Georgia S s Wetland Treasures GA DNR Coastal Resources Division www.knowtheconnection.com GA DNR Coastal Resources Sponsored by: Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division Aand The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Written by Margaret Olsen C O A S T L G E R I KNOW THE CONNECTION KNOW Oceanography Teacher Woodward Academy, College Park, GA United States Environmental Protection Illustrated by Marsha Ward Agency Department of Natural Resources 06/06 Coastal Resources Division Coastal Resources Division Georgia epart ent of Natural Resources - Coastal Resources Division The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has primary responsibility for managing Georgia's marshes, beaches, and marine fishery resources. Based in Brunswick, CRD administers Georgia's Coastal Management Program; permitting programs under the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act and Shore Protection Act; issues revocable licenses for use of state-owned water bottoms; monitors coastal water quality; and manages shellfish harvest areas. CRD conducts research; management and development activities associated with recreational and commercial fishery resources; represents Georgia on regional marine fishery boards and commissions; and builds boat ramps, artificial reefs, and fishing piers. Mission Statement The mission of the Department of Natural Resources is to sustain, to enhance, to protect, and to conserve Georgia's natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future generations. isslon The mission of the U.S . Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment - air, water, and land - upon which life depends! E s purpose is to ensure that: ® All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and to the environment where they live, learn, and work. ® National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best available scientific information. Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced fairly and effectively. ® Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S . policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy. All parts of society-communities, individuals, business, state and local governments, tribal governments-have access to accurate information 5ufcient to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks. ® Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and ecosystems diverse, sustainable, and economically productive. ® The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to protect the global environment. United States Environmental Protection Agency I would like to give a very special and heartfelt thanks to all those who played important roles in helping to bring this project about. First and foremost, I want to thank my very best friend and husband Mickey Olsen. He is the light of my life and always gives me unwavering support, understanding, and encouragement. Marsha Ward for her incredible artwork. Bunny Clayton for editing and putting up with my terrible spelling. Sarah Mitchell for some editing and scientific verification. Sally Hewes and Del Pamplin for layout suggestions. eborah Moroney for scientific verification of some of the fact sheets. Andrew Lampkin for developing and the original artwork for the wetland wheels. Janet Evans of the DNR Coastal Resources Division for her help and support. The following for either submitting activities that were included in the guide or for their support and suggestions: Bunny Clayton, John "Crawfish" Crawford, Eve Funderburk (Ga. Adopt-A-Wetland), Cheryl Gibson, Petey Giroux (Project Wet), Georgia Graves (Coastal Encounters Nature Center), Sally ewes, Roddie Higginbotham, James Jackson, Gail Joiner, Andrew Lampkin, Deborah Moroney, and Leigh Scott. To all those whom I have not mentioned who gave their support, encouragement, and advice. ti I dedicate this guide to all the students and teachers of Georgia with the following quote from my very dear friend Georgia Graves of Coastal Encounters Nature Center, Saint Simons Island, Georgia. "Understanding and appreciating Southeast Georgia's beautiful and fragile ecosystems as they relate to our students and the global environment is crucial to the future and longevity of these magnificent places. Teach them how the marsh, or any wetland, protects us and benefits us, but that it can only do this if, in return, we give it the respect, care, and appreciation it deserves. We may be the complex, high level thinkers with the ability to reason, but never underestimate those wild critters' ability to adapt and survive in a lifestyle that we may only observe and understand, yet never match. If our students leave a wetland or our classrooms taking with them a new respect for these ecosystems, and with the understanding that one person's actions will affect life on earth for generations to come, then we have done our job." It is my hope that this guide will enable teachers all over the state of Georgia and beyond to inspire their students by providing them a better understanding of the importance of preserving the wonderful but fragile wetland habits of our state. Table of Contents Page Number Section I: Fact Sheets What is a Wetland? 