Transcript WETLANDS ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY 2008 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Project Zach Stone, Brandon Lindstrom, Gabe Dickerson, David Batchelor PROBLEM STATEMENT Overdevelopment appears to impact wetlands.

WETLANDS
ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY
2008 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Project
Zach Stone, Brandon Lindstrom, Gabe Dickerson, David Batchelor
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Overdevelopment appears to impact wetlands & water
quality. How exactly is it affecting it & what can we do to
decrease the development impact?
EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE
SPHERES IN WETLANDS
Biosphere - development affects the biosphere by
destroying plant life, water sources and animal habitats.
Also when developing over wetland it brings in invasive
species that take over the wetlands. Ex. – Phragmites
TYPES OF WETLANDS
Swamps - Depends on nutrient-rich ground water derived
from mineral soils.
Bogs - Made by peat accumulation, usually dominated by
moss. Bogs appear where the water at the ground surface is
acidic. Bogs are generally formed by rain water.
Fens - Made by peat accumulation; may be dominated by
sedge, reed, shrub or forest. Fens are mostly fed by surface
or groundwater.
Common
Wetland Plants
RECOMMENDATIONS
Atmosphere – Developing on wetlands destroys trees,
which in turn, is causing the much needed oxygen that
the trees produce to not be produced. Acid rain is also a
destroyer of wetlands. Ferns are a good indicator to tell if
you have acid rain.
Go to local hearings and voice your opinion about development
Vote for board members that are environment minded
Support organizations that help protect wetlands from development
Support restoration practices instead of development on agriculture and
wild lands
Lithosphere - Development destroys the land that
animals need to build their homes on, causing animals to
overcrowd other homes and/or go into human homes.
Farming also causes this. Ex. – mice going into houses
during winter when wheat is gone.
Boycott businesses that destroy the land for their profit
Contact local board members, governors, and commissioners that can
change existing rules to help protect wetlands and increase preservation
in critical areas
Hydrosphere – Overdevelopment affects the
hydrosphere in many different ways. Chemicals and
fertilizers runoff into waterways, wetlands are covered up
by dirt to build on and tourists come and leave trash in
the areas.
Common Juniper
Red Maple
Coastal Plain Willow
Pickeral Weed
Purchasing Development Rights (PDR) - This allows for states to buy back
land to help provide permanent land protection.
Directing surface water runoff into swales and vegetated buffers to catch
pollutants and filter them out, allowing for clean water to enter wetlands.
Make sure that instead of companies building on top of wetlands they
move them to a different area.
WHY WETLANDS ARE IMPORTANT
They provide a home for animals.
Trees and shrubs that help produce oxygen are there.
If wetlands were destroyed, the surrounding areas would
end us losing the much needed food and oxygen that the
wetlands provide.
Help enforce laws that make sure
companies can build within a five mile
radius of wetlands. Ex. – Camden landfill
Invasive Species
HYPOTHESIS
Overdevelopment is destroying the homes of much of the
wetland wildlife. If it isn't stopped there will be a large
decrease in the population of these.
NC COASTAL WETLANDS
Phragmites
(The Common Reed)
A large perennial grass that is found
in wetlands throughout the temperate
and tropical regions around the world.
Spartina Patens (Salt Hay Grass) - A
species of cordgrass. It is a hay-like grass
that is found in the upper areas of brackish
coastal saltmarshes.
Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass or
Saltmarsh Cordgrass) - A perennial
deciduous grass which is found in intertidal
wetlands. It is commonly found in estuarine
salt marshes.
WHAT DO WE KNOW?
Wetlands include SAV, animals, plants, and many trees.
There are many types of wetlands, such as swamps,
marshes, bogs, and fens.
Wetlands such as swamps and bogs are being damaged
by natural disasters.
Wetlands store runoff and provide habitat for animals.
These development issues are causing animals to
overcrowd other habitats.
Smooth
Cordgrass
COMMON DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
Fertilizers from farming, construction sites, and home
owners
Construction is killing off trees, plants and animals.
Animals are being run out of their homes and forced to
overcrowd other wetlands.
REFERENCES
http://lakejuliana.tripod.com/id11.html / "Save Our Wetlands" / June 24, 2008
http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/wetland/define/define.htm / "Types Of Wetlands" / June 24, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/phragmites / "Phragmites" / June, 24, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/spartina_alterniflora / "Spartina Alterniflora" / June 24, 2008
Tidal Creek Habitats book / Author "SC Seagrant" / June 26, 2008
Locations of Phragmites australis in North Carolina.
Locations of Spartina alterniflora in North Carolina