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Wetlands
6th Grade
Wetland: a land area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year.
3 types of freshwater wetlands
• 1) Marshes
• 2) Swamps
• 3) Bogs
Marshes
• Grassy areas covered by shallow water or a stream
• Have tall, grass-like plants
Swamps
• Look like flooded forests, with trees and shrubs sprouting from the water
• Most are in warm, humid climates
Bogs
• Common in northern areas• Occur in cooler climates• Formed by depressions left by melting ice
sheets thousands of years ago• Acidic water • Mosses thrive here
Bogs
What are the Everglades?
Everglades
• A unique region of wetlands in southern Florida where a shallow ground with sawgrass is covered in water
• 4,000 square miles
Why are the Everglades Important?
• Provide habitats for many rare or endangered species
• Waste materials can be absorbed by plants
• Natural water filters
• Help control floods by absorbing extra runoff from heavy rains
Why are the Everglades in Danger?
• Agriculture –farming has accidentally leeched chemicals into the slow-moving waters of the marsh, upsetting the balance of nutrients
• Development –wetlands have been filled in for farming
• Introduction of invasive species to the environment
• Water that once flowed into the Everglades from other sources has been diverted for farming and household use
Invasive Species! Can spread throughout new ecosystems
• Burmese Python
Everglades are home to many THREATENED and ENDANGERED
animals
American Alligator --threatened
American Crocodile --threatened
Arctic Peregrine Falcon -threatened
Atlantic Ridley Turtle -Endangered
Florida Panther --Endangered
West Indian Manatee --endangered
Piping Plover --threatened
Wood Stork -endangered