Neil Crenshaw - EDIS · Counties, one sees that swamp black gum, and cypress ponds and swamps cover from 25 to 60 large areas of Wakulla, Liberty, and Franklin Counties. The Big Cypress

4HMER70

Neil Crenshaw

This manual is intended to be used by both the 4-H volunteer leader and the 4-H member.Wetlands, 4-H Project Record, 4HMER71 should be used by the member in conjunction with thismanual.

A Note To The 4-H Leader

In the back of this manual is a list of 16 mm films. The films are available on loan and may beborrowed either free of charge or, in some cases, for a small fee. Since the films are usually bookedheavily, send in your request as early as possible. In most cases, a one-month advance notice issufficient. Give an alternate date in case the film has been booked already for the date you wanted.Give the exact address to which the film is to be shipped. For further information concerning the films(cost, dates available, etc.) contact the organization listed below each film listing.

Take note of the reference page in this manual. This page lists excellent publications and articlesthat should be referred to for further study and investigation of wetlands.

Contents

WHAT IS A WETLAND? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3TYPES OF WETLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Purification Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Nutrients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

ESTUARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8SALT MARSHES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11SWAMPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11MANGROVE WETLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16THE FLORIDA KEYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16WETLANDS AND LANDFILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17FILMS FOR LOAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Wetlands, A Project for 4-H Members Page 3

September 1981

In tropical areas, such as Florida, many wetlands have dense forests.

percent of the total land area. Wetlands coverWhat is a Wetland?

The term "wetland" is a very gooddescription of many natural areas that we havehere in Florida. Wetlands are a combination ofwater and land. They are much like a naturalwater-treatment plant, trapping much of the siltand sediment carried by rivers which flowthrough the wetlands. Most wetland areas havelush growths of plant life, both trees andgrasses.

There are several different types ofwetlands. Estuaries, salt marshes, swamps andmangroves make up the largest part of ourwetlands in Florida. The amount of wetlands inFlorida is amazing when viewed from the air. Ifone flies over Levy, Dixie, and LafayetteCounties, one sees that swamp black gum, andcypress ponds and swamps cover from 25 to 60

large areas of Wakulla, Liberty, and FranklinCounties. The Big Cypress of Collier Countyand the Green Swamp of Polk, Lake, Sumter,Hernando and Pasco Counties are major watersupply sources. The Suwanee and St. Mary'sRivers are de rived from the OkefenokeeSwamp in southern Georgia and northernFlorida. (Forested Wetlands of Florida, June1977)

Without wetlands, the climate wouldotherwise produce barren white sandy areaslike those at Cape Coral. River and creekswamps have the capacity to absorb heavyfloods. Mangrove wetlands bathed with tidal andriver exchanges hold the soil, protect againsthurricanes, and provide nutrition for fisheriesand wildlife.

A "wetland" is then described as "landwhere water is the dominant factor determining


September 1981

Some wetlands consist of water and grasses.


September 1981

Fig. 2 Types of Wetlands

There are several different types of wetlands. Estuaries, slat marshes, swamps, and mangroves make up thelargest part of our wetlands in Florida.

the nature of soil development and the types of and on its surface." (Our Nation's Wet lands,plant and animal communities living in the soil 1978)

water flows nearer the ocean, the tides act as aImportance of Wetlands

Purification Plant

The grasses and trees that grow in wetlandareas trap solid particles that are in the water.Many wetland areas are important in thebreakdown of organic waste materials, aprocess which also helps to clean the water.Bacteria, and other microorganisms that live onthe roots of grasses and trees, eat and digestthe organic wastes that are brought into thewetlands. Tidal action and/or river water carriesthe cleansed water toward the ocean. As the

flushing mechanism, pumping the clean waterout into the sea and receiving more river watercontaining silt and organic wastes. Manywetland areas act as a "purification plant" forthe sea.

