# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Answer the question: What's It Like Where You Live? Learn about terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems. Follow link to site about plants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Some Facts about Our planet

Earth is the third planet, and 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km.) from the sun. It is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old.

The planet rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. It makes one full revolution around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.45 seconds. Earth's axis is tilted at a 23.5° angle.

Earth has a total surface area of 196,800,000 square miles. Approximately 57,300,000 square miles, or 29% of the total surface area is land. Water covers approximately 139,500,000 square miles, or 71% of the total surface area.

The highest temperatures on Earth have reached 136° F (58° C) at Al Asisiyah, Libya. Temperatures of - 128° F (-89° C) have been recorded at Vostok station in Antarctica.

The atmosphere is a thin, gaseous layer of air that envelops the planet. Its inner layer is called the troposphere and reaches only 11 miles above sea level. It contains most of the planet's air, which consists of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). The stratosphere, or outer layer, stretches 11-30 miles above sea level and contains ozone (O3). Ozone filters out most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

More than 99% of earth's atmosphere is less than 50 miles (80 km.) high. However, particles of the atmosphere are found 1,000 miles (1,600 km.) in space above the planet's surface.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Earth is the third planet, and 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km.) from the sun. It is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old. The planet rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. It makes one full revolution around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.45 seconds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A wetland is an area of land that is either covered by water or saturated with water. The water is often groundwater, seeping up from an aquifer or spring. A wetland's water can also come from a nearby river or lake. Seawater can also create wetlands, especially in coastal areas that experience strong tides.

A wetland is entirely covered by water at least part of the year. The depth and duration of this seasonal flooding varies. Wetlands are transition zones. They are neither totally dry land nor totally underwater; they have characteristics of both.

The saturation of wetland soil determines the vegetation that surrounds it. Plants that live in wetlands are uniquely adapted to their watery ( hydric) soil. Wetland plants are called hydrophytes. Seasonally dry wetlands or wetlands with slow-moving water can often support trees and other sturdy vegetation. More frequently flooded wetlands have mosses or grasses as their dominant hydrophytes.

Wetlands exist in many kinds of climates, on every continent except Antarctica. They vary in size from isolated prairie potholes to huge salt marshes. They are found along coasts and inland. Some wetlands are flooded woodlands, full of trees. Others are more like flat, watery grasslands. Still others are choked by thick, spongy mosses.

Wetlands go by many names, such as swamps, peatlands, sloughs, marshes, muskegs, bogs, fens, potholes, and mires. Most scientists consider swamps, marshes, and bogs to be the three major kinds of wetlands.

Swamps

A swamp is a wetland permanently saturated with water and dominated by trees. There are two main types of swamps: freshwater swamps and saltwater swamps. Freshwater swamps are common in inland areas. Saltwater swamps protect coasts from the open ocean.

Freshwater Swamps
Freshwater swamps often form on flat land around lakes or streams, where the water table is high and runoff is slow. Seasonal flooding and rainwater cause the water level in these swamps to fluctuate, or change. Water-tolerant plants, such as cattails, lotus, and cypress, grow in the swamp's wet soil. These plants are key to maintaining the swamp's ecosystem.

Freshwater swamps are common in tropical areas near the Equator. These equatorial swamps usually experience year-round heat and humidity.

The Eastern and Western Congolian Swamp Forests surround the Congo River, in the nations of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of the Congo. Tall evergreen trees dominate the swamp forests. Many species of these trees, such as bubinga and ovangkol, are harvested for timber. Bubinga and ovangkol are expensive, luxury woods used to make musical instruments such as violins, as well as furniture. The thick canopy of trees means Congolian swamp forests are more shaded and humid than other wetlands. The muddy floor of these swamps is home to hundreds of insects, reptiles, and amphibians, including dozens of species of frogs.

Congolian swamp forests are also home to a wide variety of large mammals. Most of these mammals are herbivores. Colobus and mangabey monkeys eat mostly tropical fruit. Other mammals, such as forest buffalo, forest elephants, and lowland gorillas, feed on the abundant vegetation of the wetland. In fact, an adult male gorilla can eat up to 32 kilograms (45 pounds) of leaves, fruit, and bark every day.

