Exploring Our Wonderful Wetlands Student Publication Grades 4–7 Dear Wetland Students: Are you ready to explore our wonderful wetlands? We hope so! To help you learn about several types of wetlands in our area, we are taking you on a series of explorations. As you move through the publication, be sure to test your wetland wit and write about wetlands before moving on to the next exploration. By exploring our wonderful wetlands, we hope that you will appreciate where you live and encourage others to help protect our precious natural resources. Let’s begin our exploration now! Southwest Florida Water Management District Exploring Our Wonderful Wetlands Exploration 1 Wading Into Our Wetlands ................................................Page 3 Exploration 2 Searching Our Saltwater Wetlands .................................Page 5 Exploration 3 Finding Out About Our Freshwater Wetlands .............Page 7 Exploration 4 Discovering What Wetlands Do .................................... Page 10 Exploration 5 Becoming Protectors of Our Wetlands ........................Page 14 Wetlands Activities .............................................................Page 17 Websites ................................................................................Page 20 Visit the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s website at WaterMatters.org. Exploration 1 Wading Into Our Wetlands What exactly is a wetland? The scientific and legal definitions of wetlands differ. In 1984, when the Florida Legislature passed a Wetlands Protection Act, they decided to use a plant list containing plants usually found in wetlands. We are very fortunate to have a lot of wetlands in Florida. In fact, Florida has the third largest wetland acreage in the United States. The term wetlands includes a wide variety of aquatic habitats. Wetland ecosystems include swamps, marshes, wet meadows, bogs and fens. Essentially, wetlands are transitional areas between dry uplands and aquatic systems such as lakes, rivers or oceans. To be considered a wetland, a region must have wet soils or be covered by a shallow layer of water for at least part of the year. Some wetlands are always covered with water and others are flooded only for a short time. Try to think of at least one wetland area that is located near your home. Wetlands are natural reservoirs that hold water and attract a wide variety of plants and animals especially suited for wet environments. They are characterized by water and soil that is saturated, or “hydric.” Types of Wetlands The two main types of wetlands are saltwater wetlands and freshwater wetlands. Saltwater and freshwater wetlands may be further divided into more specific categories. For example, a swamp contains trees and shrubs, while a marsh is filled with grasses and soft-stemmed plants. The kinds of trees, plants and animals that exist in wetland areas may also vary. Explorations 2 and 3 describe several types of wetlands in southwest Florida. Exploring Wetlands During your visit, don’t forget to observe the abundance of wildlife Did you know that there is a that live and breed here. Take a virtual wonderful place to experience natural tour through the Green Swamp at Florida and several types of wetlands WaterMatters.org/greenswamp/. in west-central Florida? It is called the For additional information about Green Swamp. other natural sites in west-central The Green Swamp spreads across Florida, or directions to the Green approximately 870 square miles and Swamp Wilderness Preserve, visit includes parts of Pasco, Polk, Lake, WaterMatters.org/Recreation/. Hernando and Sumter counties. It’s amazing that four major rivers have origins in the Green Swamp. The Hillsborough, Peace, Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha rivers all begin here. On a visit to the Green Swamp, you can explore several kinds of wetlands. You will identify special plants, shrubs and trees that grow in the different areas. In sections where water covers the ground for most of the year, only a few species of trees can survive. One example is cypress trees. These spectacular trees are easily found in cypress wetlands. By looking very closely at the soil in a wetland area, Writing About you will find that it is different from soils in other surface land areas. The Wetlands soil in wetlands is made up of peat or 1. Make a list of several words muck deposits that have built up from that describe a wetland. Use the surrounding wet environment. these words to write a paragraph that could be used to describe a wetland to someone who has never seen Wetlands Wit a wetland area. 1. How many major rivers begin 2. Explain why you think in the Green Swamp? wetlands are important to us Can you name all of them? in Florida. Try to include at 2. Describe three features least three reasons in your of a wetland. answer. Exploration 2 Searching Our Saltwater Wetlands As you learned earlier, wetlands can be divided into two main categories: saltwater wetlands