Nurser y

A wetland is a unique hatching and breedingarea for many aquatic animals. The eggs ofmany species of aquatic animals drift into thewetlands. Here, the eggs hatch and the young


September 1981

Fig. 3 Bacteria, and other microorganisms that live on the roots of grasses and trees, eat and digest organicwastes that are brought into the wetlands. “”An important thing to remember concerning the sea’spurification plant is that anything tha destorys an area has a twofold effect. First, it destroys thenurserywhere so many valuable marine animals begin life, and second, it increases the cost of having clean andunpolluted water since these processes have o be artificially implemented.” (Jacques Cousteau)

Fig. 4 HATCHING FISH

grow up. The wetlands provide shelter for thesesmall animals.

The adults of many marine species leavethe protection of the wetlands only when theyswim to the ocean to spawn. These animals areknown as wetland dependent animals. Fish,crabs, and shrimp are just a few of the wetlanddependent animals. Some fish such as snapperlive most of their lives and spawn in the openocean, but the younger snapper live the firstpart of their lives in the wetlands. Since theyounger are dependent on the wetlands forprotection and food, the snapper as a whole are Both sport fish and commercial fish arealso said to be wetland dependent. considered by many to be a renewable resource

which is dependent on wetlands. A renewable


September 1981

Fig. 5 Many animals that inhabit a wetland are marine. Some examples of animals that live in a wetlandare shown above.

Fig. 6 Wetlands provide protection for marine animals against predators which they would otherwise beencounter in the open ocean. Awetland is an area tha provides unique food webs for fresh, bracksh, and saltwater organisms

resource is one which is produced on a wetlands from land runoff and from the grasses.continuing basis so that a new “crop” is Abundant food is available for animals. Grassesavailable later on. This means that the wetlands such as cordgrass (Spartina), turtle grassare constantly supplying the oceans with (Thalassia) and eelgrass (Zostera) provideshrimp, crabs, lobsters, fish and many other homes, protective cover and food for the manyvery important marine animals. If it were not for different animals that inhabit a wetland.our wetlands, many of the foods we get from the Wetlands are collecting and dispersal areasoceans would not be around very long. for nutrients. Nutrients from the grasses and

link in the food chain of the wetlands. The basicNutrients

Nutrients for plant growth are plentiful in

from the land runoff make up the first (basic)

providers of nutrients in a wetland are thegrasses and land runoffs.


September 1981

Fig. 7

A food web illustrates the interaction between all of the organisms in a particular environment, such as anestuary, salt marsh or swamp. This is an exmaple of a food web that might be found in a wetland area.


September 1981

Fig. 8An estaury along the coast of Florida.

estuary bring fertilizing minerals (nutrients) fromEstuaries

An estuary is an area where the salt waterof the seas and the fresh water of rivers andstreams meet and mix. As sea water is movedinto this area by tides, the saltiness is diluted byfresh water flowing toward the sea. This mixtureof salt water and fresh water is often calledbrackish water. An estuary, then, has somecharacteristics of the ocean and some of thecharacteristics of the fresh water. It is a veryspecial environment.

Compared to the oceans, estuariescomprise only a small percentage of the totalsurface of the marine world. Though esuariesare small in size, they are large in productivity.The rivers and streams that drain into an

the land. Marsh grasses, mangroves,seagrasses, seaweeds (algae), andmicroscopic algae (phytoplankton) manufacturefood from the nutrients.

An estuary has a rich supply of food, andthe built-in protection from the predators makesit a haven for small animals. Some animalssuch as worms, oyster, mussles and barnaclesspend their entire lives in an estuary. Otheranimals such as shrimp, mullet and blue crabsspend only a part of their lives in an estuary.The rest of the time may be spent in either thefresh water of the river or the salt water of thesea.

The many small animals that live in theprotective confines of an estuary will soon grow


September 1981

In this small stream which unites wiht a nearby estuary, the rocks and sandy bottom areexposed during low tide. Rocks and a sandy bottom provide protective cover for shrimp,crabs and worms as well as for many other aquatic animals.

A thick field of cordgrass (Spartina) provides food and protection for organisms that inhabitthe marsh.


