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Wetlands: Importance and Human Impacts

Learn about wetlands, their importance to wildlife and people, and the human impact on the Everglades. Explore different types of wetlands and understand the efforts to restore and protect them.

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Wetlands: Importance and Human Impacts

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  1. Land, Air, and Water Resources Ms. De Los Rios 7th Grade 8-5 Wetland Environments Essential Question: How Do People use Earth’s Resource? What are Wetlands? Why are the Wetlands Important? What Impact Have Humans Had on the Everglades? Pgs. 288-295

  2. Vocabulary • Wetland- a land area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year.

  3. My Planet Diary pg. 288 • Wetland Stories • How much do you know about your school’s neighborhood? Students from Exploris Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina, wanted to know more about the nearby Walnut Creek wetlands. Community groups had worked with the city to stop flooding and protect the wetland area. The students interviewed people who had lived near the wetlands for decades. They asked about the residents’ memories of the area. Students also created a field guide for the wetlands. They included descriptions and drawings of animals found in the area, so others could enjoy the wildlife right in their own city! • Why did students at Exploris Middle School interview people near Walnut Creek? • What questions do you have about wetlands?

  4. What are Wetlands? Pg. 289 • A wetland is an area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year. • Wetlands help control foods and provide habitats for many species. They form in places where water is trapped in low areas or where groundwater seeps to the surface. Wetlands may be as small as a roadside ditch or cover as much as a small state. • The Florida Everglades are a vast wetland.

  5. The Everglades Sometimes called the “River of Grass,” the Florida Everglades is a vast wetland that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. Wetland Environments

  6. Freshwater Wetlands pg. 290 • The three common types of freshwater wetlands are marshes, swamps, and bogs. These wetlands are diverse. • Marshes are usually grassy areas covered by shallow water or streams. Many cattails and other tall grasslike plants live there. • Swamps look like flooded forests with trees and shrubs spouting from the water. Many swamps are in warm, humid climates. • Bogs are more common in cooler areas. The water in bogs tends to be acidic. Mosses thrive in these conditions.

  7. Coastal Wetlands pg. 291 • Coastal wetlands, which usually contain both fresh water and salt water, include salt marshes and mangrove forests. Grasses grow in the rich mud of salt marshes. Mangrove forests are found along the southeastern coast.

  8. Apply it! Pg. 290 • The photographs show a kind of freshwater • wetland called a pocosin or Carolina bay. • Water in pocosins is generally acidic. • Describe two features you can observe • in the photograph. • What type of wetland is a pocosin? • (bog/swamp)

  9. Assess Your Understanding pg. 291 • 1a. What are the three main types of freshwater wetlands? • b. How do coastal wetlands differ from freshwater wetlands? • c. How are the three types of freshwater wetlands similar? How are they different? • I get it! Now I know that wetlands are _____________________ • ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  10. Why are Wetlands Important? Pg. 292 • Importance to wildlife: • Because of their sheltered waters and rich supply of nutrients, wetlands provide habitats for many living things. • Importance to People: • Wetlands act as natural water filters. They control floods by absorbing extra runoff from heavy rains.

  11. What Impact Have Humans Had on the Everglades? Pg. 294 • DEVELOPMENT • The development of southern Florida has resulted in changes to the flow of water across the Everglades. • EFFECTS • Water pollution has increased, and native plant and animal populations have declined. • Half of south Florida’s original wetland system is gone. • SOLUTIONS • However, Florida’s communities are working together to try and restore the Everglades with help from the United States government. • The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, signed by President Clinton proposes more than 60 projects in 30 years to reverse the harm we have done to the Everglades by shifting the water flow.

  12. Figure 4 Human Impact on the Everglades pg. 294 The arrows on these maps show how the flow of water has changed across the Everglades. Explain how this has affected the Everglades

  13. Assess Your Understanding pg. 295 • 3a Why have parts of the Everglades been developed? • ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ • b. What impact has human development had on the Everglades ecosystem? • ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ • I get It! Now I know that humans have affected the Everglades by _________________________________________________ • ___________________________________________________

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