Wetlands Family Science Night HG Olsen Elementary School

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Wetlands Family Science Night HG Olsen
Elementary School

• 9/20/2005
• By
• John Williams and Gina McKeever

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Plan for tonight

• Basic Wetlands Talk
• Travel to Wetland Stations as family
• Passport Stamped for Door Prizes (at least 5)
• Door Prize Drawings at 720

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What is a Wetland?
It is the transitional zone where land and water
meet, where wetland characteristics are present.

• NOTE Some wetlands may be dry for up to 97 of
  the year.

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Why Study Wetlands?

• Threatened Ecosystem The U.S. has lost over 50
  of its wetland resources since the 1700s
• Misunderstood Ecosystem Unlike forests and
  oceans, a lot of people believe wetlands to be
  wastelands.
• Biodiversity You can find more kinds of plants
  and animals in one square foot of a wetland than
  you can in one square foot of a rainforest.
• Fun What is more fun than dip netting and
  pulling out a baby leech, catching a frog, or
  watching a dragonfly dart?

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Where are Wetlands?

• Wetlands cover roughly 6 of the planet
• They are found on every continent on the planet,
  except for Antarctica
• They come in all shapes and sizes
• There may be one in your backyard!

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Three identifying characteristics of wetlands
1. Hydric soils
2. Hydrophytic vegetation
3. Hydrologic regime
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Hydrophytic Vegetation
PHYTES

• HYDRO

Waterloving Plants!
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Wetland Plants are Survivors!

• Wetland plants can adapt to some of the harshest
  conditions. For example
• Anoxia Long periods of little or no oxygen
• Erosive Conditions Exposure to moving (sometimes
  rapidly) water
• Salinity Variety of salinity levels toxic to
  most plants

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Adventitious Roots Pneumatophores

• Mangrove trees have Pneumatophores, otherwise
  known as pencil roots or snorkels.
• They reach above the high tide water level to
  increase oxygen exchange.

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Hydric Soils
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Hydric Soils

• Clues that hydric soils are present
• Water collects in a freshly dug hole, the soil
  feels wet, color, texture or smell.

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Hydric Soils - Smell

• A sulfurous (rotten egg) smell is present
  indicating

anaerobic decomposition
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Hydrology
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Hydrology

• Hydrology deals with the transport of water
  through the air, over the ground surface and
  through the strata of the earth. It is the
  science that studies the various phases of the
  hydrological cycle.

• Wetland Water Losses
• Evaporation Transpiration
• Outflows
• Groundwater Recharge

• Wetland Water Sources
• Precipitation
• Surface Flow
• Groundwater Discharge
• Ocean
• River
• Lake

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Hydrologic Regime
The dynamic and dominant presence of water in the
system.
Hydrology puts the wet into wetlands!
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• Besides standing water
• what are some clues that indicate a hydrologic
  regime?

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Hydrological Indicators

• Spongy or mushy ground, or areas where water
  might collect

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Hydrological Indicators

• Mud or dried mud cracks in low spots, or coating
  plants

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Why Wetlands are important to Humans?
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Biological FunctionsBiological Productivity

• Primary productivity is the base of the food web,
  supporting all other living organisms in an
  ecosystem.
• It includes detritus (decaying plant and animal
  matter) and vegetation.
• Wetlands have the highest primary productivity of
  any ecosystem followed by tropical rainforests.

Wetlands cover 6.4 of the earth, but contribute
24 of global productivity!
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Socioeconomic Functions/BenefitsFood

• Wetlands foods are important to us and the
  economy.
• Wild rice, blueberries and cranberries
• Fish, shellfish and fur-bearing animals

95 of all commercial fisheries depend on
wetlands as nurseries!
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Biological FunctionsHabitat

• Biological productivity attracts life.
• Plants and animals use wetlands for food,
  shelter, spawning, nesting and predatory
  opportunities.
• All species of waterfowl depend on wetland
  habitats throughout their life cycle.
• Wetlands act as a nursery for 80 of all
  migrating birds.

One-third of endangered species depend on
wetlands for habitat!
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Socioeconomic Functions/BenefitsRecreation,
Aesthetics, and Education

• Artists, photographers, bird-watchers and
  fisherman use wetlands to relax and unwind.
• Students and researchers use wetlands to learn
  lessons in natural history, cultural heritage and
  science.
• Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the
  tourism industry.

Wildlife viewing in Texas 2001 2.7 billion
economic impact
Birdwatching is an 80 billion dollar a year
industry!
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Economic Impact of Wetlands in Port Aransas

• In 2004
• Sales Tax 1.07m
• Hotel-Motel Tax 1.53m

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Economic Values of Estuaries

• Ecological economics
• Based on 17 identified ecological services
• Worldwide average value of an estuary
  9,000/acre/year
• In Texas, based on just 2 ecological services
  (commercial and recreational fishing)
  5,000/acre/year
• Probable Texas value based on 14 services
  24,000/acre/year

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Ecological Values and Functions of Wetlands

• Buffers coastline during storms
• Nursery habitat for fish and wildlife
• Large, diverse foodweb
• Critical habitat for fish and wildlife
• Filters water
• Commercial and recreational

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Texas Wetland Loss

• In 1800s, Texas had roughly 16 million acres of
  wetlands. Since then, half have been lost (TGLO,
  1998).
• On the Texas coast, between 1955 and 1992,
  wetlands decreased by 210, 600 acres making an
  annual net loss of 5,700 acres (TPWD, 1998).

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Major Causes of Wetland Loss And Degradation

• Natural
• Erosion
• Subsidence
• Sea Level Rise
• Droughts
• Hurricanes and Other Storms

• Human
• Draining, dredging and stream channelization
• Deposition of fill material
• Levees and Dams
• Farming (Tilling and grazing)
• Logging
• Mining
• Construction
• Air and water pollutants
• Excess nutrients
• Toxic chemical release
• Nonnative species introduction

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Port Aransas Wetlands

• Paradise Pond
• Birding center
• Saltwater wetlands
• UTMSI WEC
• Charlies Pasture
• Community Park Pond
• Port A Wetlands Park

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Paradise Pond

• Forested Wetland
• 2 acres

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Community Park Pond
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Birding Center

• Final water treatment stage for Port Aransas
  water treatment plant

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National Estuarine Research Reserve
Mission-Aransas Estuary

• Includes 240,000 ac
• Part of a nation wide system

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UTMSI Wetlands Education Center

• 3.5 Acres
• On UTMSI Campus
• Construction should begin this year 2005
• Part of the NERR

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Education

• The key to successful wetland management is to
  cultivate an understanding of wetland benefits.
• By fostering appreciation of nature, we are
  ensuring the future of wetlands.
• Children are the key!

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• Wetlands work for us,
• we need to work for wetlands.