and freshwater wetlands. During this exploration, you will learn about saltwater wetlands found along the edges of estuaries such as Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota Bay. Estuaries are areas where fresh water from inland sources mixes with salt water from the Gulf of Mexico or the ocean. These wetlands are known as saltwater wetlands because they contain salt water. The two kinds of saltwater wetlands that we are going to examine more closely are salt marshes and mangrove swamps. Let’s find out more about them now. Salt Marsh Plants Salt marshes are nonforested On a visit to a salt marsh, you saltwater wetlands that form in areas will most likely see many plants such of low elevation along Florida’s gulf as the black needlerush. It is a gray, coast where the ocean meets the grassy plant that grows well in high, land. marshy areas. You will also see cord grass, the most common species Animals of plant found in Salt marshes are a coastal marsh, among the world’s growing two to most productive six feet tall. Its habitats for intricate root system fish and wildlife. helps keep the soil They are nurseries anchored as the tides for fish, shellfish, move in and out. crabs and shrimp. The fresh water mixes with salt water making an environment for these young animals. Did you know that most of Florida’s commercial seafood harvest is made up of fish and shellfish that depend on these coastal wetlands? Salt marshes also provide habitat for birds, small mammals and turtles. Mangrove Swamps Types of Mangroves On a trip along one of Florida’s There are three kinds of mangroves many bays, you are bound to come that make up the approximately across a forest of mangroves, or 500,000 acres of mangrove forests a mangrove swamp. Mangroves are that exist within our state. unique because of their ability to • The red mangrove is the most grow well in salty environments. Some common and found near water. They mangroves actually separate fresh often look like they are standing or water from seawater. Some mangroves walking because their roots stick out give off excess salt through their well above the surface. This feature leaves, while others are able to block has earned them the title of “walking out the intake of salt at their roots. trees.” • The black mangrove is easily identified by numerous fingerlike roots that wrap around the base of the tree trunk. • The white mangrove’s roots are below the water’s surface. Role of Mangroves Mangroves play an important role in saltwater forested wetlands. Their roots and branches provide homes for many waterfowl, such as brown pelicans and roseate spoonbills. They also serve as nurseries for a variety of fish, crustaceans and shellfish, which, in turn, supply food to many marine species, including snook, snapper, tarpon, jack and sheepshead. Wetlands Wit Writing About 1. Name several young animals Wetlands that may be found in the 1. Describe how mangroves are nursery environment of an able to survive in a salty estuary. environment. 2. Which kind of mangrove is 2. List several reasons why known as the walking tree? mangroves are important for Why? keeping saltwater forested wetlands healthy. Exploration 3 Finding Out About Our Freshwater Wetlands Freshwater wetlands contain fresh water. The freshwater, forested wetlands we will explore include cypress swamps, hardwood swamps and hydric hammocks. In addition, we will look at freshwater marshes and wet prairies, which are examples of nonforested freshwater wetlands. Let’s begin our exploration of these freshwater wetlands now. Cypress Swamps Cypress swamps are usually flooded for five to eight months each year and are known for their mysterious appearance. You’ll see bald and pond cypress trees with moss drapes and gnarled roots along with cypress knees and tree stumps. Other trees include the black gum and red maple. Epiphytes, such as spanish moss and other air plants, can be found here. The American alligator makes this wetland its home, along with raccoons, river otters, frogs, Florida snapping turtles, snakes and fish. Hardwood Swamps Hydric Hammocks Hardwood swamps are forested Hydric hammocks are located wetlands filled with hardwood trees. between river swamps and at the edge Standing near or in the glassy tea- of flatwoods. These forested wetlands colored waters are black gum, red are filled with a mixture of broad-leaf maple, water ash, laurel oak, water evergreens and deciduous trees that elm, cypress and willow trees. These shed their leaves every year. The area swamps often border rivers, streams is filled with cabbage palms, laurel and lakes. It is a place where you can oaks and climbing vines. In addition observe wood ducks on the water and to blue violets, longspur and green gray squirrels in the trees. Hardwood fly orchids, many other beautiful swamps are submerged or saturated flowers grow wild here. Animals such part of the year due to seasonal as the gray fox, striped skunk and periods of flooding.