The Topic:  Wetlands

Easier - Wetlands are marshy areas where there is much moisture in the soil. Wetlands are sometimes covered in water. Swamps, marshes, and bogs are some of the names used for wetlands.

 

Harder - "Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or where shallow water covers the land and where at least one of the following attributes holds: 1) the land predominantly supports aquatic plants at least periodically; 2) undrained hydric soils are the predominant substrate; and 3) at some time during the growing season, the substrate is saturated with water or covered by shallow water." EPA definition at http://www.epa.gov/emap/html/dataI/wetlands/)

 

There are two basic types of wetlands : coastal (also known as tidal or estuarine wetlands) and inland (also known as non-tidal, freshwater, or palustrine wetlands).

 

America's Wetlands (Environmental Protection Agency) 

http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/wetlands/vital/wetlands.html

Exploring this web site will give you a better understanding of the rich variety of wetlands, their importance, how they are threatened, and what can be done to conserve them for future generations.

Related Webpage:

2) America's Wetlands: Our Vital Link Between Land and Water

http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/wetlands/vital/toc.html

 

Information on Wetlands 

http://h2osparc.wq.ncsu.edu/info/wetlands/

This site includes information on wetlands classification, functions, human impacts, protection programs, and more.

 

Fresh Water Wetlands

(Part of Marine Ecosystems, Missouri Botanical Garden by The Evergreen Project, Inc.) 

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/wetlands/index.htm

The term "wetlands" encompasses a wide variety of aquatic habitats. Swamps, marshes, bogs, prairie potholes, flood plains, and fen - these are all names for ecosystems known as wetlands.

 

Illinois Wetlands (Twin Groves Virtual Wetland Preserve) 

http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Wetlands/Wetlands.html

As you explore each type of wetland area at this website, you will be introduced to the plants, mammals, insects, amphibians/reptiles, and birds which make their homes there.

Similar Websites:

2) California Wetlands Information System http://ceres.ca.gov/wetlands/

3) Louisiana Wetlands http://www.etrc.louisiana.edu/wetlands/

 

Websites By Kids For Kids

Conflict in the Wetlands (ThinkQuest Junior Project) 

http://tqjunior.advanced.org/4219/

Site was created as a worldwide wetland resource by students in South Florida. The project explores what young people can do to protect and preserve wetlands by sharing information worldwide.

 

A Duck's Web (ThinkQuest Junior Project) 

http://tqjunior.advanced.org/6235/

This wetlands site tells of Aquarena Springs in Texas and the ducks that live there.

 

InterWet: Your Wetlands Websource (ThinkQuest Project) 

http://library.thinkquest.org/17053/

Learn about the various types of wetlands, including marine, riverine, bog, bottomland, and more.

 

Korean Tidal Wetlands (ThinkQuest Project) 

http://dev99.advanced.org/28786/english/main.html

This website defines a tidalflat area, their function, life, and indicators of threats, and then suggests steps for preserving them.

 

Now You See It, Now You Don't: Vanishing Vernal Pools (ThinkQuest Project) 

http://library.advanced.org/2943/

Learn about the species and surrounding landscape common to these special wetlands. Many vernal pools appear in the late winter and spring and then "vanish" during in the late summer season. But in the spring and early summer months that these pools come alive and provide a habitat to unique plants and animals.

 

The Wadden Sea (ThinkQuest Project) 

http://library.advanced.org/11776/

Learn about a unique wetlands ecosystem that lies along the coast of the Netherlands and Denmark. This site includes the influences of the daily tides, river sedimentation, and local animal biology.

 

More Wetlands Sites

What is a Wetland?

http://www.nwf.org/kids/cool/wetland1.html

Test your knowledge about wetlands.

 

Flynn Bogs System Tour

(Department of Biology at Texas A & M University) 

http://csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/flynnbog/FB1.HTML

This website tour guides visitors through the unique system of bogs located in Leon County, Texas.

 

Lost Wetlands 

http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/peril_wetlands.html

Site discusses the importance of wetlands.

 

Nature Walk (World Book) 

http://www2.worldbook.com/students/cybercamp_index.asp

Learn about life in the wetland, review articles and illustrations on wetland wildlife, and learn about different wetland wildlife each week. ( Click on Cyber Camp to get to Nature Walk and Wetlands.)

 

Salt Marshes, Mud Flats & Mangroves (Marine Ecosystems) 

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/mudflats/index.htm

Salt marshes and mud flats are coastal ecosystems. Though somewhat similar to estuaries in some respects, each is an interesting ecosystem worth exploring in greater detail.

 

Tidal Marsh (Natural History of Nova Scotia Topics & Habitats) 

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nhns/h2/h2-5.htm

Here you can download a packet of information on the plants, animals, ecosystem, and physical aspects of marsh areas.

Related Websites:

2) Spartina Salt Marshes http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/spartina.html

 

Wetlands 

http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/land/wetland/index.html#mid

Learn about four types of wetlands found in many areas around the world: emergent, forested, scrub, and aquatic.

 

Wetlands (National Park Service) 

http://www.nature.nps.gov/wrd/wrdwetl.htm

The term wetlands includes wet environments such as marshes, swamps, and bogs. They may be covered in shallow water most of the year, or be wet only seasonally (HTML version of brochure).

 

Wetlands 

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/wetlands.html

This links-site connects you to several online wetland resources.

 

Teacher Sites

The Fragile Fringe 

http://www.lacoast.gov/Kids/FragileFringe/index.htm

This material is provided to help the teacher develop a comprehensive study of coastal wetlands.

 

Marshes & Wetlands (Bridge) 

http://www.vims.edu/bridge/marshes.html

Here you find some great teaching activities designed to accompany a visit to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, but some can be applied anywhere.

Related Website:

2) Marsh Mania! What Lives Here? http://www.aqua.org/education/teachers/marsh.html 

 

Marsh Market (Grade 2-8, Wonders of Wetlands) 

http://www.wetland.org/mshmarkt.html

Students construct a "living" wetland food web, then create their own web by tracing components of their lunches.

 

Wetlands Background Information 

http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/land/wetland/ttbkgd.html

This website is provided for teachers to establish the broader context for wetland classification.

 

Wetlands, Love'em and Leave'em (Grade 4-6) 

http://bellnet.tamu.edu/res_grid/cuecwl01.htm

This module will introduce a study of ecology and biomes, focusing on wetlands. It will demonstrate to the student the importance, values, and functions of wetlands to mankind and the ecology system.

 

Wetlands/Migration (Grades 2-6) 

http://yn.la.ca.us/cec/cecsci/cecsci.45.txt

Site contains a lesson plan designed to increase awareness for the need to protect our nation's wetlands.

 

Wetland Activities Geared to the Seven Intelligences at Wetlands 

http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/land/wetland/7intel.html

Here are lots of lesson activity ideas matched to Gardner's multiple Intelligences.