Wetlands

1. Wetlands Mrs. Melaney’s 6th Grade Class Beauvoir Elementary School, Biloxi MS March 2007 Wetlands Mrs. Melaney’s 6th Grade Class Beauvoir Elementary School Biloxi MS March 2007

2. The wetlands are places that connect land and water. It’s a home for the plants and animals to live in. The wetlands may be fed by both fresh and salt water. There are plants in the wetlands that are called emergent plants. Their roots are underwater. There are also carnivorous plants that catch insects to get their nutrients from. Animals live in the wetlands habitat too. They get their food there and raise their young there. Wetlands are like nurseries for fish and other wildlife. We need the wetlands because they help reduce flooding. They provide animals with a place to live and they also give migrating birds a place to rest. by Delores

3. Wetlands are a mixture of land and water that provides breeding grounds and homes for fish, birds, and mammals. There are many types of wetlands, but the main ones are bogs, marshes, and swamps. Wetlands can be fresh water, salt water, or a mixture of the two which are called estuaries. As I said earlier, wetlands provide homes and breeding grounds for birds, fish, and mammals. Many different fish live in the wetlands like speckled trout, drum, and catfish. Birds live there as well; there are Great Blue Herons, Clapper Rails, Terns, Pelicans, Seagulls, and Water Fowl, just to name a few. Alligators and varied frogs also make their homes in thriving wetlands. Now you know that wetlands are homes to much life, and when we fill them in to build on, we lose it all. Did you know that wetlands are also a natural filter system? Yes, they naturally filter out pesticides and other harmful things, but like everything else, they have their limits. Lastly, wetlands act as a sponge, soaking up all the excess water and preventing floods. Now you know that wetlands are useful, and they don’t’ need to be filled in. So, next time you see a wetlands, don’t think of it being useless. Look at it as being helpful and thriving with life. By Grace

4. Wetlands are areas covered with water for at least part of the year. They also shelter animals. There are three main types of wetlands: swamps, marshes, and bogs. Wetlands are in every continent in the world except Antarctica. They are found near the oceans and some are far inland. The wetlands ecosystem is very large. It is made up of emergents, herbivores, carnivores, decomposers and the list goes on and on. The wetlands ecosystem is huge, so we need to work hard to preserve them. We should preserve wetlands because they prevent erosion, they reduce flooding, filter pollution, and provide animals and plants a place to live, eat, and breed. Peat in bogs reduces global warming, and migrating birds rest in the wetlands. There is so much more, and that’s why we should work extra hard to preserve them. by Megan

5. Wetlands are exactly like they sound, wet land. Wetlands are submerged in a lake of water part or all of the year. Wetlands also hold a great ecosystem of plants and animals. There are three kinds of animals: carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore. Carnivorous plants exist in the wetlands such as pitcher plants, Venus fly traps and sundew flowers. All three of these rare plants eat insects. Pitcher plants’ bright colors attract flies and other insects. When these insects land, they look for nectar. They climb down the tube, or pitcher, of these plants and drown in the liquid at the bottom. Wetlands need to be preserved because they are recreational places and also important to the world. They’re natural flood planes, or in other words, keep us from being flooded! They also purify water. The wetlands are a great and wonderful place with an ecosystem that helps us in natural ways. by Nick

6. Wetlands are areas of land that are wet at least part of the year. Wetlands are located anywhere deep water and land are connected. The wetland’s ecosystem contains all of the natural things that make their home in the wetlands. Some of the animals are birds, alligators, worms, crabs, and zooplankton. Some of the plants are ferns, cord grass, sundews, and bladderworts. The carnivorous plants rely on insects for the nutrients they need to survive. All of the inhabitants in a wetlands rely on each other for survival. Wetlands should be preserved because they help reduce flooding. Wetlands act as storage places for precipitation. Wetlands also act as nurseries, filters, neutralizers, and migratory stations. For human benefits, the wetlands provide recreational activities. I wonder, have I persuaded you to preserve the wetlands? By Takeydra

