A Wetland Biome happens when the area is wet enough for there to be plants and animals that have adapted to the wet conditions. There are different types of wetlands such as marshes, fens, bogs and swamps.
Wetlands
When you look at a wetland biome, it is both water and land and that is why it has its name. Some of the land is under the water because of floods or because there is a lot of rain at that time. The water that falls helps to protect and feed the plants that grow in this area. These plants are called aquatic plants.
Some wetlands are found near larger bodies of waters such as rivers or lakes and they can include swamps and marshes and they are very important for the environment.
The wetlands help to keep the area from flooding and it also helps to keep the water filtered.
Fens
A fen gets water from runoff or from groundwater and they do not survive through rainfall. Fens usually have water that has a lot of different chemicals because it is water that comes from different sources.
Marshes
A marsh happens when there are plants that have soft stems and they are used to soil that is full of water. These include prairies.
Bogs
Bogs have water that is not very good and does not contain very many nutrients. Most of the water in a bog is acidic.
Swamps
A swamp is formed when there are many different types of plants. Some of the plants in a swamp include Red Maple and Cypress Trees.
Where are Wetlands Found?
Wetlands are found in areas all over the world. There are wetlands in the United States and in other countries.
Wetland Plants and Animals
There are many different plants and animals that live near the wetlands. Many of these animals include frogs, lizards, reptiles, birds, alligators, crocodiles, deer, beavers, raccoons and more.
Most of the plants that are found in the wetland either grow under the water or they float on top of the water. Some of the other plants can be trees and other plants that grow large out of the water.
Three types of plants that are found in the wetland biome include emergent, floating and submerged. Emergent plants are found to grow out of the soil, through the water and are taller than other plants.
Floating plants have small roots and float on top of the water.
Submerged plants are found in the soil but are below the surface of the water.
More Facts About the Wetland Biome:
- Wetland biomes have water that stands still for a long period of time.
- Wetlands are found close to rivers and lakes.
- Wetlands are called wetlands because they have land and water.
- Wetlands help to keep areas from flooding.
- There are wetland biomes on every continent except for Antarctica.
- Wetlands can be made of saltwater or freshwater and sometimes both.
- Most wetlands are humid all year round.
- Wetlands are important for the environment because they house many different plants and animals.
- Many birds and amphibians build homes in wetlands.
- Wetlands help to filter water that is on the surface.
- When a wetland has many trees, it is called a swamp.
- Wetlands can hold water and then release it to rivers and streams when it is needed.
What Did You Learn?
- What is a wetland biome? A wetland biome is an area that is both land and water. Sometimes the land is under the water.
- Why are wetland biomes important? A wetland biome is important because it is the home to many animals and plants. It is also important because it helps to stop flooding and to purify or filter surface water.
- Where are wetland biomes found? Wetland biomes are found all around the world, except for Antarctica.
- What kind of water do wetland biomes have? Wetland biomes can have saltwater, freshwater or both salt and fresh water.
- Are wetland biomes important? Wetland biomes are important even though people sometimes think that they are not important and want to get rid of them.
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