Transcript No Slide Title

Table of Contents
What is a Wetland?
Types of Wetlands
Why are Wetlands Important?
How Can We Preserve the Wetlands?
Are You Ready for a Wetlands Self-Check?
Animals in the Wetlands
Can You Classify These Animals?
Table of Contents, Cont.
Plant Life in the Wetlands
Plant Basics
It’s Time for a Self-Check
Appendix
What is a Wetland?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
defines a wetland by three characteristics.
1. “A wetland is land that is covered by water
or has waterlogged soil during the growing
season.”
2. “A wetland has hydric soil(soil that
is so waterlogged, it does not have
enough oxygen for upland plants
to grow).”
3. “Wetlands usually have special plants
that grow in hydric soil called hydrophytes(cattails and sawgrass).”
(Chaland, 1992)
Types of Wetlands
Scientists group wetlands into two categories,
Inland wetlands that contain fresh water and
coastal wetlands that contain salt water.
Inland wetlands may be wet temporarily(30
days or less), seasonally(6 months or less), or
permanently(year-round). Marshes, swamps,
vernal pools, and bogs are the most common
inland wetlands.
Coast wetlands are located along seacoasts.
They contain salt water. The plant and
animal life in coastal wetlands are very
different from those in fresh water. Saltwater
and swamps, estuaries(where freshwater rivers
join the ocean), mudflats(unvegetated areas
exposed when the tide goes out), lagoons, and
coastal bays are all coastal wetlands.
Inland Wetlands
Swamps are soggy and forested wetlands with
many trees and woody shrubs. They can be
permanent or temporary areas of land.
Marshes are shallow areas of standing water
which are high after storms and low during
droughts. They are rich with non-woody plants
such as cattails, sedges, and grasses. They can
be permanently or seasonally wet.
Vernal Pools are temporary wetland areas that
dry up in the early summer. They are an important breeding ground for many unique insects,
moths, and amphibians.
Bogs are wetlands that are acidic and have low
oxygenated water. They are often covered by a
variety of floating aquatic vegetation, and their
bottom is covered with decaying vegetation.
Coastal Wetlands
Estuaries are where fresh water mixes with
salt water. They are one of the most productive
communities on Earth. There is more life and
varieties of life there than most other places.
An estuary is also known as the “cradle of the
ocean.” Millions of saltwater fish and shellfish
live there. Adults lay their eggs, or spawn, there,
and the young fish, called fry, stay there until they
are large enough to survive in the open waters.
Mudflats are large areas in an estuary which fill
with water during high tide. As the tide subsides,
nutritious sediments are left behind. These sediments are used by many different invertebrates.
These mudflats are exposed during low tide, and the
animals that live there, burrow into the mud. Clams,
tube worms, crabs and mollusks are just a few of
these.
Saltwater marshes, also called tidal marshes, form in
estuaries, on islands, on offshore sandbars, on
islands, and also on spits, which are narrow points of
land that jut out into the water. Grasses and
other herbaceous plants that have adapted to life in salt
water live here. These include eelgrass, saltmarsh
cordgrass, pickleweed, and saltgrass.
Fiddler crabs, herons, ribbed mussels, periwinkles,
oysters,and fish, such as silversides, flounder, and
bluefish, are just some of the animals found in this area.
Saltwater swamps, which are similar to rain forests,
have large trees and jungly growth. The kinds of
plants and animals that live in this area are determined
by the amount of salt and tides.
Swamp
Bog
Marsh
Vernal Pool
Salt Water Marsh
Why are Wetlands Important?
Wetlands are very important to the ecology
of the world. They serve not only their
permanent bird populations but transients as
well.
They also provide a habitat for about one third
of the endangered animals and plants in the
United States
Wetlands are also used for waste management.
During the rainy seasons, they absorb the
excess water from the swollen rivers and
streams, which helps to prevent the flooding
of homes and crops. During the dry seasons,
they give water back to the rivers.
They also have the ability to store certain kinds
of river pollutants until they can be absorbed
by the environment.
How Can We Preserve the Wetlands?
Saving our wetlands is essential. Wetlands
protect us from floods because swamps and marshes
store water from rain and snow. Wetlands are
threatened by human activities.
Many wetlands have been filled in and turned into
airports, homes, and shopping centers. Some wetlands
have been drained to use the water for sprinklers and
watering plants.
Wetlands support many different types of
living things. This is called bio-diversity.
Keeping the earth’s bio-diversity at its natural
level maintains the relationship with all living
things. If one species of plant or animal disappear from an area, the bio-diversity may fall.
Other living things which depend on the lost
species may also disappear.
