Wetlands Flashcards
What does the term “endemic” refer to, and what is an example of an endemic adaptation?
Definition: Perfectly adapted to a certain environment.
Example: Succulent plants have waxy cuticles to help absorb and store water.
What proportion of the world’s surface do wetlands cover, and what percentage of fish and animal species do they house?
Coverage: 1% of the world’s surface
Biodiversity: House 50% of fish species and 10% of animal species.
How many people live close to and depend on wetlands?
300-400 million people
Provide examples of wetland areas.
West Siberian Lowland and Hudson Bay Lowland.
What is the world’s largest protected wetland, and how large is it?
Wetland: Llanos de Moxos (Bolivia)
Size: More than 17 million acres (same size as North Dakota).
What are some of the uses of wetlands?
Recreation, water supply, fishing, regulating the hydrological cycle, decomposition, filtering out toxins, and recycling nutrients.
How does the carbon storage capacity of wetlands compare to rainforests?
Wetlands store 50% more carbon than rainforests.
What financial benefits were discovered by New York City in relation to wetlands?
New York City found it could save $3 - $8 billion in new wastewater treatment plants by purchasing and preserving $1.5 billion worth of wetlands.
What percentage of the world’s wetlands have been lost in the last 300 years?
87%
