Ecosystems

Wetland words Ecosystem: Wetland ecosystem: Living things: Nonliving things: comes from the Greek words eco meaning home, and system meaning a set of connected or interacting things. (What kind of word is this?!) means the interaction of living and nonliving things in their wetland home. are defined as plants and animals. are defined as soil, air, water, sunlight and dead matter.

Ensure that student ecosystems include both living and nonliving elements. A park is made up of plants and animals living within the park. The second part of the park is the nonliving environment of these living things. Among these living things are trees, grass, birds, insects and people. In the nonliving environment are soil, air and sunlight. Without these non living things, the plants and animals could not live. Together the plants and animals and the nonliving environment make up an ecosystem. A park, aquarium and rotting logs are examples of ecosystems. All parts of an ecosystem interact. Chemicals in the soil become parts of the plants. When the plants die, these chemicals are returned to the soil.

Using the sun’s energy, plants make food from chemicals in soil, air and water. Animals feed on these plants. The interaction in an ecosystem is not simple- rather, it is very complex. Many changes occur in an ecosystem each day. Individuals change as they grow. They reproduce and die. Species change more slowly. Some species move into an ecosystem while often others move out. Slowly the communities of plants and animals change. As the community changes, the ecosystem of which it is a part will change as well.

Wetland Plants and Animals

The 3 zones!

Wetland Plants There are 3 plant zones in a wetland Emergent (along the edge of the water) Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum Salicaria) Each plant produces two to three million seeds leading to serious problems in irrigation canals, in wetlands, and along lake and river shorelines.

Wetland Plants There are 3 plant zones in a wetland Emergent (along the edge of the water) Submergent (the majority of the plant lives below the surface of the water)

Wetland Plants There are 3 plant zones in a wetland Emergent (along the edge of the water) Submergent (the majority of the plant lives below the surface of the water) Floating (the roots and stems are below water, but the leaves float on the surface) Spatterdock, a yellow water lily

Vocabulary! Adaptations: Physical Adaptations: Behavioural Adaptations: How a plant or animal adjusts to survive in the environment A modification/change to the structure of a living thing’s body to help it survive Plant Example: A cattail has a thick, straw-like stem so it can get water to its roots Animal Example: An eagle has long, sharp claws to pick up its prey A modification/change to the way a living thing acts to help it survive Plant Example: Desert plants only bloom during the night when most of the animals and insects are active while it is cooler. Behavioural Example: A beaver uses its tail as a rudder to steer as it swims.

What are other adaptations? For example, animals which live on the bottom of ponds or among the aquatic plants may have legs, suckers, or a large foot to help them move about. Animals which live in open water or on the surface of the water may be streamlined, have oar-like legs, move with a wiggling motion or may have the ability to walk on the surface of the water.

Plant Adaptations Plant Adaptation Cattail Have air cells in stalk. Two ways to reproduce: 1) male and female flowers are on the same stalk and seeds are blown by wind or 2) spread by rootstalk like a lawn. Water Lilies Upper leaf has tiny openings to take in gas. Young leaves take in oxygen for the roots and older leaves give off carbon dioxide. This is efficient for roots buried in the low-oxygen muck. Large floating leaf collects sunlight for photosynthesis. Peat moss Ability to hold 200 times its weight in water so it can live in waterlogged conditions.

Animal Adaptations Animal Adaptation Mosquito Mosquito larvae (eggs) can hang upside down from the surface of the water to breathe and trap food with the bristles around their mouths Caddisfly Larvae This larvae glues together pieces of plants and small pebbles to form a case. The cases camouflage them on the bottom of ponds and protects them from predators. Muskrat Dark brown coat is waterproof. Slightly webbed hind feet help them to swim. Long skinny tail acts as a rudder.

Name Adaptations Sedges Roots grow in the soggy ground and near the surface to keep the plant sturdy in the ground Hollow leaves let air travel from the leaves down to the roots.

Name Adaptations Spike Rushes Hollow stems let air travel to the roots and help hold the plant up straight Seeds are on the top of the plant so they have maximum wind exposure and can spread easily Plants grow together in clumps to help support each other

Name Adaptations Cattail Hollow stems let air travel to the roots and help the plant stand up straight Makes fluffy seeds that survive drought and can be carried distances; they make a new plant when they are exposed to water Thick, fibrous roots help the plant stand up in muddy or wet soil

Name Adaptations Duckweed Hollow leaves stay afloat Seeds stay inside the leaves until the plant dies and then they sink to the bottom of the pond and start new plants The plant catches on to animals and spreads seeds this way Grows very quickly to keep its population up

Name Adaptations Hornwort (coontail) Doesn’t have roots, it floats through the water Pieces break off of the plant and make new plants Doesn’t need much sunlight or warm water, so it can easily survive winter

Animal Adaptations

uses tail as a rudder to steer when swimming Name Adaptations Beaver uses tail as a rudder to steer when swimming webbed feet help swim faster water repellant coat builds lodge on water lips close behind teeth so they can chew on wood without getting water in mouth have clear eyelids to see under water

long hind legs assist with jumping webbed feet help swim faster Name Adaptations Frog long hind legs assist with jumping webbed feet help swim faster eyes can move all directions to protect itself absorbs water through their skin absorbs oxygen through their skin

webbed feet to swim faster holds breath to dive under water for food Name Adaptations Mallard Duck webbed feet to swim faster holds breath to dive under water for food mother ducks lead predators away by quacking loudly and then leaving ducklings behind to protect them can take off out of water quickly to avoid predators

tuck in the their wings to rest Name Adaptations Damselfly tuck in the their wings to rest mate in flight, males have claws to hang on to females when damselfly eggs hatch, they have little claws to hang onto the ground to they won’t get washed away regulate their temperature by laying in the sun or beating their wings

walks on surface with a rowing motion Name Adaptations Water Strider walks on surface with a rowing motion communicates by making ripples on the surface of the water have tiny hairs on legs and feet to keep them on top of the water eats insects that fall into the water

Types of Animals Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore an animal that feeds on plants an animal that feeds on other animals An animal that east both plants and animals Beaver Muskrats Frogs

Plant and Animal Adaptations & Zones

Air or Water?

Plants and Animals by Zone

5 kingdoms of living things