September 1981

In a swamp, as in this picture of the Okefenokee Swamp, the trees overshadow the water plants and grasses.

up and become adults. The shallow water andsubmerged plants provide excellent hidingplaces from larger, hungry fish. Because so A swamp is an area that usally is furthermany different kinds of young sea animals live inland from the ocean than are estuaries andand feed in an estuary, it is often referred to as salt marshes. Swamps are less influenced bya nursery. the constant rise and fall of the tide.

Nevertheless, the tidal water and/or river water

Salt Marshes

Salt marshes are low coastal lands whichare strongly influenced by the tide. Salt marshesare usually covered with marsh grasses calledcordgrass. These grasses usually grove up inan estuary where the rising tidal water comesup to cover the flat land. As the tide falls, themarsh land is exposed to the air.

Swamps

which flows though the swamp brings slit andorganic material into the swamp. Like estuariesand marshes, swamps are lowland areassaturated with water. Swamps are oftenmistaken for marshes, and vice versa. Actually,the two are as different as a forest and a prairie.It is quite easy to tell the difference between aswamp and a marsh. The dominating feature ofa swamp is trees while that of a marsh is grass.


September 1981

A dense mangrove forest. Notice the prop roots and the high hanging roots that emerge fromthe canopy of the trees.

Grassy marshland surround a wooded swamp (hammock).


September 1981

Fig. 9

Mangroves are found on Florida’s coastline along canals, lagoons, and bays, and their distribution asscattered islands may take them into rivers and estuaries.


September 1981

Fig. 10

The leaves of mangroves are important, too. When the leaves fall off the tree and into the water, bacteriabeing to decay the leaves and break them up into smaller particles that serve as food for small animals. Also,fungi growing on the decaying leaves are eaten by small invertebrates and fishes which, in turn, areconsumed by larger animals.


September 1981

Red mangrove roots at low tide. Notice the oysters attached to the roots.

In a swamp can be found plants such as water intrusion. Organisms sch as gastropods,palm trees, oak trees, palmettos and grasses. crabs, tunicates, oysters, clams, algae, worms,Alligators, herons, bass, trout, and bull frogs are anemones and sponges take refuge on the propsome the of the animal member of the swamp roots of mangroves. It is the roots of thecommunity. mangroves where small-sized offspring of salt

Swamps and marshes are sometimes very water, brackish and fresh water animals findclose to one another and usually intermingle. In shelter, food, and a place to grove up.many place in Florida, marshes encircle “By maintaining mangrove intact, manwooded islands known as “hammocks”. assures himself a multiplicity of free services in

wildlife, panorama, environmental quality, andMangrove Wetlands

In Florida, mangrove wetlands contain fourspecies of trees that develop swamps in avariety of coastal situations. The four are redmangrove, black mangrove, white mangrove,and the buttonwood (buttonbush). Mangrovesare indicators of a salt water environment, andnatural stands are never found without salt

the form of food from the sea, forest products,

above all, services in the form of water qualitycontrol and protecton from floods, storms andother hazardous climatic events. When takencollectively, these services may outweighbenefits from any other use man can imaginefor these areas where mangroves grove.”(Forested Wetlands of Florida - TheirManagement and Use).


September 1981

Fig 12 The pink shrimp (Panaeus duorarum)

Fig. 11

The Florida Ever glades

The Florida Everglades is a very largewetland in the southern part of Florida. The Everglades wetlands are sometimesreferred to as an ocean of grass. TheEverglades is he largest bredding andnursery area for many marine animals inthe United States. This area houses one ofthe largest food webs in the world. Theadult marine animals which depend on theEverglades when young are worth severalmillion dollars in our seafood industry.

Rainwater is the main source of waterin the Everglades. The water is absorbed inthe swamps of the Everglades and seepsinto the rivers that flow to the ocean. Largepools scattered throughout the grassyEverglades supply homes for large aquaticanimals such as alligators, bass, tarponand birds.

