WETLANDS

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WETLANDS
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2 Categories of Wetlands

• Coastal Wetlands occur near the ocean and are
  closely linked to estuaries
• Inland Wetlands occur everywhere from plains to
  mountain tops

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Defined

• areas of habitat that have waterlogged soils and
  are at least periodically covered with water
• the plants that grow in the area are also
  distinctive

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Why isnt it always covered with water?

• Because the land does not always have standing
  water in all places
• low lying areas or basins gather rain and runoff
• ground water and the water table lie at the
  surface
• rivers sometimes overflow their banks
• tidal areas vary

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Functions of Wetlands

• flood control- acts as shallow bowls which slow
  water velocity, collects and spreads water

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• silt traps - silt will settle out once it reaches
  slow flowing wetlands areas and then the plants
  will absorb or trap the silt

Trapping silt in wetlands prevents it from
entering the streams and causing habitat damage
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• Drinking water is affected by wetland health
• refill underground aquifers
• wetlands act as
• filters that cleans
• our water before it
• enters the aquifer

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• storm breakers - buffers winds and waves along
  coastlines also stops lots of sediments from
  entering bays and lagoons

Plants stabilize shorelines and protect inland
areas
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• habitat - provides food, shelter, water, space
  for all types of wildlife
• stop over resting places for migratory wildlife
• habitat for many endangered species

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• absorbs pollutants - wetland plants can absorb
  and store pollutants like heavy metals,
  pesticides..
• Natural filters

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• nurseries - perfect place to raise young as the
  vegetation provides shelter from predators and
  lots of food for quick growth
• prime breeding habitat for shrimp, crabs,
  waterfowl

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• Regulates climate - wetland plants and animals
  are part of the global water and nitrogen cycles.
  Wetland plants store carbon instead of releasing
  it into the atmosphere--reducing gases which
  contribute to global warming

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• Fire control - wetter areas tend to burn less
• since wetlands often follow corridors along
  streams and lakes, they make natural fire breaks

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Reasons for Wetland Destruction

• People often
• viewed wetlands
• as places to drain
• and develop
• --as a nonuseful piece of land that could be made
  useful

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• agriculture
• perfect soil for water loving crops
• low-cost irrigation

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It is a natural source of water for grazing
animals
Streams could be channeled for irrigation and
flood control
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• Commercial and
• industrial uses

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• Mining - removing the vegetation removes the
  ability of the land to absorb pollutants
• wetlands would prevent mine
• waste from damaging streams

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• recreational

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• housing development - everyone wants a place to
  live, so houses
• could be built
• andyou have to get
• to work, shopping...

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• Introduction of non-native species displace
  native plants and grow uncontrollably by natural
  means

Brazilian Pepper destroys habitat for wading birds
Purple Loosestrife quickly crowds out native
species and replaces food plants and needed
habitat
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Types of Wetlands

• salt marshes (pocosins and others) often have
  tidal influences but the salinity is lower than
  in coastal marshes

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• mangrove swamps

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• freshwater marshes

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Wetlands do not always look like what most people
think of as wetlands--the difference is in the
soil and plants
Vernal Ponds are dry most of the year, yet they
are critical to amphibians for breeding habitat
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• fen is a type of freshwater marsh, with peat moss
  dominating
• has more oxygen and less acidity than the bogs so
  it will support more life
• found in northern regions where its cooler

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• bogs and muskegs are found in colder regions
• dominated by sphagnum moss
• lower oxygen
• very acidic

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• Everglades -often called the river of grass are
  found in Florida

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