Global Environments By Emily Burns

Wetlands

What are Wetlands???? Wetlands are areas of land where soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally. The link between land and water. Some Wetlands include: swamps marshes bogs fens lakes The water found in wetlands can be salt, fresh or brackish

Where are they Found? Wetlands are widely spread across the country due to there differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry as well as human disturbance. Found in the tropics and on every continent except Antarctica.

How wetlands work? Wetlands are transition zones in which the flow of water, the cycling of nutrients and the energy of the sun meet to produce an ecosystem. Wetlands filter and drain water they then release the clean water to small streams and river.

Who lives there? Some fauna that can be found include: reptiles, birds, insects, fish and mammals. Some flora that can be found include : American Plum. Black willow and Duckweed. Animals are adapted to the climate zones in the wetlands as it provides a great habitat for water and land animals. Wetlands have been important even millions of years ago, especially for the DINOSAURS.

Rainforests

What are Rainforests? Rainforests are dense forests with warm climates and lots of rain. This is why they are located in the tropics. Temperate: Warm Temperate rainforest receive over 1300mm, they have two layers, canopy of trees and a lower layer of tree and ground ferns. These forests provide the world with oxygen and they provide a great habitat for fauna and flora .

Types of Rainforests There are many types of rainforests. Some of which include: Mangrove Tropical Equatorial Temperate The main two are the temperate and tropical rainforests. Both types of rainforests are rich in plant and animal species, although the diversity is greater in the tropical rainforest.

What makes a Rainforest- Tropical Rainforests can be split into different layers/sections. Different flora and fauna grow and live in these different layers. Rainforests layers include: emergent canopy under store shrub layer forest floor

Where are rainforests located Rainforests are found in the tropics, the region between the Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer. In this region the sun is very strong and shines about the same amount of time every day all year long making the climate warm and stable.

Who lives in the Rainforest Rainforests are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. There are approximately 3000 plant species, from 210 different families in a rainforest.  There are very few flowers on the forest floor, because there is so little sunlight at this level. Some examples of fauna and flora include: Amphibians Insects Mammals Reptiles Bromeliads Carnivorous Plants

Deserts

What is a desert A desert is a region or landscape so arid due to a little amount of precipitation that there is less than enough to support little vegetation or no vegetation at all. Only 15% of the worlds desert is pure sand. There are many different types of deserts, not all of them are hot and sandy, you can also have cold deserts as well. Some Examples of Hot Deserts : Great Sandy, Victoria, Simpson, Gibson, and Sturt Some Examples of cold Deserts: Northern China and Southern Mongolia

How is a desert Formed Some deserts located by mountains and are caused by the "rain shadow" effect. When air moves up over a mountain range, it gets cold and loses the ability to hold moisture -- so it rains or snows. When the air moves down the other side of the mountain, it gets warmer. Warm air can hold lots of moisture, so it doesn't rain as much, and a desert is formed.

Where are deserts found?????? Deserts are mainly found on the tropics of cancer and Capricorn. Many deserts are found in bands along 30 degrees latitude north and 30 degrees latitude south.

Who lives in Deserts Because of the harsh conditions in the desert, animals that live there have many adaptations. Some animals never drink, but get their water from seeds Other animals adapt by spending most of the day underground and out of the hot sun. Rattlesnakes, kangaroo rats, and kit foxes are called nocturnal, because they only come out at night to eat and hunt.

You-tube Clip Follow Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJhZ3YmBDpQ

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