Wetlands Flashcards

1
Q

These are lands between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water

A

Wetlands

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2
Q

What are three attributes that wetlands must have at least one of?

A
  1. Predominantly hydrophytic plants at least periodically; 2. Predominantly undrained hydric soil substrate; 3. Nonsoil, water-saturated substrate or substrate covered by shallow water at some time during growing season
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3
Q

What three things can be analyzed to determine a wetland?

A
  1. Vegetation; 2. Soil; 3. Hydrology
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4
Q

These are soils that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper horizons

A

Hydric soils

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5
Q

What are four unique morphological/chemical properties of hydric soils?

A
  1. High organic content; 2. Specific moisture regime; 3. Saturated at least 7 days of growing season; 4. Supports specific aquatic plants
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6
Q

Can hydric soils be either organic or mineral soils?

A

Yes

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7
Q

These hydric soils come mostly from living material that accumulates due to slow decomposition

A

Organic soils

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8
Q

What are two other terms for organic hydric soils?

A

Peat or muck

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9
Q

These hydric soils come mostly from rock and other non-living material and have periodic saturation for a sufficient duration to produce chemical and physical properties associated with anaerobic environments

A

Mineral soils

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10
Q

What is the organic material content of hydric soils?

A

At least 50% by volume

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11
Q

For how many days must surface soil be saturated for a soil to be considered hydric?

A

At least 30 days

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12
Q

Mineral hydric soils emit an odor of rotten eggs due to the presence of this compound

A

Hydrogen sulfide

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13
Q

Hydric soils have this type of moisture regime due to water saturation and the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen

A

Aquic or peraquic moisture regime

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14
Q

Hydric soil condition can be reduced due the state transformations of these

A

Ions

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15
Q

These are plants adapted to handle little oxygen, hydric soils and frequent water fluctuations

A

Hydrophytes

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16
Q

What are four characteristics of hydrophytes?

A
  1. Large/thin/floating leaves; 2. Elongated leaf stalks; 3. Little or no waxy cuticle; 4. Poorly developed tissues
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17
Q

Plants are spaced in wetlands depending on this

A

Adaptation for moisture regimes

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18
Q

What are three vegetation zones of wetlands?

A
  1. Transition zone; 2. Emergent zone; 3. Open water
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19
Q

What are four types of wetland plants based on water regime and location?

A
  1. Emergent; 2. Free floating; 3. Floating leaf; 4. Submerged
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20
Q

This is the length of time and portion of the year that a wetland holds water

A

Hydroperiod

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21
Q

Hydroperiods are important determinants of this

A

Aquatic wildlife

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22
Q

What is considered a short hydroperiod?

A

< 4 months (dry by May)

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23
Q

What is considered an intermediate hydroperiod?

A

+ 4 months

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24
Q

What is considered a long hydroperiod?

A

Permanent wetland

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25
Q

This is the biggest challenge for wetland vegetation

A

Getting oxygen

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26
Q

What are six examples of plant morphological adaptations to anoxia?

A
  1. Aerenchyma; 2. Adventitious roots; 3. Rapid stem elongation; 4. Knees; 5. Buttresses; 6. Lenticels
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27
Q

Into what two groups does the EPA classify wetlands?

A

Tidal and non-tidal wetlands

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28
Q

These EPA wetlands are affected by oceanic tides and occur inland but in coastal areas

A

Tidal wetlands

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29
Q

What are three examples of tidal wetlands?

A

Tidal marshes, mangrove swamps, saltwater marshes

30
Q

These are EPA wetlands not associated with oceanic tides or connected to the ocean

A

Non-tidal wetlands

31
Q

Which EPA wetland classification is most prevalent and widely distribution?

A

Non-tidal wetlands

32
Q

What are four examples of non-tidal wetlands?

A
  1. Wet meadows; 2. Prairie potholes; 3. Vernal pools; 4. Playa lakes
33
Q

What are five categories of wetlands according to the FWS method?

A
  1. Marine; 2. Estuaries; 3. Riverine; 4. Palustrine; 5. Lacustrine
34
Q

Marine and estuary wetlands are divided into what two zones?

