Fine roots are critical to essential wetland processes, including nutrient cycling and soil aeration[e1] , and may provide important context to above-ground functioning. Yet, our understanding of root trait adaptation in wetland specialists, like that of Nyssa sylvatica, is limited. This study investigated fine root trait variance across three primary tree species found within the Harvard Forest Black Gum Swamp along a soil depth gradient. I hypothesized that N. sylvatica roots would display more wetland-adapted traits, specifically those of wider root diameter, shorter specific root lengths, higher levels of carbon-to-nitrogen, and the presence of aerenchyma, than that of the generalist species Acer rubrum and Tsuga canadensis across the soil depth profile. Given the swamp’s dominant tree species are N. sylvatica, A. rubrum, and T. canadensis, I took ten soil cores using a hemispheric peat corer by each target tree species, totaling 30 cores up to a maximum depth of 1 meter. I extracted fine roots in 10 cm increments with depth and identified them to the species level. I then measured fine root traits using RhizoVision and statistically analyzed the resulting data in RStudio. The specialist species, N. sylvatica, maintained distinctly different root system dynamics compared to generalist species, likely associated with its success in the saturated ecosystem of the Black Gum Swamp. N. sylvatica also displayed the presence of aerenchyma, a key feature pertaining to improved function in anaerobic soils, as well as wider diameters and rooting depths. These findings ultimately improve knowledge of wetland adapted plant species and their root systems and provide additional insight into their role in ecosystem function.