 |
| |
Inch in a
Pinch
 |
"Hi! I'm Inch in a Pinch and right
now we are going to look at the Wetlands habitat. Wetlands are one of our
richest habitat areas. They are also the least appreciated and the first to be
destroyed. In the early 1990s, the United States had only 104 million acres of
Wetlands in the lower 48 states, less than half of the Wetlands present 200
years ago. Every year an average of 290,000 acres of freshwater and coastal
Wetlands are lost! This is Gone Goslin'. He lives in the Wetlands for part of
the year. He's going to be our guide for this area. I'll turn things over to
Gone Goslin'." |
|
|
Gone
Goslin' |
 |
"Most people think my name is
pretty funny. Actually it means just what it says. Pretty soon, if things don't
change here in the Wetlands, I'm going to be a gone gosling (gosling means a
young goose - I'm only about four months old, you know!). Yeah, that's right!
The animals that live in and use the Wetlands won't have any place to nest,
have babies, eat, rest up during migration or do all those great things animals
do. I thought , if you knew more about this habitat area, you might try harder
to save it. Come on! Hop on! I'll fly you over for a bird's eye
view. |
|
|
| Description |
|
 |
The term
"wetlands" applies to those areas where water is near, at, or above the level
of the ground. This water comes from tidal flows, flooding rivers, or
connections with groundwater. |
|
|
Wetlands are
covered or soaked with water for at least a part, and often all, of the year
and fall somewhere in between the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The
existence of all types of wetlands, as well as many of their biological
characteristics, is determined by water: the amount that flows into and out of
wetlands and the amount that is stored there. |
|
|
Wetlands are
found on every continent except Antarctica and in climates ranging from the
tropics to the tundra. They occupy about 6 percent of the land surface of the
world, or approximately 2.2 billion acres. The United States contains about 274
million acres or approximately 12 percent of the world's
wetlands. |
|
|
Because they
have both land and aquatic characteristics, wetlands are some of the most
diverse ecosystems on earth. About one-fourth of the plants, one-half of the
fishes, two-thirds of the birds, and three-fourths of the amphibians listed as
threatened or endangered in the United States are associated with
wetlands. |
| |
|
Benefits of
the Wetland habitat area: |
| |
| 1. |
Inland wetlands may help
control floods by storing water and slowly releasing it to downstream areas
after the flood peak. |
|
| 2. |
Wetlands can reduce wave
action and slow down the flow of water, lessening erosion and causing sediments
to settle out of the water. |
|
| 3. |
Growing wetland plants
and chemical processes in wetland sediments removes of nutrients and
contaminants from the water, thus improving its quality. |
|
| 4. |
Wetlands may also serve
as sites where surface water can seep into the ground and replenish the
groundwater. |
|
| 5. |
Wetlands provide many
opportunities for recreational activities, such as bird-watching, hunting,
fishing, trapping, and hiking, and they provide educational opportunities for
nature studies and scientific research. |
|
| 6. |
Some North American
wetlands are of archaeological interest because Native American settlements
were located near them. Peatlands in Denmark and England have yielded human
fossil remains from about 2000 years ago, well preserved by acidic and
anaerobic (low-oxygen) conditions. |
|
| 7. |
Wetlands are also
valuable for the food and timber harvested from them. |
|
|
|
|
There are
several types of Freshwater Wetlands: |
| |
| Swamps |
| |
Swamps are dominated by trees
or shrubs and occur in a variety of flooding conditions. Standing water can be
present in swamps during all or just a small part of the year. Water chemistry
in swamps can vary greatly, depending on the water source. |
Okefenokee Swamp |
Swamp soils can be
rich or poor in nutrients and vary in mineral or organic content. Swamps often
occur along river floodplains, in shallow, quiet waters of lakes, and along
subtropical to tropical coasts. In swamps, islands are formed by layers of peat
and become the foundation for grasses, shrubs and trees. When stepped on, these
islands move a bit, which is why the Indians called the swamp "trembling
earth". Examples of swamps include bottomland hardwood forests in the lower
Mississippi River Valley; and the Okefenokee Swamp on the Georgia-Florida
border. |
|
| |
| Marshes |
| |
Marshes are
periodically or continually flooded wetlands characterized by nonwoody emergent
plants - plants that are adapted to living in shallow water or in
moisture-saturated soils. Different species of emergent plants often occur in
zones within a marsh; zones are determined by the elevation of the soil surface
relative to the water level. Water chemistry in marshes depends on the water
sources and varies from salt water, from incoming and outgoing ocean tides,
(Tidal Marshes are discussed as a separate
habitat area) to mineralized fresh water (from groundwater, streams, and
surface runoff) to poorly mineralized fresh water (mostly from precipitation)
Marshes often have mineral soils. Coarser soils such as sand are found in areas
subject to waves or flowing water; in more protected areas, silts and clays
accumulate with dead plant matter to form organic soils. |
|
| |
| Prairie
Potholes |
| |
Prairie potholes are saucer-shaped
depressions formed by retreating glaciers in the ice age. Although flooded with
water for only a short period of time each Spring, they play a vital role in
aquatic and wildlife habitat. Prairie potholes are located only in the United
States in North America. They can be found in the Upper Plains States and are
often called the "duck factories" of America because of their importance to the
livelihood of ducks and other migratory birds. |
| |
| Bogs |
| |
Also known as peatlands, bogs
are simply wetlands that have organic soils consisting of peat--the partially
decomposed remains of plants and animals. Bogs are found in colder regions of
the world. Because of the colder temperatures and limited oxygen supply in the
water, the breakdown of organic material does not happen. Bogs usually occupy
shallow depressions in the landscape near a spring or a brook. Bogs, one of
North America's most distinctive kinds of wetlands, are characterized by spongy
peat deposits, a growth
of evergreen trees and shrubs, and a floor covered by a thick carpet of
sphagnum moss. They are systems with extremely low nutrient levels. The only
water source is rainwater. Bogs are found only in the northern hemisphere. They
have short growing seasons. The frequent rains and high humidity associated
with these regions cause excessive moisture to accumulate. |
Bog |
|
|
| |
| Fens |
| |
Fens are peatlands whose
dominant plants are sedges (tall grass-like plants) accompanied by grasses,
brown mosses and flowers such as iris. A fen is fed by streams or by ground
water. Fens are less acidic and generally richer in nutrients than bogs. Some
of the most beautiful fens in the world are located in Scotland.
