 Figure it Out |
|
Wetlands Study Guide
|
| History: During colonial times, more than 200 million acres of wetlands covered our nation. Fewer than half of that acreage remains today and many acres continue to be converted to farmland or development. Many people still believe that wetlands are "wastelands," areas that needed to be "filled in" to become more useful. Value: Learning about wetlands helps us understand their value and they do have quite a lot of value! Wetlands provide the wintering, nesting and staging habitat for many species of wildlife. Wetlands recycle critical nutrients, help prevent erosion, reduce flood and storm damages as well as provide food and protection to fish and other aquatic life. In addition they help filter impurities providing water quality control as water flows from the land into bodies of water. They also support hunting and fishing activities, both recreational and commercial. Types of Wetlands: Wetlands are the marshes, swamps, bogs, and other areas that exist between open water and dry land. There are two broad categories of wetlands - coastal and inland. Coastal wetlands are affected by tides and provide important nursery habitats for many kinds of fishes and birds. They may be either saltwater or freshwater. Two saltwater wetlands are salt marshes and mangrove swamps. Inland wetlands are located in the interior of the country. They are not affected by tides and may be either freshwater or saltwater. Common inland wetlands are marshes, wet meadows, shrub swamps and forested swamps. Other names you may hear include bogs, fens, saline and alkaline marshes prairie potholes, vernal pools, wet tundra and tropical rain forests. Still other wetlands can be found along rivers, lakes and reservoirs. These are usually shallow-water plant communities or unvegetated wetlands at the shoreline. Restoration: Realizing the value of wetlands has increased the amount of wetland restoration being done. About 75% of the existing wetlands in our country are privately owned. Governments are working with private landowners to better manage land and restore wetlands. In Virginia, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) along with partnering agencies and private organizations will help you to develop a plan to manage or restore your land. Several Virginia schools/ecology clubs have created/restored wetland areas at their schools for use in educating students about the value of wetlands. To get more information about creating a wetland education area near your school, contact VDGIF at 757-253-7072. Try these links for more information on WETLANDS. |
Wetlands Quiz
Use the information you have learned about wetlands to answer these true or false questions.
| Information for the article and quiz taken from articles in September and November 1998 issues of Virginia Wildlife (in your school libraries), A Bird's Eye View ... of Coastal Wetlands (from VDGIF, VDEQ and College of William and Mary), America's Wetlands - Our Vital Link Between Land and Water (from EPA) and Wetlands: Water, Wildlife, Plants, and People poster (from USGS) |
Updated 6/11/2001