations common to semiaquatic species include webbed or lobed feet for swimming, bodies streamlined for aquatic movement, waterproof fur or scales, and specialized respiration (gills or cutaneous breathing in amphibians; lungs in others). Many animals use burrows, nests, or shelters on land and forage or rest in water, or vice versa.

Semiaquatic habitats encompass wetlands, marshes, riverbanks, lakeshores, and coastal zones such as mangroves. These areas support high biodiversity and serve ecological roles such as water filtration, flood mitigation, nutrient cycling, and providing migration corridors.

Conservation and study: Because semiaquatic ecosystems bridge aquatic and terrestrial realms, they are sensitive to pollution, drainage, sedimentation, and climate change. Protecting wetlands and riparian zones helps safeguard semiaquatic species and a range of ecosystem services.