WETLANDS

Lesson Plans                                  What is a wetland?

Types of Wetlands                                   Generally, wetlands are lands where saturation with water is the
                                                                      dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and
Habitat                                                        the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on
                                                                       its surface (Cowardin, December 1979). Wetlands vary widely
    *animals                                                    because of regional and local differences in soils, topography,
                                                                       climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation, and other factors,
     *vegetation                                               including human disturbance. Indeed, wetlands are found from the
                                                                       tundra to the tropics and on every continent except Antarctica.
Benefits of Wetlands
                                                                      For regulatory purposes under the Clean Water Act, the term wetlands
Reasons for Habitat Loss                     means "those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or
                                                                      ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that
How to Save Wetlands                          under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation
                                                                      typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally
Literature                                                  include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas."

Location of Wetlands                           [taken from the EPA Regulations listed at 40 CFR 230.3(t)]

Careers

Links and Resources
                                                    This page was made as a class project for my college course. I have developed it
                                                                                        so I could use this in my future teaching career. I would like to keep it updated for
                                                                                         my own use as well as anyone who might stumble upon it. If you have any new
                                                                                         ideas or information please feel free to contact me.
                                                                                         You can contact me at:   bslloyd@viterbo.edu