The Florida Ke ys

The Florida Keys in another wetland areathat provides a place for ocean animals to feedand grow. This area is one of the largestbreeding and nursery grounds in the state ofFlorida. Pink shrimp (Panaeus Duorarum) areabundant in the keys. These shrimp spend theearly months of their lives in the numerousestuaries and marshes of this region. The

islands of the keys constitute a perfectenvironment for the shrimp. Many marshlandareas of the Florida Keys have been devastatedby land fills and dredging. Many areas that oncewere estuaries and marshes are now placeswhere hotels, motels and mobile home lotsstand. While dredging does not totally destroy awetland, the weland plants and animals aredrastically limited. Plants and marine animals


September 1981

Fig. 13 Covering up our wetlands destroys the home of many plants and animals.

are killed. Larger quantities of silt gush into the often called the “nurseries of the sea.”rivers and settle on nearby grasslands and coral Wetland swamps, marshes, estuaries andreefs. As the silt setttles, the grasslandsand mangroves are being filled in by dredging,corals are suffocated and soon die. clearing out of land, bulkheading, and landfills.

available ot the newly hatched animals. WetlandWetlands and Landfills

The commercial harvesting of marineanimals linked with mangrove wetlands is quiteimpressive. A study done in 1968 showed that15.7 million dollars worth of shrimp, 1 milliondollars worth of spooted sea trout and 1.2million dollars worth of blue crabs were caughtin one year. These are only a few of the animalsthat are dependent upon mangroves. Almosttwo-thirds of the total catch of fish and shellfishin the United states spend a portion of their livesin wetland areas, which is why the wetlands are

These operations grestly decrease the area

acreage in the United States has been reducedat the rate of 300,000 acres per year (Pollard,1976).

Severla million acres of the Everglades havebeen filled in by “land developers.” Thevalubale, swampy ground is scraped andpushed back. Low lying areas are filled in andbuilt up above sea level. This landfill killsgrasses and mangroves upon which the marineanimals depend. The space that the plants andanimals can inhabit is constantly beingdcreased.


September 1981

Department of Commerce - NOMFilms for Loan

Estuary (MP 1098) -28 Min., Color. The bays,lagoons, and ends of the rivers, are theestuaries of the United States on which a largepercentage of our food from the sea isdependent. Their use by industry, for recreationas well as for food are depicted, stressing thegreat value of the estuary and the need forplanning. (Sponsored by EPA)

It's Your Coast (MP 1043) - 28 Min., Color.Visits Naples, Florida; Portland, Maine;Chicago, Illinois; and Seattle, Washington todiscuss coastal zone problems with all kinds ofpeople interested in the coast and coastal zonemanagement. Subjects such as landdevelopment, oil pollution, and beach erosionare discussed. Stresses the importance of thecoast and the fact that anyone can express aviewpoint during the planning for coastalmanagement. (NOM)

Mail Request To:Motion Picture ServiceBuilding 116University of FloridaIFASGainesville, Florida 32611

Estuarine Heritage - 28 Min., Color. Stressesthe importance of estuaries for importantspecies such as shrimp, crab, oysters, clams,menhaden, and other finfish; as the habitat ofwaterfowl and furbearing animals; and as arecreational and esthetic resource. Depictsmajor threats to estuarine resources: pesticides,municipal methods of conservation.

The Biologist and the Boy - 14 Min., Color. Apopularized, shortened version of EstuarineHeritage, both of which are produced incooperation with the five states bordering theGulf of Mexico. Based on an encounter betweena youngster intent only on fishing and fun, and abiologist who shares with the boy his moreknowledgeable perspective and sense ofresponsibility for conservation. Distributedtheatrically as Crisis on the Coast.

Mail Request To:Motion Picture Service

12231 Wilkins AvenueRockville, Maryland 20852

Big Cypress, Partnership with Nature - 17 min.,Color. Deals with the Big Cypress swamp inFlorida, which is an exotic haven for fish, birds,and creatures rarely seen. It is also the site ofan oil discovery. The film takes a look at thesuccessful efforts that are being made topreserve the wild beauty of the swamp, whiletapping the area's much-needed energyreserves.

