Transcript Living Things - Ms. D. Science C.G.P.A.

Land, Air, and Water Resources
Ms. De Los Rios
7th Grade
8-5 Wetland Environments
Essential Question:
How Do People use Earth’s Resource?
What are Wetlands?
Why are the Wetlands Important?
What Impact Have Humans Had on the Everglades?
Pgs. 288-295
Vocabulary
Wetland- a land area that is covered with a shallow layer of
water during some or all of the year.
My Planet Diary pg. 288
Wetland Stories
How much do you know about your school’s neighborhood? Students
from Exploris Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina, wanted to know
more about the nearby Walnut Creek wetlands. Community groups had
worked with the city to stop flooding and protect the wetland area. The
students interviewed people who had lived near the wetlands for
decades. They asked about the residents’ memories of the area.
Students also created a field guide for the wetlands. They included
descriptions and drawings of animals found in the area, so others could
enjoy the wildlife right in their own city!
1. Why did students at Exploris Middle School interview people
near Walnut Creek?
2. What questions do you have about wetlands?
What are Wetlands? Pg. 289
A wetland is an area that is covered with a shallow layer of
water during some or all of the year.
Wetlands help control foods and provide habitats for many species.
They form in places where water is trapped in low areas or where
groundwater seeps to the surface. Wetlands may be as small as a
roadside ditch or cover as much as a small state.
The Florida Everglades are a vast wetland.
Wetland Environments
The Everglades
Sometimes called the “River of Grass,” the
Florida Everglades is a vast wetland that
covers more than 10,000 square kilometers.
Freshwater Wetlands pg. 290
The three common types of freshwater wetlands are
marshes, swamps, and bogs. These wetlands are diverse.
Marshes are usually grassy areas covered by shallow water or
streams. Many cattails and other tall grasslike plants live there.
Swamps look like flooded forests with trees and shrubs spouting
from the water. Many swamps are in warm, humid climates.
Bogs are more common in cooler areas. The water in bogs
tends to be acidic. Mosses thrive in these conditions.
Coastal Wetlands pg. 291
Coastal wetlands, which usually contain both fresh water and salt
water, include salt marshes and mangrove forests. Grasses grow in
the rich mud of salt marshes. Mangrove forests are found along the
southeastern coast.
Apply it! Pg. 290
The photographs show a kind of freshwater
wetland called a pocosin or Carolina bay.
Water in pocosins is generally acidic.
Describe two features you can observe
in the photograph.
What type of wetland is a pocosin?
(bog/swamp)
Assess Your Understanding pg. 291
1a. What are the three main types of freshwater wetlands?
b. How do coastal wetlands differ from freshwater wetlands?
c. How are the three types of freshwater wetlands similar? How
are they different?
I get it! Now I know that wetlands are _____________________
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Why are Wetlands Important? Pg. 292
Importance to wildlife:
Because of their sheltered waters and rich supply
of nutrients, wetlands provide habitats for many living
things.
Importance to People:
Wetlands act as natural water filters. They control
floods by absorbing extra runoff from heavy rains.
What Impact Have Humans Had on the Everglades?
Pg. 294
DEVELOPMENT
The development of southern Florida has resulted in changes to the flow
of water across the Everglades.
EFFECTS
•Water pollution has increased, and native plant and animal populations
have declined.
• Half of south Florida’s original wetland system is gone.
SOLUTIONS
However, Florida’s communities are working together to try and restore
the Everglades with help from the United States government.
• The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, signed by President
Clinton proposes more than 60 projects in 30 years to reverse the harm
we have done to the Everglades by shifting the water flow.
Figure 4 Human Impact on the Everglades pg. 294
The arrows on these maps show how the flow of water has changed
across the Everglades. Explain how this has affected the Everglades
Assess Your Understanding pg. 295
3a Why have parts of the Everglades been developed?
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b. What impact has human development had on the Everglades
ecosystem?
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I get It! Now I know that humans have affected the Everglades
by _________________________________________________
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