Directions: Complete the following by typing in your answer.
Then, print out your self-check paper.
~~~~~~
1. What is a wetland?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2. What are the two groups of wetlands?
____________
____________
3. Name two kinds of freshwater wetlands. _________ _________
4. Name at least two reasons why wetlands are important.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
5. Label each of the following:
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
6. What can we do to preserve our wetlands?___________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Here is a map of the percentages of wetland areas which have been destroyed in the
past 200 years.
Does it look like we have a problem in the US? Which state has lost the most wetland
areas? Which has lost the least? How many states have lost 50% or more of their
wetland areas?
Alaska has lost 0.1% of it’s wetland areas, can you write that as a fraction?
Wetlands provide an environment for many
different kinds of animals such as mosquitoes,
dragonflies, beetles, butterflies,and many
other types of insects.
Frogs and salamanders are found in most
wetlands. Some even have snakes, turtles,
and other reptiles.
Frogs and salamanders are found in most
wetlands. Some even have snakes, turtles,
and other reptiles.
There are also many types of mammals
that live in wetlands. Some of these are
deer, bears, and rabbits. Muskrats and
beavers also live in the marshes.
Our wetlands are also very important for
a variety of birds. Some of them will
spend their entire life there. Egrets, cormorants,
and herons are just some of them.
Birds are the only animals with
feathers. Their feathers weigh very
little, but without them, they could
not survive. They allow flight, provide
insulation, and keep rain and snow away
from their skin. Some are very colorful
and others allow the bird to blend in
with their surroundings.
Agelaius phoenicus
The red-winged blackbird male is glossy
black in color with red shoulder patches
bordered by yellow. The females and
young ones are brown with streaks.
They range in length from 7-9 1/2 inches.
Ardea herodias
The Great Blue Heron is a tall, grayish
bird with a white face, yellow bill, and
spots of black on its shoulders, belly,
and crown. Its broad wings have a slow
wingbeat and their neck folds in during flight.
They are 39-52 inches in height.
Amphibians are vertebrates, but they
do not have hair, scales, feathers, or
claws. All amphibians have glands in
their skin that allow the production of
mucus and other secretions that help
to keep their skin surface moist. During
some part of their life, they have gills, like
fish, that help them breathe underwater.
The term amphibian means two lives. It refers
to the many amphibians that begin their life in
water or in a fluid-filled egg sac, breathing through
gills, and later leaving the water to become landinhabitating adults. Some amphibians do not live
“two lives”. Rather, they spend their whole lives
either on land or in water.
All North American amphibians hatch from eggs,
go through a larvae stage, change into juveniles,
and then mature into adults.
Notophthalmus viridescens
The Red Spotted Salamander(Eastern Newt) lives
in the water during its younger years, and then it
spends two to seven years on land as Red Efts. Thus,
they go through two distinct stages.
The adults are olive on the top and yellowish on the
bottom, with black-outlined red spots above and
small black spots all over its body.
The Efts are reddish-orange all over with blackoutlined red spots on their backs.
They range from 2 1/2- 5 inches in length.
Rana palustris
The Pickeral Frog is brown with large
rectangular spots on its back. It is yellow
or orange on its belly and on the undersides
of its thighs. It is 1 3/4-3 1/2 inches in length.
There are four main groups of reptiles:
crocodilians(alligators and crocodiles),
turtles, tuatara(a lizardlike reptile from
New Zealand), and squamata(lizards and
snakes).
Reptiles come in a variety of different shapes
and sizes, but they all have one feature in
common. They all have a skin covering of dry,
horny scales. These scales protect their body
and keep them from drying out.
All reptiles can carry their bodies close to the
ground and, except for snakes and a few other
types, have four limbs.
Chrysemys picta picta
The Painted Turtle is a small turtle with a very
smooth, olive to black upper shell with red
marks along the edge. The lower shell is
unhinged. Their length is 4-9 1/2 inches.
Most mammals have four legs and
a tail. They share a number of
important traits, that differentiate them
from other animals.
Mammals spend a lot of time raising and training
their young. Almost all of them give birth to live
young, rather than laying eggs, as other animals
do. The females are the only animals on earth
that make milk for their young.
Mammals are the only animals that have hair.
Their hair, or fur as it is often called, protects
them from wind, sun, rain, cold, insects, and
other things. Most mammal’s fur coat has two
distinct layers: an undercoat of short dense hair
and an outer coat of longer, stiff hair.
The mammal’s brain is larger and more developed
than any other animal. Most mammals have memories and they are able to learn new things, which
allows them to learn to survive in new places and
situations. This is called adapting.
