Wetlands
What percentage of NZ native birds live in wetlands?
22% (many endemic)
What percentage of wetlands have been destroyed in the Waikato?
70%
Why are wetlands important for flood control?
Act as a sponge and can hold excess water which can drain back slowly to rivers
What is a wetland?
Any area where water occurs at or near the ground surface for all or part of the year. May be permanently or temporarily wet.
What are marine and estuarine wetlands?
Areas where sea water and freshwater mix. Coastal rivers, lagoons etc
What type of organisms do wetlands have more of than any other habitat?
Birds
What are the features of salt marshes?
Dominated by salt tolerant 'grasses', trap sediment and decaying organic matter, raises mud
What types of plants live in salt marshes?
Eel grass, glasswort, sea rush
How are fish adapted to wetlands?
Eel shaped bodies and burrow to avoid drying out
What are the features of geothermal wetlands?
Fed by heated geothermal water, shallow rooted plants, small growing trees
How do wetland improve water quality?
Filter, dilute and degrade sediment and pollutants as water flows through
What disaster event can be caused by removing wetlands and why?
Floods because there are no wetlands to catch and absorb rain
What recreational activities occur at wetlands?
Hunting, birdwatching
What are the features of fens?
Intermediate between bogs and swamps, groundwater, runoff and rain fed, medium nutrient levels, mineral and peat substrate, medium pH
Why is Miranda, Firth of Thames so important?
It is a wetland environment that thousands of migratory birds come every year
What species dominates in NZ tree swamps
Kahikatea, go from flood to completely dry
What is a wetland fish species?
Kopuatai - mud fish
What are the features of alpine bogs?
Occur in wet mountain ranges where drainage is poor, slow decomposition because of low temperatures, low nutrients (no catchment)
What are the features of riverine and lacustrine wetlands?
On the margins of rivers/lakes, have plants adapted for periodic flowing water, fluctuating water level and/or wave action
What are the features of mangroves?
Only have trees that can grow in salt water, cover a lot of coastlines in tropical systems
Why are wetlands important for the economy?
Peat mining and moss harvesting
What are the features of bogs?
Peat, low water movement, no oxygen recharge, decomposers can't break down organic matter, holds up to 20 times own weight, drainage worst in middle of bog
What are the roots of mangroves important?
Provide habitat for breeding of fish, crabs and shrimp, stabilise submerged soils and provide barriers during storms
What are the features of peat bogs?
Rain fed only, infertile, waterlogged (anaerobic), plant material decomposes slowly, low pH, have few but well adapted plants
How do palustrine wetlands get their water?
Rain, groundwater or surface water
What species dominates in NZ reed swamps?
Raupo, always water
What type of wetlands are mostly in the Waikato?
Restiad bogs
Three types of freshwater wetlands
Riverine, lacustrine and palustrine
What are some wetland plant species?
Swamp helmet orchid, bladderwort, cane rush, kahikatea
Three types of palustrine wetland?
Swamp, bog and fen
Why are wetlands important?
They have high diversity and/or unusual plant and animals, flood control, improve water quality and for recreational and economic reasons
Why are the roots of plants in geothermal wetlands shallow?
To avoid hitting a stream vent
What are some wetland bird species?
Wrybill plover, New Zealand dotterel, bar-tailed godwit, lesser knot
What are the features of swamps?
Young, grounder or runoff fed, fertile, mainly mineral substrate, high pH, high species richness, wide fluctuations in water levels, reed like plants or trees