In more temperate climates, cypress trees often grow out of the still waters of freshwater swamps. Spanish moss may hang from tree branches. Willows and other shrubs may grow beneath the trees. Angular knobs called cypress knees sometimes poke as much as 4 meters (13 feet) above the water. Cypress knees are outgrowths of the trees' root systems. Scientists are not sure what purpose knees serve. They may simply provide support, or they may transport oxygen to the roots.

Tiny water plants called duckweed often form a green cover on the surface of the water. Alligators, frogs, and snakes called water moccasins may swim among the plants. Reptiles and amphibians thrive in freshwater swamps because they are adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Cypress swamps are common throughout the U.S. The bayous of the state of Louisiana, near slow-moving parts of the Mississippi River, are probably the most famous American swamplands. Shrimp, crawfish, wading birds, and fish such as catfish are native to bayous.

Distinct cultures have also developed near bayous and other freshwater swamps. In Louisiana, the food and music of Cajun culture is closely associated with bayou wildlife and imagery.

Saltwater Swamps
Saltwater swamps are usually found along tropical coastlines. Formation of these swamps begins with bare flats of mud or sand that are thinly covered by seawater during high tides. The brackish water of saltwater swamps is not entirely seawater, but not entirely freshwater, either.

Some hydrophytes, such as mangrove trees, can tolerate brackish water. Mangroves are easy to recognize because of their tall, stilt-like roots, which hold the small trunks and branches of the trees above water. Mangrove roots anchor sediment and help soil accumulate around them. They also help build sediment through their growth and decay.

Many organisms live among mangrove roots. The root system provides shelter and a place to feed on fallen leaves and other material. Crabs, conchs, and other shellfish are abundant in mangrove swamps.

Saltwater swamps are also home to a huge variety of birds. Mangrove roots and branches provide excellent nesting sites. Saltwater swamps are home to seabirds, such as gulls, as well as freshwater birds, such as herons. The abundance of plants, insects, and small animals provides food for these birds, whose droppings help fertilize the swamp.

The Sundarbans, a saltwater swamp in India and Bangladesh, has the largest mangrove forest in the world. Located on mud flats near the delta of the Ganges River, the area is saturated in freshwater. The Sundarbans also experience strong tides from the Indian Ocean. The biodiversity of the Sundarbans stretches from tiny algae and moss to Bengal tigers. The Bangladeshi portion of the wetland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of different species of mangrove trees thrive in the Sundarbans. In drier areas of the swamp, palms and grasses grow. Insects such as bees build hives in the trees. In fact, harvesting honey has been a major economic activity in the Sundarbans for centuries.

Bees and other insects are one of the main food sources for tropical birds in the area. Storks, ibises, and herons nest in the high branches of mangrove and palm trees. Smaller birds such as kingfishers and pigeons roost in shrubs. Some birds feed on the hundreds of fish that inhabit the Sundarbans' brackish water: rays, carp, eels, crabs, and shrimp.

Many reptiles and amphibians live in and around the swamp, including frogs, toads, turtles, and snakes. Some of the snakes of the Sundarbans, such as the Indian python, regularly grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) long. Monitor lizards and crocodiles, also native to the Sundarbans, are even larger.

The large reptiles of the Sundarbans regularly prey on mammals such as deer, boar, mongooses, and monkeys. However, the most famous predator of the Sundarbans is the Bengal tiger, an endangered species. Bengal tigers are apex predators-human beings are their only natural predator. In the Sundarbans, Bengal tigers swim in the swampy water and climb trees. The cats, which can grow to 220 kilograms (484 pounds), have been known to attack people in the swamp. Scientists and honey collectors are especially at risk.

Marshes

North and south of the tropics, swamps give way to marshes. These wetlands form a flat, grassy fringe near river mouths, in bays, and along coastlines. Many are alternately flooded and exposed by the movement of tides. Like swamps, marshes are often divided into freshwater and saltwater categories.

Freshwater Marshes
Freshwater marshes, often found hundreds of kilometers from the coast, are dominated by grasses and aquatic plants. These marshes often develop around lakes and streams.