Castor canadensis
The American Beaver is a large reddish-brown
rodent with a black paddle-shaped tail. When
it swims, it makes a big V in the water. Its
body is 24-36 inches in length, and its tail
measures 12-18 inches. It weighs 44-60 lbs.
Ondatra zibethicus
The Common Muskrat is a glossy reddishbrown rodent. It has a long, pointed tail
that is almost hairless. It also cuts a V in
the water with its head when it swims,
swinging its tail from side to side or arching
it upward with the edge out of the water. Their
body measures 9-12 inches in length and
their tail is 7-12 inches long. They weigh
1-4 lbs.
Procyon lotor
The Common Raccoon is a gray nocturnal
mammal with a black face mask and a bushy
ringed tail. The body of the raccoon is 16-21
inches long, and its tail is 8-16 inches long.
It weighs 12-48 lbs.
Directions: Write the name of the animal in the appropriate
category.
Amphibians
_______
_______
_______
_______
Mammals
_______
_______
_______
_______
Reptiles
_______
_______
_______
_______
Birds
_______
_______
_______
_______
~~~~~~~~
Red-Winged Blackbird
Beaver
Muskrat
Eastern Painted Turtle
Raccoon
Great Blue Heron
Red Spotted Salamander Pickeral Frog
Vernal Pools Game
For Puzzle Pages
Click Here!
MYOSOTIS SCORPIOIDES
Small sky-blue flowers with
yellow center. Hairy stem divides
into two branches near the top,
separating as the flowers bloom.
This plant blooms from MayOctober in wet places.
LYTHRUM SALICARIA
A tall plant with crowded spikes
of brilliant pinkish-lavender
flowers. Each flower has 4-6
crinkled petals and twice as many
stamens. Blooms from June to
September in wetland areas.
Arisaema Triphyllum
A green and purple striped hood
(spathe) that protects a spike in
the center (spadix). Blooms
from April to June in shady
wooded areas and ponds. This
grows to be 1-3 feet tall.
Symplocarpus Foetidus
Speckled brownish-purple-green
spathe that surround a protruding
spike. Coiled cabbage looking
leaves. Foul smell that attracts
pollinating insects. Blooms from
February to May in wet woods,
marshes and swamps.
Typha Latifolia
Long brown spikes at the top
of the plant. This plant can grow
as tall as 13 feet. The roots of the
cattail contains starch that is
eaten in some countries.
Nymphaea Odorata
A floating plant anchored by long
stems called rhizomes. Flowers
have white petals and yellow
stamens that stay open until
midday only. Leaves are pad-like
with shiny tops and purple
underneath. These bloom from
June to September.
Iridaceae
This is a blue-flowering iris that
has a greenish-yellow blotch at the
base of the petal. This can grow up
to 3 feet tall and the stem is purple
at the base. Blooming usually
occurs from May to August.
Impatiens Capensis
Hanging orange flowers
with reddish spots.
Grows 2-5 feet tall and
blooms in late summer to
early fall.
Although flowers come in different
shapes, sizes and colors, they are all made
up of the same parts. Whether they
bloom in the spring or winter, the same
parts are necessary for growth and
development.
Parts of a Plant
Major Parts of a Plant
Sepal- Green, ordinary leaves that protect rings that develop inside
them.
Petals- Thin and very colorful part of a flowering plant.
Stamen- Within the petals is a ring of stamens, which have antlers at
their tips that produce pollen.
Ovary- Inside the stamen is an ovary that contains the female eggs.
Style- The stalk that joins the ovaries.
Stigma- A sticky ball at the top of the style.
The Beginning
All plants begin as seeds. Seeds can
spend months or possibly years
waiting to germinate. When a seed
germinates, it sprouts growing tips.
Growing tips can be shoots (grow up)
or roots (grow down). Roots take in
water without using any of the plants
energy. The water then passes to the
stem and leaves, to help make food.
Other Functions
Plants also need chemicals from the soil
in order to survive. The roots also do
the work here, and to absorb chemicals
they do use energy. The root hairs,
which are tiny hairs that grow from the
roots, will only allow water and certain
chemicals to pass through them.
Energy and Growth
Plants are made up of cells, which are
the building blocks of the plant. In
order for a plant to grow the cells must
divide to make more building blocks.
In a shoot or a root the cells only
divide at the tip of the plant. In a
green plant the process of
photosynthesis is used to make energy
for the plant.
Self-Check
Now that you have had fun
learning all about plants, it’s time
to test your knowledge! On the
next pages, you will find many
questions that relate to plants of the
wetlands. Good Luck!!
Directions: Complete the following multiple choice questions by putting an x on the
line in front of your answer and print out your answers.
