Wetlands Flashcards
You need to be able to label a diagram of a wetland, btw!
Kinda sucks.
Over __% of South Africa’s wetlands have been destroyed.
50%
Why are wetlands being destroyed?
More land is needed to produce food and provide houses. Wetlands have been drained so they can be used for crops or grazing land for animals.
Why do we need to conserve wetlands?
They help to improve the quality of water.
Water can be stored in them.
Flooding is prevented because the flow of water is slowed down.
Soil erosion is controlled, the sediment is filtered out in a wetland.
Give the 7 parts of wetlands.
Ground water flows Bacteria breaks down contaminants Contaminants and sediments are filtered Saturated peat stores water Slowly stored water is released into a stream Cleaner water flows out It provides critical wildlife habitat
What are wetlands?
IMPORTANT
A wetland is an area that is covered with water for most or all of the year.
What do wetlands support?
It supports plants and animals that can live in saturated or flooded conditions.
How does a wetland work?
Water from streams flows into the wetland and slows down, allowing soil that has been eroded to sink. The contaminants are broken down by the bacteria in a wetland and filtered out. This takes time and cleaner water is slowly released back into the stream.
What does a healthy wetland mean?
The ecosystem in the area will be healthy.
