Wetland Environments

1. Wetland Environments Water and the Atmosphere – Chapter 1 Lesson 4

2. 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?

3. What are Wetlands? • A wetland is an area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year.   • Wetlands help control floods 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.

4. What are Wetlands? • 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. • 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.

5. Why Are Wetlands Important? • Because of their sheltered water and rich supply of nutrients, wetlands provide habitats for many living things. • Some of the same organisms that live in or near ponds live in freshwater wetlands.   • Insects and fish find food and shelter among wetland plants. • Birds, amphibians, and reptiles nest in and around the wetlands. • Larger animals spend part or all of their lives in a wetland.

6. Why Are Wetlands Important? • Wetlands are important to people. • Wetlands act as natural water filters. • They also help control floods by absorbing extra runoff from heavy rains. • As water moves slowly through a wetland, some waste materials settle out or are absorbed by plants. • The thick network of plant roots also traps silt and mud. • Wetlands act like giant sponges, storing water until it gradually drains or evaporates. • When wetlands are destroyed, floodwaters are not absorbed. • Wetlands also make climates more moderate. • Temperatures are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than they would be without wetlands.

7. Importance of Wetlands • With their sheltered waters and rich supply of nutrients, wetlands provide habitats for many living things. • Wetlands are important to people because they help to control floods by absorbing extra runoff from heavy rains. • They also act as a natural filter, removing waste and pollutants from rainwater.

8. Importance of Wetlands • Wetlands are home to many animal species, including insects, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Choose one kind of animal and explain what makes a wetland a suitable environment for it. • One of the few species of wetlands mammals is the manatee. It is commonly found in Florida’s mangrove forests. Why is this a suitable environment for manatees? • At one time, people drained water from wetlands to create land for new farms, houses, and businesses. Now, laws prohibit the draining of wetlands. Why did people decide to protect wetlands?