|
Fen |
|
| |
| Flood
Plains |
| |
Flood Plains are those surfaces or
strips of relatively smooth land that lie next to river channels. These flood
plains are created by the rivers themselves. in their normal course of action.
The flood plains become covered with water when the rivers overflows. When this
flooding ocurs, the land bordering the river gains much needed nutrients from
the river water. |
|
|
|
Wetland losses
have resulted in greater flooding and erosion, reduced water quality, and
reduced populations of many plants and animals. |
|
"I think the wetlands are awesome places, don't you? Now, I want you to learn just what kinds of
plants and animals live here. Of course, there are too many to list them all
here. Some of these guys are my best friends. I think you'll like them.
Hey...the plants are out of this world, too! Just click on
the buttons below. I'll be here when you're
finished." |
  |
|
|
"Okay, now we
really have to get serious. It's very important to know what areas are in
immediate trouble and why. Please pay very careful attention. Everyone (all the
plants, animals and me), who lives in the wetlands, is counting on
you!" |
| |
| Critical Areas |
|
1.Over half of America's coastal wetlands border the Gulf of
Mexico. Louisiana has been hard hit by wetland loss from rising sea level, land
settling due to ground-water use, levees on the Mississippi River, and dams on
its tributaries, as well as channels dredged through wetlands. These wetlands
are being lost at the rate of 32 square miles per year.
2.The 1350-acre Bolsa Chica lowlands are what
remain of a 2300-acre wetland complex located behind beaches and dunes along
the Orange County coastline by Huntington Beach in southern California. The
area is degraded both by oil drilling activities and blocked saltwater inflow.
It is home to six threatened or endangered birds and, if restored, would result
in habitat for over 60 species of fish. Wetlands along this Pacific Flyway are
among the highest priority nationally for preservation.
3. The Okefenokee Swamp is the largest swamp on earth.
DuPont has proposed to strip mine 38,000 acres for titanium dioxide on Trail
Ridge along the eastern border of the Okefenokee. The mine would operate 24
hours per day, for 50 years. The operation would involve: clearcutting
mile-square sections of trees; scraping off a foot-thick layer of topsoil;
dredging 20-acre, 50-foot deep ponds; pumping 750,000 gallons of water per day
out of the ground; and treating and then dumping waste water into the St.
Mary's River.
Mining Trail Ridge, the natural dam which formed the Swamp, could
alter the flow of water into and out of the Okefenokee, with devastating
impacts on vegetation and wildlife. Dumping and spills of wastewater or
stormwater could pollute both the Swamp and the St. Mary's River. Thousands of
acres of wetlands will be destroyed, threatening the survival of endangered
species. Air quality may be lowered by dust.
Other Wetlands in trouble:
Australia - Eighty Mile Beach, the floodplains of Kakadu National
Park, Macquarie Marshes |
|
|
| Reasons For Habitat Loss |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
"Okay, now that we know we need to straighten up and fly right,
here are some ideas about what you can do to help. I sure hope you're going to
start doing these things right away. The wetlands are disappearing awfully
fast. Won't you please help us?" |
|
|
| What Needs To Be Done |
| |
|
Connect
with local and state agencies. Be persistent and get involved in storm water
and watershed planning and management activities. |
|
|
Organize
wetland cleanups and pick up trash and debris from the
wetlands. |
|
|
Shop smart,
buying only products that are degradable and recyclable. |
|
|
Try to
avoid buying plastic or products packaged in plastic. Plastics especially are
nearly indestructible, accumulating in offensive piles throughout the
wetlands. |
|
|
Take
chemicals and motor oils to proper disposal sites. |
|
|
Use
Integrated Pest Management Programs instead of harmful pesticides, herbicides
and toxic chemicals! |
|
|
Use
Integrated Pest Management Programs instead of harmful pesticides, herbicides
and toxic chemicals! |
|
|
If you are
using a septic system, engage in routine maintainance
practices. |
|
|
BE AWARE!
Know what's going on ibn your community. If you know of something that's going
to be done that will endanger wetlands, you can help by alerting people to the
potential problem. |
|
|
GET
INVOLVED! |
|
|
|
"Remember, we
who live in the Wetlands habitat areas on Earth need your help! Before I fly
the coop, I've dropped off a 24 page coloring book (PDF 1.5 Mb)
of the Wetland habitat area for you to print and color. Enjoy!! Stop by if
you're around these parts again. Don't be a stranger!"
|
|
"Boy,
Wetlands remind me a lot of coral reefs. Both habitat areas support a great
number of wildlife species. As Gone Gozlin' said, there's a whole lot of life
that would be lost if we lose the wetland habitat. Let's join forces with Gone
Gozlin' and all his friends. Together we can save this important
habitat." |
|
|
| To
learn more about Wetlands, visit the following: |
America's Wetlands
EPA Wetlands
What Is It Like
where You Live? - Wetlands |
| |
|
 Back
to Habitat Awareness Homepage
Go To
Inch in a Pinch's Homepage!
|
All rights reserved
Produced by Make Mine Magic
Inc.
©1999-2009 |
|
