wetlands mangrove swamp – everglades national park – estuarine wetland

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WETLANDS WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine National Park – Estuarine Wetland Wetland

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Page 1: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

    

WETLANDSWETLANDS

Mangrove Swamp – Everglades Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine WetlandNational Park – Estuarine Wetland

Page 2: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National 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.

Page 3: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 4: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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!

Page 5: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 6: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 7: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 8: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland
Page 9: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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.

Page 10: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 11: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 12: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

What do we Know?

• Wetlands store runoff and provide habitat for animals

•  Development issues are causing animals to overcrowd other habitats.  

Page 13: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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. 

Page 14: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 15: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Types of Wetlands • Swamps - Depends on nutrient-rich

ground water derived from mineral soils.

Great Dismal Swamp

Page 16: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

January 2002

Swamp Forest

Page 17: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Types of Wetlands• Marshes -

Permanently or periodically flooded sites characterized by nutrient-rich water.

Located around beaches. Ex. – Kitty Hawk or Corolla

Page 18: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

January 2002

Tidal Salt Marsh

Page 19: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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

Page 20: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

January 2002

Hard Wood Flat

Wet Pine Flat

Page 21: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

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.

Page 22: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Common Wetland Plants

Bladderwort

Cattails

Algae

Page 23: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Common Wetland Plants

Waterweed Duckweed

Spike Rushes

Bulrushes Water LilyCoontail

Page 24: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Common Wetland Animals

Red-winged Blackbird

Beaver

Ducks

Leopard Frog

Red Fox

Garter Snake

Page 25: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Common Wetland Animals

Dragonfly

Minnow

Tadpole

Whirligig Beetle

Water Strider

Snail

Page 26: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine Wetland

Ritchey Woods Natural Area – Riparian WetlandRitchey Woods Natural Area – Riparian Wetland

Page 27: WETLANDS Mangrove Swamp – Everglades National Park – Estuarine 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