7. The wetlands are a place for animals to live and get their food. They provide plants with water to grow. They also soak up water to help prevent flooding. Some plants that live in the wetlands are sea lavender, cord grass and glasswort. Black skimmers, cormorants, least terns, brown pelicans, great blue herons and ospreys also nest there. If we destroy the wetlands, many animals will become extinct. by Brandon

8. Wetlands are areas of land that are wet part of the year. Some are underwater at certain times of the year or even all of the year. Wetlands are home to a wide variety of animals that often are not found anywhere else. The animals range in size from microscopic creatures to large reptiles such as alligators and mammals such as manatees. Animals are in an ecosystem that helps each other to survive. When the plants and animals are balanced, they keep the ecosystem healthy. People should preserve the wetlands because without the wetlands we will be in deep trouble. The city will get floods. The helpless animals would die. Preserving the wetlands is a good thing to do. by Tevin

9. Wetlands are areas that are wet for at least part of the year. There are four main types of wetlands: marshes, swamps, fens and bogs. As we all know, precipitation is water that falls from the sky, and precipitation feeds many wetlands areas. The ecosystem is very simple. There are plants and animals. The animals can be herbivores that eat plants; carnivores that eat meat; or omnivores that eat both. If you go, you will find birds, crabs, clams, barnacles, fish or anything else that lives in the water. Nine out of 10 things live in the wetlands. If we destroy them, where will they go? Marshes are homes for all kinds of animals, so we need to let them be. Wetlands should be preserved because wetlands are a home, a restaurant, or even a nursery for the animals. by Taylor

10. Wetlands are wet land. They are found anywhere but Antarctica, mostly by lakes, rivers and oceans. Wetlands are beautiful places. Wetlands are homes to many animals: frogs, insects, alligator, fish, crabs, shrimp, zooplankton, and many more. Wetlands also have plants such as the pitcher plant, Venus fly traps, moss, trees, peat, and more. We need wetlands to live. Wetlands are also nurseries to little animals. Did you know the wetlands food chain always starts with the same thing, the sun? Without sunlight, there are no plants and no animals that eat plants. Did you know there are more than just one type of wetlands? The four most common are swamps, bogs, marshes and fens. We should preserve wetlands because they filter water. They give nutrients to plants. They are homes to many animals. They also stop floods in our town. We get stuff like marshmallows and seafood from them too. If we destroy wetlands, think on how much we’ll disturb the natural balance. If we destroy our carnivorous plants, we would have many more flies than normal. Wetlands are amazing places. by Zach

11. A wetland is an area that is wet for at least part of the year that connects deep water and land. Wetlands are home to many animals, plants, birds, and so on. In a wetland, there are millions of different things living there, some you have probably never even heard of. Animals in the wetlands find ways to survive without getting killed, such as their behavior, color and body parts. There are four different kinds of things in a wetlands: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers. A carnivore eats meat while herbivores only eat plants. We are omnivores because we eat plants and meat. Decomposers are very small animals that feed on dead or decaying plants and animals. We need wetlands because they filter out most of the pollution from our water. They keep flooding to a minimum. They also provide homes to those millions of things that live there. I think we should preserve them because without them, we could be under water this minute! Help save our wetlands so we won’t have to suffer the consequences. By Elizabeth

12. Wetlands are areas that connect deep water and land that are wet throughout the year. The four main types of wetlands are swamps, bogs, fens, and marshes. Wetlands have many different types of animals and plants like carnivores, herbivores, and decomposers. The plants and animals provide food chains including us. There are many different varieties of animals and plants that we haven’t ever heard of. If it wasn’t for the sun, we wouldn’t be able to survive because the sun is the first thing in the food chain; it provides plants with what they need to grow. Before you think of taking animals and plants out of their natural habitat, think of the food chain so you won’t accidentally break up the food chain including us. Wetlands should be preserved because wetlands help control floodwater and can filter pollutants. They provide habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. Wetlands support fisheries. They also are sanctuaries for rare endangered species. We must all take very good care of our wetlands. by Scott