Many freshwater marshes lie in the prairie pothole region of North America, the heart of which extends from central Canada through the northern Midwest of the United States.

Prairie potholes are bowl-shaped depressions left by chunks of glacial ice buried in the soil during the most recent ice age. When the ice melted, muddy water filled the potholes. Fertile soil and a temperate climate make these marshes some of the richest in the world. For this reason, many prairie potholes have been drained and the land used for agriculture. Thousands of migratory birds depend on the remaining prairie potholes as they travel from the Arctic to more temperate climates every year.

Farther south, freshwater marshes form much of the Everglades, a huge wetland region in southern Florida. Water from Lake Okeechobee flows slowly through the Everglades on its way to the ocean. Sawgrass, cypress, and mangroves grow along its path. The muddy, slow-moving water is also home to rare types of orchid.

The Everglades are known for their diversity of wildlife. This marsh contains hundreds of species of wading birds, each of which is adapted to feed on insects, fish, clams, shrimp, or even rodents such as mice. Alligators make their nests in the dense sawgrass, and swim in the murky water. Deer and the endangered Florida panther live in the dry areas of the marsh, while manatees and even dolphins swim in the so-called "River of Grass."

Saltwater Marshes
Salt marshes are some of the richest ecosystems for biodiversity. Dominated by grasses, they provide food and shelter for algae, fungi, shellfish, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Wading birds and other animals feed on the vegetation and abundant insects.

The warm saltwater marshes of northern Australia are influenced by the tides of the Indian and Pacific oceans. They often overlap with the freshwater marshes of rivers, such as the Jardine. A few mangrove trees may dot saltwater marshes, but they are dominated by grasses and a layer of algae called an algal mat. This algal mat is home to many insects and amphibians.

A wide variety of birds are found in Australia's saltwater marshes. Some of these birds nest in the shrubs and prey on insects and fish in the area. Others are migratory, only visiting the marsh when their home ranges become too cold or dry to support life.

Australia's saltwater marshes are also home to the saltwater crocodile. These enormous reptiles often spend the wet season in freshwater swamps and rivers, and migrate to saltwater marshes in the dry season. In addition to fish, Australia's saltwater crocodiles hunt larger animals that may pass through the wetland: kangaroos, birds, and wild boars. Many Australian beaches have strict warnings to swimmers during certain seasons, because saltwater crocodiles are a threat to people as well.

Bogs

Swamps and marshes are generally found in warm climates. Bogs are more common in cold or even Arctic areas in North America, Europe, and Asia. They also exist at high altitudes in warmer regions, such as the Sierra Nevada in the United States. Bogs are often called moors or fens in Europe, and muskegs in Canada.

Like many wetlands, bogs develop in areas where the water table, or the upper surface of underground water, is high. They often begin in glacial depressions called kettle lakes, which are deeper than prairie potholes.

A bog forms as a kettle lake gradually fills with plant debris. Leaves, roots, and stems of large plants accumulate on the bed of the lake. As the lake becomes shallower, mosses and other plants growing along the edges of the lake extend into the water. They form a loose, floating layer of tangled vegetation on the water's surface. Eventually, these plants are followed by water-loving grasses and sedges. Soon, the water is choked with vegetation. The oldest, partially decayed vegetation at the bottom of the bog forms a thick, spongy mat called peat.

Peat is a valuable fuel in many parts of the world. It is often the first step in the creation of coal, a fossil fuel. (The fossils in coal are wetland plants.) Some people living near bogs cut and dry squares of peat. It is burned for heating and cooking, or used to insulate buildings. In Ireland, peat supplies a portion of the country's electrical energy.

Bogs preserve more than the remains of plants, however. The bodies of dozens of prehistoric people have been found in bogs in Europe and Asia. These "bog bodies" have been preserved for thousands of years. Bog bodies are in such excellent condition that anthropologists can examine clothes, tattoos, and hair color, and even investigate a cause of death. Most people found in bogs were killed, though historians and anthropologists debate whether they were murdered or sacrificed as part of a religious ritual.

