1 / 18

Wetlands

Wetlands. Section 1.4 of text. Wetland definition: transitional zones between land and water Shallow ecosystem in which the land surface is saturated or submerged at least part of the year. Wetland features: 1. contains unique soil called “ hydric soil”

demi
Download Presentation

Wetlands

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Wetlands Section 1.4 of text

  2. Wetland definition: • transitional zones between land and water • Shallow ecosystem in which the land surface is saturated or submerged at least part of the year

  3. Wetland features: 1. contains unique soil called “hydric soil” hydric soil – soil formed under water that has anaerobic conditions hydrophytes – plants adapted to an aquatic environment; must tolerate lack of oxygen in the soil

  4. 2. Biologically diverse 3. Occupy less than 5% of the US 4. estimated 1/3 of endangered species spend part of their lives in wetlands.

  5. How Wetlands are Described? Wetlands are described by their vegetation 1. BOGS – soil is deep layers of partially decayed vegetation called peat very acidic low DO levels (very little water movement) little amounts of fish home to many amphibians

  6. Bog

  7. SWAMPS – forested wetlands; trees and bushes are dominant plant • classified by type of dominant tree present • Conifers swamps – pine, spruce, etc • Hardwood swamps – maple, birch, oak, etc • standing water up to 5 or 6 ft • animals are amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals

  8. Swamp

  9. 3. FRESHWATER MARSH– forms at mouth of a river or areas of poor drainage soil is nutrient rich (from upstream erosion) vegetation – grasses, sedges, bulrushes, cattails animals same as in swamps

  10. Marsh

  11. PA Wetlands • 1.4% of state • 4000 restored since 1990 • 3 recognized wetland types in PA: • Forested (54%) • trees more than 20 ft above ground • Scrub – shrub (33%) • plants less than 20 ft • Emergent (13%) • marshy areas; plants rooted in soil • and emerge above the water level

  12. Why are Wetlands Important? 1. Habitat 2. Serve as Food Factories 3. Spawning (reproducing) grounds 4. Cycling Nutrients such as carbon, oxygen, phosphorus and nitrogen 5. Buffer Zone 6. Pollution Control

  13. Factors that effect wetlands and watersheds ½ of the 220 million acres of US wetlands lost over past 400 yrs. Human Activities: Agriculture Urbanization and construction mining industry waste disposal

  14. Natural Events: Floods Erosion and Deposition Droughts Volcanic Eruptions Fires Wind Global Climate Change

  15. Actions to help watersheds in Pennsylvania: • PA ReLeaf Program – started in 1997 • (trees along PA streams) • Objectives: • Restore streamside buffers • Conserve current streamside buffers • Public education • Public awareness • Collect data on streamside buffers

  16. PA Watershed Education Programs Sponsored by PA State parks Jennings! Suburban Swamps Best –practices approach : preservation of open spaces in urban areas

  17. Vancouver Olympic Village

More Related