Wetlands Ecosystem Study Unit

Investigate - How are wetland habitats an essential part of a community's ecosystem?

Wetlands picture

Habitat Information:

Intro to Wetlands

How human actions affect environmental health

Do I have a wetland?

Estimate water quality based on insects found there. Good / fair / poor

The Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers

Cooperative Wetlands Center @ Penn State Wetlands - PA | Wetlands Dragonfly TV Marsh | Water Cleanup - DragonflyTV

Learning About Wetlands

What is a Wetland? Home Sweet Herp
Wetlands 101 The Water Habitat Project Wetlands at EEK!
Stream meanders back to life Water Critter Key - life in a pond Envirothon Central
Wetlands - The Vital Link Macroinvertebrates Envirothon Acquatics for MS HS
Wetlands - habitats ONLINE Education Resources Catalog Food in shaded streams
Intro to wetlands Geology of PA Groundwater Environment Issues Game make one
Floodplain - marsh - swamp

Water - water cycle and other facts

Guide to Identification of Fresh Water Microorganisms
Water Cycle - water on the move Watersheds - From the Woods Series Wetland Vocabulary Exercise
Wetlands fact sheets

Ways of a watershed

How does pollution affect our public waters?

Freshwater Habitat at BrainPop

Water Studies - Water words puzzle

Potomac River Watershed

Pond Stream Study Guide Wetlands ecosystems Green Maps Around the World
Wetland Fact sheets Learning about Watersheds Activity On the Road to Extinction

Electronic Naturalist - nature study

Watershed Dynamics investigate water and land use issues Adopt a Stream
Biodiversity video    

blue arrow Vocabulary to Master:

Habitat, ecosystem, aquifer, watershed, wetland, estuary, marsh, bog, erosion, pond, filter, groundwater, adapt, vertebrate, invertebrate, ecologist, autotroph, heterotroph, niche, riparian buffer, population, hydrology, ecologic community, biodiversity. (Use Free Printable Flashcard Maker to create your own flashcards to use as a study aid)

Habitat Frayer worksheet pdf / doc.

blue arrow What is a wetland? Complete a Frayer Model for Wetlands - doc. format | pencil pdf. format

blue arrow Relationships - Three broad categories are used to describe the relationship of wetlands to other surface waters:

* Lacustrine wetlands are associated with lakes.
* Riverine wetlands are found along shores of rivers and streams.
* Palustrine wetlands are not associated with lakes, rivers or streams.

Describe the kinds of organisms that live in each kind. Are they unique? Do they change through the cycle of seasons?

blue arrow List several natural events that may impact a wetland habitat.

blue arrow Explain why preserving wetlands is important for maintaining biodiversity.

blue arrow How does having a wetland benefit the landowner and the community?

blue arrow Select one: acid mine drainage, nonpoint source pollution (runoff), soil erosion or dredging/draining.

*How does it impact a wetland ecosystem?

blue arrow Riparian Buffers - School Property Runoff Investigation - action activity

Identify a riparian buffer in your community. Assess its biodiversity and viability.

blue arrowAnalyze - Listen to A Bog's Goodbye - What do you think - Intervene? Let it go?

*Are there any bogs in your region or state?
*What is the status of the bog - Thriving? Declining?

blue arrow Evaluate - Identify a location, at your school or community park, where a wetland habitat could be developed or should be protected and preserved.

If a stream runs through it, what should the landowner do?

blue arrow Observation skills builders: Hole | Pool | Water (basic)

blue arrow Complete Lentic or Lotic Ecosystems. (basic)

Show what you know - Identify 2 lentic and 2 lotic ecosystems in your region.

blue arrow Map and inventory local wetlands (mid to advanced)

blue arrow Wetland Ecology Dilemmas investigation

cattails Wetlands: Habitat / Mammals / Birds / Macrovertebrates - Aquatic Insects / Plants & trees / Amphibians / Conclusions

Food Web Relationships / Wetland Ecology Vocabulary Exercise / Life Cycles / Mammal Morphology: compare - contrast

Bats are our Buddies / Amphibians Internet Activity / Wetland or Frog Song activity / Competition Conundrums

Just Ducky - crossword puzzle / Name that Duck practice / Eagles Evaluation / Wetland Poem Project

Citizen Science Projects - collect some data / Collecting data pdf. - doc. / Digital Science Journal

Wetlands Trees of Pennsylvania Puzzle / Monitor Wetland / Environmental/Energy Issue Video Project

Water & Watershed Studies / Environmental careers / Great Outdoors Celebration - pbl

frog

Nature / Milkweed & Monarch Butterfly Mania / Bluebirds Project / Best Treat of All / Fields, Fencerows & Meadows

Internet Hunts / Plants and People / School Habitat Garden Project / Puzzles & Projects / Pennsylvania Projects / Site map / Home

posted 12/2001 Cindy O'Hora, Updated 1/2009
Released to public domain in honor of watershed hero - Kelly Meinhart

tree icon Save a tree - How to make a Digital Answer Sheet: Highlight the text of the questions on this web page, copy them - Edit .. Copy. Open a text document or word processing document. Paste the questions into the blank document. Answer the questions in the word processing document in a contrasting color (NOT YELLOW) or font (avoid fancy fonts like: black, Symbol, dearform fomnt or broad). Save frequently as you work. I do not like losing my work. You will not like it either. Submit your assignment via an electronic class dropbox or email attachment. Save a copy of your work on your computer.

Proof read your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work. smiling icon Make Your Own Printed answer sheet.

Tech Tip: Working in a group or in two different places like the library & home? You do not have to be physically together to work together. gold starWatch Google Docs video TAI - How could you use free, Google Docs to do a project? How would this facilitate group projects?