Some bogs can support a person's weight. They are called quaking bogs because the surface quakes when a person walks on the spongy peat. The island of Ireland, with its cool, wet climate, has hundreds of quaking bogs.

Unlike other wetlands, bogs usually are not agriculturally fertile. The amount of acid in the soil and water is generally higher than that in swamps or marshes. The supply of nutrients, especially nitrogen, is low.

Only certain kinds of plants can grow in bogs. Some of the few plants harvested in the wet, acidic soil of bogs are cranberries and blueberries. Plants are autotrophs, meaning they are able to create their own food from air, water, and sunlight. Many bog plants have adapted to the poor nutrients in the soil and water by expanding their food source. Pitcher plants and sundew, common in bogs, are carnivorous: They trap and consume insects.

Because of the limited species of plants, bogs do not have the biodiversity common in other types of wetlands. Insects, common in all wetlands, include butterflies and dragonflies. These insects feed on the nectar in bog flowers. Ireland has dozens of native butterflies found in bogs. Birds, such as geese and pheasant, also make their homes in the bog, although it is unusual to find larger animals.

In North America, moose are one of the few large animals that thrive in bog habitats. Moose, the largest species of deer, consume aquatic plants such as pond lilies.

Vital Ecosystems

Wetlands are some of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. They act like giant sponges or reservoirs. During heavy rains, wetlands absorb excess water, limiting the effects of flooding. Wetlands also protect coastal areas from storm surges that can wash away fragile beaches and coastal communities. Saltwater swamps and tidal salt marshes help secure coastal soil and sand.

Wetland ecosystems also act as water-treatment facilities. The plants, fungi, and algae of a wetland filter wastes and purify water. Nitrates and other runoff chemicals often wash into wetlands from urban areas and farms. Organisms there absorb the harmful chemicals. Pollutants not absorbed by plants slowly sink to the bottom, where they are buried in sand and other sediment.

Wetlands, especially marshes and swamps, are home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. Some animals, such as shrimp, live in tidal marshes. Many marine fishes, such as striped bass, enter coastal wetlands to spawn. Bass swim from the ocean and into salt marshes to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the young bass find plenty of food and some protection in the grasses or tree roots. Oysters live in huge reefs in salt marshes. All of these wetlands are home to economically valuable fisheries.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed, on the East Coast of the United States, includes more than 60,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of wetlands. Near the bay, the ecosystem is a tidal salt marsh. Farther from the Atlantic Ocean, freshwater marshes appear close to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries.

Chesapeake Bay wetlands are home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife. Plants include grasses, wild rice, pond lily, cattail, alder, and button bushes. Trees such as red maple, black gum, river birch, black willow, Atlantic white cedar, and bald cypress grow in the bay's forested wetlands.

Chesapeake Bay wetlands are a major nesting area for the bald eagle, a symbol of the United States. The world's largest population of osprey also makes its home there. Bald eagles and ospreys feed on fish in the Chesapeake Bay. Many migratory birds, including swans and geese, spend winters in the Chesapeake wetlands.

Other animals native to the Chesapeake Bay include muskrats, beavers, otters, turtles, frogs, and numerous shellfish, as well as the fox squirrel and bog turtle, which are endangered species.

Economic Importance

Wetlands are economically important to people. They are popular places for recreational activities, such as hunting, hiking, canoeing, and bird-watching. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Americans spend more than $100 billion on wetland-related recreational activities every year.

More than 75% of the fish and shellfish that are commercially harvested worldwide are linked with wetlands. For example, the blue crab harvest from the Chesapeake Bay in 2007 was valued at about $51 million. This crab is the official "state crustacean" of the U.S. state of Maryland, and plays an important part of the state's identity. Images of blue crabs are on thousands of souvenirs, and many Maryland restaurants serve crab cakes. The blue crab is also on Maryland's license plate featuring the Chesapeake Bay.

For most of history, wetlands were looked upon as wastelands. They do not easily support development. The soil is wet, spongy, and difficult to build on. Wetlands are also home to pests, from mosquitoes to alligators.

