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