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6-8 Station 1: Wetlands Habitat
6-8 Station 1: Wetlands Habitat
Class discussion:
What is a wetland?
Wetlands are 'lands' that are 'wet.' Wetlands have special soils and plants that love water. Wetlands soils are called hydric soils because they are flooded for long periods of time. Hydric Soils create environments that favor hydrophytic plants, such as the vegetation seen here. Wetlands soils can also filter pollutants from the water.
How do wetlands or swamps help our environment?
Wetlands help control flooding by soaking up excess stormwater, like a sponge for the environment. Wetlands help maintain good water quality in rivers and streams, and provide a home for a large variety of plants and animals.
Demonstration: The wetlands act as a sponge to remove pollutants from water
Materials: two plastic cups, 1 dish sponge
- Fill one plastic cup with muddy water, including small chunks of dirt, to represent stormwater
- Place sponge on top of clean plastic cup to represent wetlands
- Pour stormwater/muddy water cup on top of sponge-- the wetlands sponge will trap dirt and filter clean water into the cup below
Class Activity: Insect Sampling
Materials: small nets, trays or tupperware, insect field guide or flashcards
- Give students small nets and containers to collect small insects or other critters from the shallow water crossing
- Instruct students to check under rocks and along the banks of the shore
- *watch out for crawfish pinchers!
- Collect any specimens in a shallow tray or tupperware container with water and examine using Field Guide: https://adoptastream.georgia.gov/sites/adoptastream.georgia.gov/files/related_files/document/Macro_Key.pdf
- Many of the insects found will be the 'nymph' form as part of their life cycle
- Take-away message:
- Many aquatic insects have life cycles that include Incomplete Metamorphosis, where the insect hatches from an egg, grows into a nymph stage, and lastly their final, winged stage
- examples we can find at the wetlands include Dragonflies and Craneflies
- Many insects exhibit Complete Metamorphosis, where the insect hatches from an egg and transforms into a larva and/or pupa before growing into their final stage
- examples we can find at the wetlands include Butterflies and Ladybugs
- Many aquatic insects have life cycles that include Incomplete Metamorphosis, where the insect hatches from an egg, grows into a nymph stage, and lastly their final, winged stage
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