Until recently, draining wetlands was accepted practice. Drained wetlands provided land for agriculture, housing, industry, schools, and hospitals. The capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., is built on a drained wetland along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.

Almost half of U.S. wetlands have been destroyed for development. Drainage and peat harvesting have destroyed wetlands in Ireland and Scandinavia.

Many fish that depend on wetlands have become rare. Some of these species, such as flounder, trout, and bass, are commercially important. Freshwater and ocean fisheries depend on wetlands to provide habitat for the next generation of fish.

In the early 1970s, governments began recognizing the enormous value of wetlands. To protect the vanishing ecosystems, hunting and fishing licenses were restricted. Living shorelines and other restoration projects encouraged the development of coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges. Fines and restrictions on agricultural and industrial runoff reduced the toxic chemicals spilling into wetlands.

In some parts of the world, including the United States, it is now against the law to alter or destroy wetlands. Through management plans and stricter laws, people are trying to protect remaining wetlands and to recreate them in areas where they have been destroyed.

Case Study: Tres Rios
The arid urban area of Phoenix, Arizona, serves an example of how wetlands support the economy, health, and wildlife of an area. In the early 1990s, city leaders worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and local environmental groups to create a wetland, the Tres Rios Demonstration Project. Tres Rios receives its water from a wastewater facility serving the busy urban area of Phoenix, as well as the seasonal streams of the Gila, Salt, and Agua Fria rivers.

More than two million gallons of wastewater flow into Tres Rios every day. Thousands of birds flock to Tres Rios: waterfowl, such as ducks and cormorants; terrestrial species, such as sparrows and cardinals; and migratory species, such as blackbirds. Even raptors such as osprey inhabit Tres Rios.

The habitat established at Tres Rios was so successful that wildlife managers were forced to relocate beavers, native to Arizona marshes, because multiplied too quickly for the wetland to sustain.

Tres Rios cleans the wastewater that flows into it. The ecosystem acts as a filter for toxic chemicals. Its position along the Salt River also makes Tres Rios a natural flood-control mechanism.

Finally, Tres Rios was less expensive to construct than a new water treatment plant for the city of Phoenix.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A wetland is an area of land that is either covered by water or saturated with water. The water is often groundwater, seeping up from an aquifer or spring. A wetland's water can also come from a nearby river or lake. Seawater can also create wetlands, especially in coastal areas that experience strong tides.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
LOCATION: Wetlands are areas where standing water covers the soil or an area where the ground is very wet. Unlike estuaries, freshwater wetlands are not connected to the ocean. They can be found along the boundaries of streams, lakes, ponds or even in large shallow holes that fill up with rainwater. Freshwater wetlands may stay wet all year long, or the water may evaporate during the dry season.

There are many different types of freshwater wetlands, all of which have different names. This can sometimes lead to confusion. These are all names of different types of wetlands: marsh, bog, fen, swamp, mire, slough, and prairie pothole. These places can look very different, but because they are all areas with wet soil, or where water covers the soil, they are considered wetlands.
More information on these different types of wetlands
PLANTS: Freshwater wetlands have a variety of plant types, and each different type of wetland may have different kinds of plants. The plants discussed here are fairly common. There are floating plants, such as duckweed, that extends its roots down into the water to absorb nutrients. The duckweed floats freely and is not attached to the bottom. Cattails and sedges are common plants that grow up from the soil, through the water.

ANIMALS: As with plants, the types of animals found in wetlands depend upon the type of wetland. There are, however, some general types of animals that will be found in most wetlands.

All kinds of amphibians (frogs, toads and salamanders) can be found. Amphibians require water in which to lay their eggs and for the tadpoles to grow to adulthood. Wetlands are a perfect environment for this. In fact, when visiting wetlands, one of the first things you a may hear are the calls of frogs. Sometimes, especially during the mating season, they can be so loud it's hard to hear anything else.

Insects are an important part of the plant and animal life in wetlands. They help to pollinate plants and provide food for birds and amphibians. Watch out for the mosquitoes! You may want to bring your insect repellent when visiting a wetland because mosquitoes thrive in areas of standing water.

