Wetlands Flashcards
What is a wetland?
an area overloaded or saturated with water most or all of the
time
Name the 3 main types of wetlands
swamps, bogs, marshes
What are some characteristics of salt marshes?
*Occur worldwide
*Tidal zone in between land and open saltwater
*Plant life dominated by marsh grasses
*Habitat for >75% of fisheries (blue crab, shrimp, finfish) species
What are some characteristics of freshwater marshes?
*Located upstream of saltwater marshes
*Close enough to the sea that tides still influence them, but not close
enough that saltwater can affect them
* All plants here can’t tolerate salt
Since the 1700s, the US has lost over _____________of its wetland resources
50%
What are some characteristics of mangroves?
*Found in tropics/subtropics
* Salt tolerant trees
*Can remove salt from water
* Complex root system
*Habitat for billions of worms, protozoa, barnacles, oysters, and
other invertebrates
*Feed fish and shrimp, which feed wading birds, pelicans, and
crocodiles
Name the three main types of mangroves.
red, black, white
What is a natural stressor that can affect wetlands?
storm events
What are some human stressors that affect wetlands?
*Damming
* Mangrove deforestation
*Shoreline squeeze
* Excess nutrients
What is “shoreline squeeze”?
When sea levels rise, wetlands can grow taller by accumulating more
sediment, or they can move inland by taking over newly wet ground
How do nutrients affect wetlands?
Using more fertilizer and nutrients makes plants grow more above ground but less underground. The plants have weak roots, so creek banks can collapse
What can help wetlands survive sea level rise?
When there is enough sediment, wetlands can build up
Name three conservation efforts that can help wetlands.
*Restoring water paths
* Restoring degraded wetlands
* Creating new wetlands
* Enhancing current wetlands
Name four reasons why wetlands are important.
*Flood control
* Food supply
*Recreation areas
* Shelter for migrating birds
* Clean water
* Shoreline and storm protection
*Materials and medicines
How do migratory birds use wetlands?
“pit stops” on long journeys
How do wetlands provide storm protection?
*slow down the inland movement of storm surges
*reduces wave height and water speed
What can wetlands filter from water?
Fertilizers/nutrients, toxins/contaminants
What is blue carbon?
Carbon that is stored in the soils of wetlands
Where is blue carbon stored short term?
leaves, roots, trunks
Where is blue carbon stored long-term?
soils
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in our world includes all living things
What is bioaccumulation, and how does it hurt?
Harmful chemicals build up in an animal’s body over time and keep collecting inside the animal. It becomes a problem when bigger animals eat smaller animals because the harmful chemicals go up the food chain.
What type of life is found in wetlands?
plants, frogs, beavers, turtles, birds, insects
