Lesson 1.4 Pg. 22 - 26

Wetlands A wetland is an area that: Contains unique types of soils, Is home to plants adapted to the wet environment Contains water all year or at certain times during the year Bogs, Swamps, and Marshes are common names for wetlands

Bogs Is a wetland in which the soils consist mainly of decomposed plant material called peat or muck Home to frogs, turtles, insects, and certain birds Plants: Moses are the most dominant Shrubs, evergreens, water lilies, pitcher plants, cranberries, and blueberries Very acidic and little oxygen Occurs because there is little movement of water

Swamps Are a forested wetlands in which trees and bushes are the dominant plants Animals: white-tailed deer, raccoons, herons, egrets, woodpeckers, snakes, frogs, turtles Soil: Maybe be rich in nutrients or not Swamps are classified depending on the type of tree that dominates the swamp Conifer Swamps = Cedars, pines, spruces, hemlocks Hardwood Swamps = Maples, willows, aspens, birches, elms, oaks

Conifer Swamp Hardwood Swamp

Marsh Is a wetland that generally forms at the mouth of a river or in areas where there is poor drainage Water comes from nearby creeks, streams, and rivers Soil = rich in nutrients Plants: Grasses, sedges, bulrushes, and cattails Animals: Beavers, frogs, turtles, raccoons, muskrats, opossums, birds, insects

Pennsylvania Wetlands 407,000 acres of PA are wetlands Three general types of wetlands in PA 1. Forested Wetlands 2. Scrub-Shrub Wetlands 3. Emergent Wetlands

Forested Wetlands Are areas where the dominant plants = matured woody trees Red & silver maples Black gums River birches Green ashes Make up 220,000 acres of PA wetlands

Scrub-Shrub Wetlands Are wetlands where the dominant plants are scrubs and shrubs and plants under 20 ft. Alders Willows Spicebushes High-blush blueberries Winterberries Honey suckles Covers 139,000 acres of PA Wetlands

Emergent Wetlands Marshy areas where plants are tooted in soil but emerge above the water Rushes Grasses sedges Covers 52,000 acres of PA wetlands

Wetlands at Work Wetlands serve many different functions Provide habitats and food Spawning grounds Cycle nutrients through the ecosystem Protect land from erosion and damage from floods and storms Filter pollutant from environment

Habitat Wetlands are home to hundreds of different species Many of these species (35%) are endangered or threatened Endangered = soon to be extinct Threatened = soon to become endangered Other organism that call wetlands home: 500 plants species of concern 80% of PA’s amphibians 41% of PA’s reptiles 120 species of birds

Food Factories Very high primary productivity rates Plants form the base of wetland food webs Decomposing plant parts provide food and nutrients for bacteria, fungi, protisits, and various invertebrates Bacteria, fungi, protisits, and various invertebrates are food sources for wetland vertebrates

Spawning Grounds and Nurseries 200 species of amphibians, wild ducks, geese, swans, bitterns, and herons reproduce in wetlands Wetlands in the flood plains of larger rivers provide spawning habitats for many freshwater fish Ex. Salmon

Cycling Nutrients Plants make their own food using photosynthesis Use energy from the sun to produce food and oxygen Oxygen is used for respiration by all heterotrophs Are animals and fungi that eat plants and animal matter Plants also move phosphorus, nitrogen, and other nutrients through the wetland

Buffer Zones Wetlands can function as sponges Absorb access runoff and slowly release it back into the environment Ability to store water and slow the flow has several advantage Reduce likelihood of flood damage Help control increases in the rate and volume of run off in urban areas

Buffer Zones Wetlands aid in protecting coastlines Roots of vegetation holds soil in place Plants absorb the energy of waves and break up the flow of the stream or river currents Buffer storm surges from hurricanes and tropical storms Prevents severe damage to nearby roads, houses, and other structures

Pollution Control #1 water pollutant in PA = sediment Wetlands play a huge role in reducing sediment pollution Slow down water movement Decreased movement allows sediment to settle Also help prevent air pollution Many wetland plants store carbon rather than releasing it into the air as carbon dioxide Carbon Dioxide is thought to affect global climates

Sediment Pollution Air Pollution

Suburban Swamps PA’s creeks rivers and streams were critical to the development of many cities because… Provided means to transport goods Fresh water for consumption Urbanization has disrupted and destroyed many wetlands associated with these bodies of water Many wetlands are disappearing!

Negative Effects of Losing Wetlands Greatly reduces recreational areas Make the area less attractive to business No Business No Money Reduce the quality of air and water in the area Landscapes may have an increase risk of flooding

Benefits of Protecting Wetlands Vegetation will provide good air and water quality Plants can remove harmful gases from the air and harmful substances from the water Provide habitats for wildlife Lessen the chances and effects of flooding

Formation of Urban Wetlands Are what’s left streams and rivers that flowed through urban areas prior to development May develop due to poorly planned development Ex. Drainage ditches become urban wetlands when runoff collects in artificial gullies

Benefits of Urban Wetlands Buffer the runoff from pavements (minimizing flooding) Trap and filter out harmful substances Iron, lead, copper Aid in treating large volumes of wastewater produced by cities and towns

Complete the following… Lesson Review 1-14 pg. 26 You Solve It pg. 25 Answer the five questions at the end of the passage Write out the vocabulary for section 1.4 pg. 22-25 Wetland Forested Wetland Bog Scrub-Shrub Wetland Swamp Emergent Wetland Marsh Endangered / Threatened Heterotrophs