Wetlands

Aim: To learn about the wetland ecosystem.



                                                                                        Wetlands

What is a Wetland?

Any land consisting of marshes or swamps and land that is saturated with water.                                                                

4 different kinds of wetlands

1. Marsh - wetland that is dominated by plants.
2. Swamp - an area of low-lying, uncultivated ground where water collects.
3. Bog - an area of wet muddy ground is very soft.
4. Mire / fen - a stretch of swampy or boggy ground.

Common wetland plants in NZ

Name	Image	Purpose
EG: Swamp weed		Food for fish and birds Home for fish and birds Cleans the water
Bullrush		1. Gives fish a hiding spot 2. An Ambush 3. they expose roots
Harakeke		1. a feed 2. to make a harakeke flower 3. used for ropes, fishing lines and net making.
Raupo		1. Swamp 2. leaves 3. cattail
Toitoi		1. streams  2. lake beds 3. high water flows

Common animals, insects, birds you may find in a NZ wetland.

Name	Image	Food
Duck		underwater plankton bread clean the water
Frog		insects leafs fly's
Butterfly		oranges cause they like sweets sweets pollen rotten food
Grey Heron		fish worms
Dragonfly		insects Mosquitoes
Fish		plankton  fish and chips smaller fish

Ecosystems.

Definition: An ecosystem is a large community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in a particular area. 

Food chain:

Create your own food chain from the Kyle park wetlands below. Use the food chain above as an example.






Food  Webs:

Definition: A food web is similar to a food chain but larger. A food web uses arrows to show the energy relationships among organisms. Food webs show how plants and animals are connected in many ways. 





Create your own food web of Kyle Park using:

Algae
Dragonfly
Tadpole
Frog
Fish
Grey Heron