Wetland/Estuary Structure and Functions

 

Main Focus Questions- How do natural barriers help improve water quality?

 

Background information:

    Wetlands/ estuaries are Mother Nature’s filters.  Their function is to prevent waste products from entering waterways.  Many border main bodies of water and act as a boundary line.  These are also very important/vital habitats to a variety of animals.  Many of the endangered species of the world are found in these ecosystems.  They are also prime real-estate land for water front property. This has led to the destruction of many of the wetland habitats in the world.

 

Inquiry Questions?

  1. How do wetlands filter out waste?
  2. Where are a majority of the wetlands still located?
  3. What are the implications of destroying wetlands?
  4. Can damaged wetlands be fixed?

 

Students need to know-

    They need to understand the function of wetlands in water purification and how the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem interact in this function.  They should also be able to identify common wetland plants.  Marine science students, should understand that wetlands impact marine environments.  They should also understand how restoration projects work.

 

Lab-

 

Materials

Common wetland plant- can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or local nurseries.

Planting trays- These will need to have openings on the bottom for water outflow.  These openings must be corked or stoppered until samples are to be collected.

Aquatic soil

Fertilizer

Catch buckets

Water quality test kits for ammonium, nitrates, phosphates

 

Students need to design the wetland set-up.

 

Procedure

  1. You will need two trays- one with aquatic soil and one with plants in soil.
  2. Water both soils with a fertilizer solution let the water stand in the trays over a period of several weeks. Replacing water as necessary to account for evaporation.
  3. Take samples from each tray each week by opening the plugged holes and tilting the trays to allow some water to flow through wetlands and be caught in the catch bucket
  4. Test water samples for chemicals present (nitrate, phosphate, ammonia).

 

 

 

Questions-

  1. What chemicals were found the in the water samples and at what levels?
  2. Compare and contrast the chemicals found in samples from each tray.
  3. What theories might explain the similarities or differences in your observations?

 

Comparing your model with the Catfish Farm and Tate Farm Filter Strips data.

 

Using the data from these sites  where artificial wetlands known as a filter strips have been set up, draw conclusions about  how water flow through the filter strip affects the chemicals observed in the water as distance from the source increases.  Relate the conclusions that can be drawn from this data to the conclusions you have drawn from your own "mini" filter strips.  

The following questions may help you to compare and contrast the two data sets.

  1. Draw any comparisons between the two data sets.  What are the similarities and differences?
  2. How does your lab set-up compare to the filter strips structurally?
  3. How does the filter strip simulate a  wetland?  How does your model simulate a wet land.  How are the models different, similar to  natural wetlands?
  4. Would you advise farmers to use the filter strip?  If so, why or If not, why?
  5. Are there other alternatives to using wetlands to filter or dilute agricultural runoff or other types of pollutants?.
  6. If there were no wetlands, what might happen to marine environments or freshwater environments such as rivers and lakes that serve as the final reservoirs for water runoff?  Give examples of how the chemicals would influence these systems.

 

Extension- Wetland restoration-  Have the students research major restoration projects to learn how they came about and the plan to fix damaged wetlands.

 

Useful websites:  www.evergladesplan.org/about/rest_plan.cfm

                            www.nps.gov/ever/threats.html

                            www.epa.gov/nep/

                           

SSS-

Enviro                            Marine

D.2.4.11                         G.2.4.3

D.2.4.7                           G.2.4.4

D.2.4.12                         G.1.4.11