Protecting the Wetlands By: Sarika Mujumdar, Celeste Cappadoccia, and Ashley Christian

WHAT ARE WETLANDS? Swamps Marshes Peatlands

THE PROBLEM! Wetlands are being drained and filled in for agricultural and recreational businesses This destroys the organisms that live there, such as trees, fish, birds, etc. Invasive species also start to take over wetlands, negatively affecting the biodiversity

WHY ARE WETLANDS IMPORTANT? Natural filters for water pollution Flooding gets reduced by vegetation Provide a habitat for various species Support fish and birds Provide different building materials for humans

HOW ARE HUMANS CAUSING IT? Drainage Dredging and stream channelization Deposition of fill material Diking and damming Tilling for crop production Levees Logging Mining Construction Run- off Air and water pollution Changing nutrient levels Release of toxic chemicals Introduction of invasive species Grazing by domestic animals

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES Invasive species out compete native animals for food and habitats Causes an increase in the invasive species Causes the native animals to suffer Destroyed organisms can ruin the equilibrium of a habitat

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Erosion/Water Displacement Subsidence Sea level rise Droughts Hurricanes and other large storms become more severe

IMPACT OF EROSION Erosion is the gradual destruction of land by water, rocks, wind, etc. Messes up the organization of wetlands by destroying trees and animals Water displacement

IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS Hurricanes can kill organisms and cause floods Droughts kill the organisms because no water is present Rising of the sea level can cause floods Subsidence causes the wetland to sink, destroying all of its inhabitants

OTHER HUMAN INTERFERENCES Humans cut down a lot of trees in the wetlands Water Pollution- Humans use water transportation (boats, ships) through the wetlands, killing organisms Fishing in the wetlands disturbs the food chain, so organisms become more vulnerable

BUT WE CAN STILL HELP! Check out the wetlands around you Sign up/raise money for a non-profit organization Spread the word about protecting wetlands Cut down less trees

IMPACT ON THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES There will be less carbon so no plants will grow and there would be problems with photosynthesis Nitrogen would not be affected Phosphorus would not be affected Animals wouldn't have enough safe water, since much of the water would be displaced, causing floods in some places and droughts in others

Animals of the Wetlands

THE DESTRUCTION KILLS THE ANIMALS!!! :(

THANK YOU! :) (CITATIONS) "Wetlands." LEARNING CENTER. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May "Human Impact of Wetland Ecosystems." Human Impact of Wetland Ecosystems. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May "Causes and Impacts of Invasive Alien Species." Causes and Impacts of Invasive Alien Species. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May "WETLANDS AND THE EIA PROCESS." The Environmental Impact Assessment Toolkit. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May "Human Impacts and Management of Wetlands." Human Impacts and Management of Wetlands. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May Pictures: Y87cEA6dmMQ/UDRreXgDIaI/AAAAAAAAAa0/IVDlZodQyoA/s1600/Beaver+Animal.jpg