13. Wetlands used to make up most of the world, but now they are being polluted and depleted. We put things in the wetlands that we shouldn’t and we also build on them. Marsh hawks, fiddler crabs and clapper rails live in the wetlands, along with a lot of other birds, fish and mammals. We should preserve the wetlands because they are a very valuable resource for all of us. by Logan

14. Wetlands are areas of land that are wet for at least part of the year. You can find wetlands anywhere except Antarctica. You’ll probably find wetlands near rivers, streams, and lakes. There are all kinds of living things in the wetlands. There are omnivores, carnivores, herbivores, and decomposers. Omnivores eat plants and meat. Carnivores eat just meat; herbivores just eat plants. Decomposers are tiny animals that eat dead and decaying plants and animals. People should preserve the wetlands because wetlands give people food. Wetlands also prevent flooding and they also clean the water. We shouldn’t destroy the wetlands because you will destroy the animals and their homes. By Eric

15. Wetlands are areas of land that stay wet for at least half a year. There are all kinds of wetlands like swamps, marshes, fens, and bogs. Plants of the wetlands try to filter out the water of the wetlands so it is cleaner to drink. There are all sorts of creatures of the wetlands like herbivores that eat plants. Carnivores eat meat, and omnivores eat both meat and plants. Wetlands could not survive without decomposers that feed on dead plants and animals. Animals have to hunt for things to eat; they can’t just go to the store. So it’s important to not destroy their ecosystem. Preserve the wetlands because it is the home of animals. Wetlands also help control flooding. If you tear down all the wetlands, animals that live there could become extinct. By: Erin

16. Wetlands are areas of land that are wet at least part of the year. wetlands are anywhere where there is deep water and land together. Wetlands have many different kinds of plants and animals. These animals and plants all have different characteristics. They all have their own way of growing and hunting. Emergent plans grow from underwater and emerge at the top of the water. The Great Blue Heron moves stealthily over the water to look for fish to eat. We should preserve our wetlands because they hold an important part in life. The plants there produce oxygen and they help prevent flooding and erosion. Bogs where peat grows reduce global warming. Wetlands also provide migrating birds resting places and they filter pollution. By: Deedra

17. A wetland is any land that is wet for part of the year. Wetlands include bogs, swamps, and marshes. Many things live in the wetlands. Different plants and animals can live only in the wetlands. Fish and birds and many other animals live there. Unique plants like cattails and beautiful water lilies also live there. Plants provide food and shelter for animals. When animals die, they create hydric soil for plants. We should preserve the wetlands for many reasons. For one, endangered animals live there, and wetlands are sanctuaries for young animals. It’s a home to plants with roots that can only grow underwater. Help save the wetlands. By: Katie

18. Wetlands are just what their name says they are. They are simply land where the water is at or above ground level for at least part of the year. They are located in every continent except Antarctica. There are also many types of wetlands such as bogs, swamps and marshes. Wetlands are a nursery for baby animals and other things. They are home to thousands of species of animals, such as muskrats, clapper rails, terns, pelicans, fiddler crabs, and puffer fish. They are a great resting place for birds when they are on their migratory route. Many of the plants that live there cannot live anywhere else, such as the salt meadow cord grass, the sea lavender, and many others. The plants and animals that live there are very important because some of them get rid of the bugs, some of them, mainly the trees, provide more oxygen, and others help in other ways. If we get rid of the wetlands, there would be far less animals than there are today. Thousands of species of animals and plants would no longer exist. We would be killing people, too, because the wetlands help control floods. Also, for every 3 miles of wetlands, a hurricane decreases in size by about 1 foot. So, for these reasons ,and others, help preserve the wetlands. By: Destiny

19. Please help us preserve the natural beauty of our local wetlands.