Bio Lab--Wetlands
Water in a wetland
water is essential to a wetland ecosystem and the type of wetland ecosystem present in an area is determined primarily by water factors
What are types of wetlands?
-swamps -marsh -bog -fen
What does an ecosystem provide?
--cover from predators --food source --habitat (nursery) --
What are other factors that have reduced the viability of wetlands?
--decreased water clarity (clearness of water) --decreased water quality (chemical composition of the water) --invasive species enter
What are values of wetlands?
--flood protection --protects water quality --shoreline protection --groundwater recharge and discharge
What are the stages of succession?
-submergent -floaters -emergents -wet terrestrials
Water's sources?
-surface water -ground water -precipitation
What are the water factors of a wetland?
-water's source -surface water -ground water -precipitation -frequency and duration of flooding
What are the two types of plants in a wetland?
Hydrophytic plants Aerenchyma
What are arenchyma plants?
Is a type of tissue found in wetland plants. It is spongy with large air pockets that allow faster diffusion of oxygen from the shoots to the roots
History
Pre-1800s--25% of WI would be considered wetlands 2000s, approx. 5 million acres remain
What do the oxygen levels found in wetlands do?
They either slow or stop the decomposition process. This preserves the nutrients (peak, muck) and information
What is a swamp?
a forested or shrub dominated-wetland
What species is a keystone species in wetlands?
a muskrat
What is a bog?
a peaty wetland that has no significant surface or ground water movement in or out of it. Only found in northern hemisphere
What does the muskrat, a key stone specie, do?
act as a top predator, controlling supplies of a key resource or physically shaping the environment in which they live
What are wetlands?
an ecosystem in which rooted vegetation is surrounded by standing water during part of the year
What is a marsh?
an open, unfrosted wetland dominated by herbaceous vegetation. The water may be up to 6 feet deep or may not show above the surface
What are soils called in wetlands?
hydric soils
What are submergent plants?
colonize open water. they need to be entirely covered with water
Frequency and duration of flooding
determines what types of plants communities that will dominate the ecosystem
Cover from predators
for nesting birds, etc.
What are hydrophytic plants?
have developed special adaptations that allow their roots to be anchored in oxygen-poor, water-logged, or submerged soils
Floaters
have their roots in bottom sediments, long stems, and leaves/flowers that float on the surface
Emergents
have their roots under water but the rest of the plant is above water
What is a keystone species?
holds they key to both the diversity and stability of its community
What is hydric soil?
is a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part
What is succession?
is the replacement of one community of plants with another over time. This process occurs in several stages in wetland communities
Habitat
necessary nursery habitat
Wet Terrestrials
need to grow entirely above the water, but they can tolerate very moist conditions
Food Source
zooplankton thrive in wetlands making a high protein food source