1. Green, ordinary leaves that protect
developing rings inside them are called:
____a. Petals
____b. Sepal
____c. Anther
____d. Stem
2. The colorful, thin part of the flower is
called the:
3. The part of a plant that produces pollen is
is called the:
_____ a. Sepal
_____a. Anther
_____ b. Sepal
_____b. Stamen
_____ c. Style
_____c. Petal
_____ d. Petal
_____d. Sepal
#79
4. Shoots grow ________and roots grow ________.
_____ a. Up and Down
_____ b. Down and Up
_____ c. Slow and Fast
_____ d. Inside and Outside
5. The smaller roots that grow off of larger roots are called:
_____ a. Root Babies
_____ b. Veins
_____ c. Root Stems
_____ d. Root Hairs
6. Plants are made up of plant cells, which are also called:
_____ a. Building Blocks
_____ b. Chromosomes
_____ c. Atoms
_____ d. Molecules
#80
Label each part of the flower and print your answers.
4.
1.
5.
2.
6.
3.
7.
Field
Trips
Books for
Kids
Internet
Sites
Teacher
Resources
Videos
Audubon Society of New Hampshire
3 Silk Farm Road
Concord, NH 03301
Bow Town Forest
Bow Center Road
Adjacent to the Community Building
Take the trail past the town pond and into the woods
Bow School District Property
Just East of the Bow Middle School Track
Stumpfield Marsh
Stumpfield Road Hopkinton
Back to the Resources Page
*America’s Wetlands by Frank Staub
*Disappearing Wetlands by Helen Challande
*Here is the Wetland by Madeleine Dunphy
*Life in a Wetland by Allan Fowler
Save Our Wetlands by Ron Hirschi
Saving Our Wetlands and Their Wildlife by Karen Liptak
*Squishy, Misty, Damp, and Muddy by Molly Cone
The Vanishing Wetlands by Trent Duffy
Wetlands by Ronald Rood
*Wetlands - A True Book by Darlene Stille
*Wildlife and Plants of the World
* These books are available at the Bow Elementary School Library
Back to the Resources Page
*Kids Discover - December 1997. Vol. 7, No. 10.
Life in a Wetland - National Audubon Society
My Wetland Coloring Book - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Geographic Magazine - October 1992, Vol. 182, No. 4, p.3
*National Geographic World Magazine
Puddler - Ducks Unlimited
*Ranger Rick Magazine - National Wildlife Federation
* Available at the Bow Elementary School Library
Back to the Resources Page
America’s Wetlands from the Environmental Protection Agency
National Audubon Society in conjunction with PBS
Ranger Rick’s Kids Zone
Northeast Wetland Flora
National Wetlands Research Center
National Wetlands Inventory
The Wonder of Wetlands
Back to the Resources Page
Aquatic Project Wild - Project WILD
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
OBIS (Outdoor Biology Instructional Strategies) - available from Delta Education
Project Learning Tree - American Forest Foundation
Project WET - WOW! (The Wonder of Wetlands) - Water Education for Teachers
Save Our Stream Program - The Izaak Walton League of America
A Study Guide to New England's Freshwater Wetlands - NH Fish and Game Dept
SWAMPY, the Disappearing Wetland
Wading Into Wetlands - National Wildlife Federation
Wetland Wise: A Focus on Waterfowl - Wildfowl Trust of North America
Wetlands Reading List - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wetlands - Wonders Worth Saving: Life in a Freshwater Marsh & Life in a Saltwater Marsh - National
Audubon Society, National Education Office
Wildlife Habitat Conservation Series - National Institute for Urban Wildlife
Back to the Resources Page
America's Wetlands - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Benefits of wetlands, the variety of wetlands throughout the US and the impacts threatening wetlands
Conserving America: The Wetlands - National Wildlife Federation
Wetlands as the least understood of America's landscape; also, rate at which they are disappearing.
*Bill Nye the Science Guy - Wetlands - Disney Educational Productions
What is a wetland? What is an estuary? What is a bog made of?
Let's Explore a Wetland - National Geographic Society
Canoe trip teaches the swamp ecosystem, including interrelations of inhabitants.
*Wetland Biomes: Essential and Endangers - Rainbow Educational Media
Introduces the different types of wetlands, the plants and animals and the complexity of wetlands.
Back to the Resources Page
Mrs. Bennert- Introduction to Wetlands
and animal life in the
Wetlands
Mrs. Mann- Appendix and Puzzle Pages
Mrs. Herrick- Resources
Mrs. Gaudette- Plant Life in the wetlands
Ms. Delacey- Pond Game