Final answer:
A wetland is an area with soil saturated with water either permanently or periodically, characterized by wetland plants and supporting high biodiversity. It can be marshes, swamps, bogs, and other types.
Step-by-step explanation:
A wetland is defined as an environment where the soil is either permanently or periodically saturated with water. These areas are characterized by the presence of emergent vegetation, which includes wetland plants that are rooted in the soil but have portions of their leaves, stems, and flowers extending above the water's surface. Wetlands vary from other bodies of water like lakes, which are deeper, because wetlands are shallow and can periodically dry out. They play a crucial role in the ecosystem with their unique hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils, contributing to high levels of biodiversity. Some common types of wetlands include marshes, swamps, bogs, mudflats, and salt marshes.
Answering the student's initial question, a wetland can be best described by option c, 'A habitat characterized by the presence of water and water-loving plants.'