Mail Request To:EXXON CompanyModern Talking Picture Service2323 New Hyde Park RoadNew Hyde Park, N.Y. 11040

Islands of Green - 24 min., Color. Shows howthe National Audubon Society is helpingcommunities across the country establishnature education centers, to counteract theinfluences of a totally man-made environment.People isolated within cities are led to seenature around them and to understand it with anawareness, appreciation, and affection for thenatural world and to enjoy and preserve whatland remains.

Mail Request To:ASSOCIATION FILMS, INC.866 Third AvenueNew York, N.Y. 10022

or

ASSOCIATION FILMS, INC.5797 New Peachtree RoadAtlanta, Georgia 30340

A Living Lake - 14 min., Color. Chemical andbiological studies of Lake Okeechobee.Features the scientific work of the South FloridaWater Management District in protecting andmonitoring Lake Okeechobee which is the heartof the water supply for all of South Florida.

Mail Request To:South Florida Water ManagementDistrict


September 1981

P. 0. Box 5 depicted in this film. How a marsh is formed andWest Palm Beach, Florida 33402 the variety of plants and animals that inhabit the

Billion Dollar Marsh - 45 Min. (long version) 26Min. (short version). Stretching over 2,500 milesfrom Maine to Florida lies one of the greatestareas of marshland in the world. To developers,these marshes are so many thousands ofwasted acres that could be drained for housingand industry; to others, the marsh must bepreserved as is. This film, shot in the wetlandsof New Jersey, Virginia and Georgia, exploresthe conflicting points of view.

The Salt Marshes - The importance of the saltmarsh and the role it plays in the delicateecosystem is

marsh are also described.

Mail Request To:VIMS/SEA GRANT MARINEEDUCATION CENTERVirginia Institute of Marine ServiceGloucester Point, Virginia 23062

804/642-2111, Ext. 111

References

“Estuaries must be protected,” Australian “South Florida’s Mangrove-Bordered Estuaries:Fisheries, D. A. Pollard, June, 1976 Their Role in Sport and Commercial Fish

Estuary Ecology Christopher M. Dewes, and Production,” University of Miami Sea GrantJon K. Hooper, California Sea Grant Marine Information Bulletin, No.4, December, 1970.Advisory Publication, 75-LE/2245. “Tidal Wetlands,” Wavelets, Gene Silberhorn,

Forested Wetlands of Florida - Their Marine School House Series No. 5, SeaManagement and Use, Center for Wetlands, Grant Marine Advisory Services, VirginiaPhelps Lab., University of Florida, institute of Marine Science.Gainesville, Florida, June 1977. The Estuary. Florida Department of Natural

Land-building and Stabilization by Mangroves, Resources, Marine Research Laboratory,Jeffrey M. Carlton, Contribution No. 240, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701Florida Department of Natural Resources The Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau, TheMarine Research Laboratory, St. Sea in Danger, Vol. 19, The Danbury Press,Petersburg, Florida. pp. 84-85, 1973.

Life In And Around The Salt Marshes, Michael Tropical Marine Invertebrates of SouthernJ, Ursin, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New Florida and the Bahama Islands, WarrenYork, 1972. Zeiller, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,

“Meanders in the marsh,” Audubon George 1974.Reiger, September, 1977. Wildlife of Lakes, Streams, and Marshes, H.R.

Our Nation’s Wetlands, An Interagency Task Morgan, National Wildlife Federation,Force Report, Elinor Lander Horwitz, U.S. Washington, D. C., 1978.Government Printing Office, Washington,D.C. 20402, 1978.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

1. This document is 4HMER70, which supersedes 4H365, one of a series of the 4-H Youth Development Program, UF/IFAS Extension. Date revised September 1981; reviewed July 2018. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Neil Crenshaw, Florida 4-H Marine Education Specialist, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611

Documents

Neil Crenshaw - EDIS · Counties, one sees that swamp black gum, and cypress ponds and swamps cover from 25 to 60 large areas of Wakulla, Liberty, and Franklin Counties. The Big Cypress