wetlands mangrove swamp – everglades national park – estuarine wetland
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WETLANDSWETLANDS
Mangrove Swamp – Everglades Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine WetlandNational Park – Estuarine Wetland
January 2002
Wetlands Wetlands
Wetlands are areas that are periodically or Wetlands are areas that are periodically or permanently inundated by surface or permanently inundated by surface or ground water and support vegetation ground water and support vegetation adapted for life in saturated soil. Wetlands adapted for life in saturated soil. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, bogs and include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.similar areas.
Wetlands are transitional environments between uplands and fully aquatic environments
They are defined on the basis ofHydrology – presence and duration of
waterVegetation – dominance of vegetation
adapted to saturated soil conditionsSoils – poorly drained and with
evidence of low or fluctuating oxygen
Wetland Hydrology
• Area is inundated or saturated to the surface for at least 5% of the growing season in most years
– Growing season is based on soil temperature and is determined for regions by the USDA
– Most years = 51 out of 100 years
Wetlands are NOT always wet!Wetlands are NOT always wet!
Hydrophytic Vegetation
• Plant species that are adapted for life in saturated soils
– Anaerobic soil conditions
– Soggy or waterlogged soils
• Require adaptations for better support
• Require adaptations for gas exchange
• Hydrophytes are plants growing in water or on substrates that are periodically deficient in oxygen
Hydric Soil
• A soil that is saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the root zone
–Tend to be dark in color and have mottles of iron staining
What do wetlands do?What do wetlands do?
Wetland FunctionsWetland Functions
HabitatHabitat : : nesting, spawning, rearing nesting, spawning, rearing and resting sites for aquatic and land and resting sites for aquatic and land species, food chain productionspecies, food chain productionHydrology:Hydrology: protection of other areas protection of other areas from wave action and erosion, storage from wave action and erosion, storage areas for storm water and flood water, areas for storm water and flood water, ground and surface water aquiferground and surface water aquiferRechargeRechargeWater :Water : water quality protection, water quality protection, water filtration and Quality water filtration and Quality purification, treatment of nonpoint purification, treatment of nonpoint source runoffsource runoff
January 2002
• maintain biodiversity maintain biodiversity (animals, plants, and many trees)• provide habitat for provide habitat for animals animals • maintain water maintain water qualityquality• support commercial support commercial fishing, forestry fishing, forestry
• reduce flood reduce flood damage , damage , store runoff • hiking, fishing, hiking, fishing, hunting, bird hunting, bird watching, boatingwatching, boating• aesthetic valueaesthetic value
Why are wetlands Why are wetlands important?important?
Did you know?Did you know?
Nationwide, an estimated 50 million people Nationwide, an estimated 50 million people spend approximately $10 billion annually spend approximately $10 billion annually observing and photographing wetland-observing and photographing wetland-dependent birds.dependent birds.
January 2002
NC-CREWS Primary Wetland Functions and
SubfunctionsWater Quality
– Nonpoint Source Removal
– Floodwater Cleansing
Wildlife Habitat– Terrestrial
Wildlife– Aquatic Life
Hydrology– Surface Runoff
Storage– Floodwater
Storage– Shoreline
Stabilization
Potential Risk– Wetland Extent
and Rarity– Replacement
Difficulty– Land Use
Characteristics
January 2002
Example: Water Quality Function
P roxim ity to Sources
P roxim ity to W ater Body
W atershed P osition
W etland Resto rationS ite T yp e
So il Characteristics
S ite Cond itio ns
N on-P o int Source Function
W ater Source & P roxim ity
D uratio n of F lo od ing
W etland Resto rationS ite T yp e
So il Characteristics
S ite Cond itio ns
W idth P erpendicu larto Stream
F lo odw ater C leansing
W ater Q uality Function
What do we Know?
• Wetlands store runoff and provide habitat for animals
• Development issues are causing animals to overcrowd other habitats.
Common development issues• Fertilizers from farming, construction
sites, and home owners • Construction is killing off trees,
plants and animals. • Animals are being run out of their homes and forced to overcrowd other wetlands.
January 2002
Wetland Classification•Swamp Forest
•Bottomland Hardwood•Pine Flat•Hardwood Flat•Managed Pine•Freshwater Marsh•Salt/Brackish Marsh•Estuarine Scrub Shrub•Estuarine Forest•Maritime Forest•Headwater Swamp•Human Impacted
Modifiers:
Partially Drained/ Ditched
Cut-over
Cleared
Types of Wetlands • Swamps - Depends on nutrient-rich
ground water derived from mineral soils.
Great Dismal Swamp
January 2002
Swamp Forest
Types of Wetlands• Marshes -
Permanently or periodically flooded sites characterized by nutrient-rich water.
Located around beaches. Ex. – Kitty Hawk or Corolla
January 2002
Tidal Salt Marsh
Types of Wetlands • Bogs - Made by peat accumulation,
usually dominated by moss. Bogs appear where the water at the ground surface is acidic. Bogs are generally formed by rain water
January 2002
Hard Wood Flat
Wet Pine Flat
Types of Wetlands
• Fens - Made by peat accumulation; may be dominated by sedge, reed, shrub or forest. Fens are mostly fed by surface or groundwater.
Common Wetland Plants
Bladderwort
Cattails
Algae
Common Wetland Plants
Waterweed Duckweed
Spike Rushes
Bulrushes Water LilyCoontail
Common Wetland Animals
Red-winged Blackbird
Beaver
Ducks
Leopard Frog
Red Fox
Garter Snake
Common Wetland Animals
Dragonfly
Minnow
Tadpole
Whirligig Beetle
Water Strider
Snail
Ritchey Woods Natural Area – Riparian WetlandRitchey Woods Natural Area – Riparian Wetland
Walnut Creek Wetlands• Not only has all of the qualities discussed
previously but also is essential for filtering trash and pollutants coming from Raleigh
• All cities would love to have this natural filtration system that prevents trash from flowing all the way to the ocean
• From Raleigh-Little Rock Creek, Walnut Creek, The Neuse River, to the Atlantic Ocean