A

Subtidal and intertidal wetlands

35
Q

This wetland type is contained within a channel and associated with a river system

A

Riverine wetland

36
Q

What two types of plants are generally found in riverine wetlands?

A

Non-persistent emergent plants and submerged/floating plants

37
Q

This type of wetland is less than 3 m deep and is less than 20 acres of open water

A

Palustrine wetland

38
Q

What are two types of plants that grow in palustrine wetlands?

A

Persistent emergent plants and shrubs/trees

39
Q

What are six examples of palustrine wetlands?

A
  1. Marsh; 2. Swamp; 3. Slough; 4. Meadow bog; 5. Playa lake; 6. Hardwood bottom land
40
Q

This type of wetland is found in topographic depressions or dammed river channels and are at least 20 acres of open water

A

Lacustrine wetland

41
Q

What two types of plants are found in lacustrine wetlands?

A

Non-persistent emergent plants (less than 30% plant cover) and submerged/floating plants

42
Q

What are two categories of wetland in North America?

A

Coastal and wetland

43
Q

These wetlands only make up 38% of North American wetlands

A

Coastal wetlands

44
Q

What are three types of coastal wetland?

A

Tidal salt marsh, tidal freshwater marsh, mangrove swamp

45
Q

These wetlands are most common on floodplains along rivers/streams, in depressions on the land, along lakes, or in other low-lying areas in North America

A

Inland wetlands

46
Q

What are six examples of inland wetlands in North America?

A
  1. Freshwater marshes; 2. Prairie potholes; 3. Sandhill wetlands; 4. Playas; 5. Rainwater basins; 6. Vernal pools
47
Q

These inland wetlands are found in the north/midwest U.S. and are formed by glacial depressions that fill with precipitation

A

Prairie potholes

48
Q

Do prairie potholes have a widely variable water regime?

A

Yes

49
Q

Are some prairie potholes permanent?

A

Yes

50
Q

What is the general depth profile of a prairie pothole?

A

Shallow with a deeper center

51
Q

These North American inland wetlands are located in the north/central U.S. and form at the groundwater and surface water interface

A

Sandhill wetlands

52
Q

This type of North American wetland forms the largest contiguous tract of U.S. wetlands

A

Sandhill wetlands

53
Q

Sandhill wetlands attract these due to their shallowness and invertebrate diversity

A

Birds

54
Q

There are 19,000+ of this type of North American wetland in Texas

A

Playa

55
Q

How are playas formed?

A

Wind scours a depression in a semi-arid area that fills with rainfall

56
Q

Are most playas very large?

A

No

57
Q

Do playas have low species diversity when wet?

A

No

58
Q

This type of North American wetland is a complex of wetlands scattered across the state of Nebraska

A

Rainwater basin

59
Q

Are rainwater basins highly productive?

A

Yes

60
Q

Rainwater basins are very important to these animals

A

Migratory birds

61
Q

What U.S. agency protects rainwater basins?

A

USFWS

62
Q

This type of North American wetland is located in the northeast/midwest U.S. and are covered with water in the winter and spring

A

Vernal pools

63
Q

What prevents drainage from vernal pools?

A

Clay/bedrock

64
Q

These North American wetlands are important habitat for wildlife reproduction

A

Vernal pools

65
Q

What percent of U.S. wetlands have been lost due to wetland conversion?

A

> 50%

66
Q

How many acres of wetland are lost in the U.S. each year?

A

~60,000

67
Q

What are three indicators of wetland degradation?

A
  1. Changing water quality; 2. Increasing pollutants; 3. Changing species composition
68
Q

What are two main causes of wetland loss and degradation?

A

Agricultural use and river channelization

69
Q

What are five economic values of wetlands?

A
  1. Animal harvest; 2. Waterfowl hunting; 3. Fishing/shellfish; 4. Timber harvest; 5. Tourist value
70
Q

What are three ecological values of wetlands?

A
  1. Endangered species habitat; 2. Nutrient and chemical transformation/sequester; 3. Hydrologic benefits
71
Q

What are three hydrologic benefits of wetlands?

A
  1. Flood mitigation; 2. Aquifer recharge; 3. Water quality
72
Q
A