Wetland Characteristics
Name two of the four wetland types listed in the document.
What are swamps, marshes, bogs, or fens?
Wetlands can temporarily store water and slow its movement, helping provide this service.
What is flood protection?
This type of site gives migratory birds places to rest, find food, and seek shelter.
What is a stopover site?
Name one recreational activity people can enjoy in wetlands.
What is hiking, photography, boating, fishing, hunting, or birdwatching?
The national goal for wetland protection is called this.
What is "no-net loss?"
This term refers to flooding depth, duration, and frequency
What is hydroperiod?
This process replenishes underground water stored in aquifers.
What is groundwater recharge?
Water lilies are an example of an aquatic plant with this adaptation where they are rooted underwater but can still perform photosynthesis.
What are floating leaves?
Wetlands can provide this important resource for people to drink.
Wetlands are often destroyed by draining or filling land for these two purposes.
What are agriculture and development?
Wetland soils may appear dark gray or blue when bacteria use compounds like iron or sulfate in THIS low-oxygen condition.
What is an anaerobic condition?
Wetlands are called the “kidneys of the landscape” because they trap and remove these.
What are contaminants?
Wetlands offer young fish this kind of protection and habitat.
What is refuge?
Wetlands can attract visitors who enjoy activities in nature and help local businesses. They are engaging in this activity that describes traveling to visit nature.
What is ecotourism?
This law helps protect wetlands from harmful dredging or filling.
What is the Clean Water Act?
This spongy plant tissue allows air to pass through leaves, stems, and roots.
What is aerenchyma?
Wetland bacteria convert inorganic nitrogen into harmless dinitrogen gas through this process.
What is denitrification?
This percentage of threatened or endangered species relies on wetlands for survival.
What is 43%
Wetlands provide habitat and food for many kinds of fish and shellfish. Name one type of fishing they support.
What is commercial or recreational fishing?
These programs give landowners financial or technical help to protect or restore wetlands.
What are government conservation programs?
Wetland soils can store carbon because flooding slows this process.
What is decomposition?
Slow water flow and long residence time allow sunlight and bacteria to degrade some pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical residues. These are examples of what kind of wetland process?
What are chemical processes?
Wetland vegetation provides seeds and plant matter for herbivores and supports a food web based on dead material. What is this food web called?
What is the detrital food web?
Wetlands can help communities save money by storing water and reducing the need for these measures.
What are flood control measures?
When wetland damage cannot be avoided or reduced, developers may buy these to offset wetland losses.
What are mitigation credits?