1 How Do Wetlands Form? 2-3 History of Wetlands and Wetland Trends 4-7 Where Does Georgia Stand? 8-9 Coastal Wetlands In Georgia - Map 10 Georgia's Wetland Habitats - Map 11 Georgia's Lakes and Rivers - Map 12 Types of Wetlands 13-19 The Altamaha River 20 Land of the Trembling Earth - The Okefenokee 21-22 Wetland Functions and Values 23-27 Wetland Hydrology 28 Water Quality in Wetlands 29 The Water Cycle is the Vital Link between Wetlands and Watersheds 30 Wetland Soils 31-32 Wetlands as Ecosystems 33-34 Examples of Wetland Food Chains and Food Webs 35 Nutrient Cycling in a Wetland - The Nitrogen Cycle 36 Wetland Productivity 37 Adaptations of Wetland Plants 38-39 Some Common Wetland Plants with scientific names 40-44 Adaptations of Wetland Animals 45-49 Some Common Animals of Wetland Habitats 50-52 Major Threats to Wetlands 53-55 Pollution In Wetlands 56 Point Source Vs Non-point Source Pollution 57 What Can You Do To Protect The Wetlands? 58-59 Section Activities Build A Wetland Model 61-62 Create A Bog Ecosystem/Habitat in Your Back Yard 63-64 Wetlands: Nature's Sponge 65-66 Timeline of the History of Major Wetland Regulations in the U. S . and Ga. 67-68 Where Have All The Wetlands Gone? 69-70 Going, Going - Hey Wait A Minute: A Wetland Tug of War 71-73 The Wetland ABC Game 74 Which Soil Holds More Water? 75-76 Identifying Wetland Soils 77-81 Color Me Wet! 80 Key To Soil Texture by Feel 81 pH Changes Along A Wetland 82-83 The Effect of Salinity on Plant Growth 84-85 Wetland Plants Filter Pollution 86-87 Wetland Vs Land Plants 88-89 Energy Flow in a Wetland Food Chain 90-92 Osmotic Pressures on Organisms in Aquatic Environments 93-95 Using Millipore Samplers to Test for Bacteria in Wetland Waters 96-98 Pollution in the Wetlands 99-100 Coastal Birds as Indicators of Pollution 101-103 Acid Pollution Vs Wetland Plant Growth 104-106 Wetland Wheels for Freshwater Wetland Habitats 107-128 The Adventures of Billy The Bass 129-133 How To Dress An Alligator 134 Tracking Wetland Wildlife 135-137 Tracks and Scat Identification Guide 137 Marshview Inherits Heron's Nest Plantation (A Townhall Meeting) 138-142 You and Me and Wetlands Make Three 143-145 Who Am I - A Wetland Habitat Concentration Game 146-151 A Walk Through The Salt Marsh 152-155 A Marsh Walk Through The Earth Day Nature Trail 156-159 Adopt A Wetland To Study 160-165 Interdisciplinary Activities 166-169 Section : Identification Guides Identification Guide to Some Common Marine Plankton 171 Identification Guide to Some Common Freshwater Plankton 173 Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Coastal Salt Marshes 175-177 Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Brackish Marshes 179 Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Freshwater Marshes 181-- - Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Forested Wetlands 183-185 Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Shrub/Scrub Swamps 187 Identification Guide to Some Common Bog Plants 189 Identification Guide to Some Common Plants of Freshwater Ponds and Seeps 189 Identification Guide to Some Common Trees of the Swamp 191 Identification Guide to Some Birds Common to Various Wetland Habitats 193 Identification Guide to Some Animals that Frequent Various Wetland Habitats 195 Section IV: Hove To Salinity Chart 197 How To Test for pH 198 How To Test for Dissolved Oxygen 198-199 How To Test Turbidity 199 How To Test for Nitrates, Nitrites, and Ammonia 199-200 How To Test for Phosphate/Phosphorus 200 How To Test for Coliform Bacteria 200 Recipe for preparing Sucrose Solutions 201 How To Make Your Own Secchi Disc 201 How To Construct Your Own Plankton Net 202 Section V: Marinating Your Vocabulary Glossary 203-210 Section VI: Appendix Wetlands on the Web 211 Where to Obtain Materials and Supplies 212 Wetland Related Videos 212 Sources of Information 213-214 References 215-218 What Is Wetland? A Wetland, simply put, is a wet area where land and water mix in unique and complex ways to create extraordinarily diverse types of habitats. Wetlands are areas of transition located between dry land (terrestrial) habitats and deep water or aquatic habitats where the water table is at or near the land's surface. Most wetlands have three characteristics in common; their hydrology, their substrate or hydric soils, and their hydrophyte vegetation . Hydrology of a wetland: Water is the lifeblood of a wetland and is the primary factor controlling the soil structure as well as the types of plants and animals that live there. The water level fluctuates, but the top twelve inches (one foot) of soil must be saturated with water for extended periods of time (at least 15 days) during the growing season.