Mekong Delta
Vast network of rivers and wetlands flowing through Vietnam; nutrient-rich sediments, monsoon-driven seasons, and lush submerged and emergent plants.
Natural Habitat & Origin
The Mekong Delta, the "Mother of Water," is a sprawling, sun-baked landscape of endless silty channels and emerald rice paddies. Flowing through the heart of Vietnam, the Mekong carries the lifeblood of the continent—immense quantities of nutrient-rich sediment that nourish one of the planet's most product ecosystems. The water here is often opaque with life, a swirl of fine clay and silt that supports a lush, chaotic growth of aquatic vegetation.
Beneath the wide horizons of the delta, the underwater world is a crowded, vibrant community. Vast meadows of Vallisneria and thickets of Rotala struggle for space in the nutrient-dense mud, while floating plants create a shifting green roof that protects the life below from the tropical sun. Life here is dictated by the great monsoon, a cycle of flood and retreat that reshapes the banks and distributes the river's bounty across the vast plains. It is a biome of abundance, where the boundaries between water and land are perpetually blurred.
Plants
Fuelled by the rich sediments of the Mekong, these vigorous species form the backbone of the delta's sprawling underwater meadows.
Hardscape
Fine-grained silts, aged driftwood, and smooth river stones reflect the Mekong's journey through the plains of Southeast Asia.
Fish & Invertebrates
The acrobatic loaches and resilient gouramis of the Mekong are perfectly at home in the delta's warm, nutrient-rich and often turbid waters.