Wetlands
What is a wetland?
An area of land covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year.
How many major watersheds are there in Virginia? Name them.
Three
Cheasapeake Bay
North Carolina Sounds
Mississippi River
What does "abiotic" mean?
The nonliving part of an ecosystem.
What is water pollution?
A change to the environment that negatively affects living things.
What does pH measure?
How acidic or basic a substance is.
Why are Wetlands important for ecosystems?
They help regulate runoff, reduce erosion, maintain water quality, and provide habitats.
What is the largest watershed in Virginia?
The Cheasapeake Bay watershed.
Define "biodiversity."
An ecosystem that has many different species in that area.
Name one source of pollutants in water.
Sediment, Toxins, Bacteria, Waste, Bubba
What is turbidity?
A cloudy condition in water due to suspended silt or organic matter.
How do wetlands help prevent flooding?
They store floodwaters and slow down runoff.
Where does the Mississippi River watershed empty into?
Gulf of Mexico
What is a mountain range.
Areas of higher elevations, such as ridgelines and divides that separate watersheds
How can sewage affect water quality?
It can make the water unsafe for humans and animals to drink.
Why is dissolved oxygen important for water quality?
It is essential for the survival of aquatic organisms.
Describe one negative effect of human development on wetlands.
Development can reduce wetland areas, leading to increased flooding and loss of wildlife habitat.
What separates one watershed from another?
A divide.
What is "salinity"?
The total amount of dissolved salts in a water sample.
What is runoff?
Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground.
Name one indicator of water quality.
Temperature, Turbidity, Salinity, Presence of macro-invertebrates, pH Scale, Dissolved Oxygen
Name a plant commonly found in Wetlands?
Cordgrass, Cattails, salt grass, winter berries, water plantain, buttonbush, etc.
What main bodies of water do Virginia's eastern watersheds lead to?
Atlantic Ocean
What is an "estuary"?
Where fresh and saltwater meet and are mixed by tides.
What is one way humans can reduce water pollution?
By properly disposing of hazardous waste.
How can we monitor water quality?
By collecting water samples to analyze chemical and biological parameters.