Feel like taking a swim in a wetland? Before you jump in or even wade through the water, you may want to consider another wetland animal with a bad reputation: leeches. Most leeches prefer environments with standing water, making freshwater wetlands a perfect home. They feed by latching onto another animal or a human and sucking their blood. You often can't feel them when they latch on and so may be surprised to look down and find yourself being eaten for lunch. Leeches aren't all bad. Doctors use them to help with blood clots and to improve circulation to areas of the body after surgery.

Wetlands are also home to an amazing number of birds. Many birds would go extinct without wetland habitat in which to breed, build nests, raise young, feed and rest along migratory routes.

PEOPLE AND FRESHWATER WETLANDS: Freshwater wetlands, like estuaries, provide very valuable services to people. They provide fish to eat and flood protection during storms. They also filter our water, giving us clean water to drink. Because of these valuable services, it is important that we work to conserve our wetlands.
LINKS: Wetlands 101 What is a Wetland? U.S. EPA - America's Wetlands California Wetlands Information System Australian Museum - Animals of Freshwater Habitats Natural History of Nova Scotia - Freshwater Wetlands Habitats
Back to Biomes Index

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
LOCATION: Wetlands are areas where standing water covers the soil or an area where the ground is very wet. Unlike estuaries , freshwater wetlands are not connected to the ocean. They can be found along the boundaries of streams, lakes, ponds or even in large shallow holes that fill up with rainwater.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Biomes

There are two major types of aquatic biomes, the marine and the freshwater. The freshwater biome is defined as having a low salt content versus the marine biome which is saltwater like the ocean. Go here if you want to learn more about the marine biome.
Types of Freshwater Biomes

There are three main types of freshwater biomes: ponds and lakes, streams and rivers, and wetlands. We'll go into the details of each below.

Ponds and Lakes

Ponds and lakes are often called lentic ecosystems. This means that they have still or standing waters, not moving like rivers or streams. Go here to learn about the major lakes of the world.

Lakes are often divided up into four zones of biotic communities:

Littoral zone - This is the area closest to the shore where aquatic plants grow.

Limnetic zone - This is the open surface waters of the lake, away from the shore.

Euphotic zone - This is the area below the surface of the water where there is still enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

Benthic zone - This is the floor, or bottom, of the lake.

The temperature of lakes can change over time. In tropical areas the lakes will stay the same relative temperature with the water getting colder the deeper you go. In northern lakes, the change in temperature due to the seasons will move the water in the lake as shown below.

Lake animals - Animals include plankton, crayfish, snails, worms, frogs, turtles, insects, and fishes.

Lake plants - Plants include water lilies, duckweed, cattail, bulrush, stonewort, and bladderwort.

Streams and Rivers

Rivers and streams are often called lotic ecosystems. This means that they have flowing waters, unlike the still waters of ponds and lakes. This biome can vary in size dramatically from small trickling streams to mile wide rivers that travel for thousands of miles. Go here to learn about the major rivers of the world.

Key factors influencing the ecology of streams and rivers include:

Flow - the amount of water and the strength at which it flows will impact the types of plants and animals that can live in a river.

Light - light has an impact because it provides energy to plants through photosynthesis. The amount of light due to seasons or other factors will impact the river's ecosystem.

Temperature - The climate of the land the river is flowing through will have an impact on the local plant and animal life.

Chemistry - this has to do with the type of geology that the river is flowing through. It impacts what type of soil, rocks, and nutrients are in the river.

River animals - Animals that live in or around the river include insects, snails, crabs, fishes such as salmon and catfish, salamanders, snakes, crocodiles, otters, and beavers.
River plants - Plants that grow around rivers vary greatly depending on the location of the river in the world. The plants typically live along the edge of the river where the water is moving slower. Plants include tapegrass, water stargrass, willow trees, and river birch.

Wetlands Biome

The wetlands biome is a combination of land and water. It can be thought of as land that is saturated with water. The land may be mostly underwater for part of the year or just flooded at certain times. One of the key characteristics of a wetland is that it supports aquatic plants.

Wetlands include bogs, swamps, and marshes. They are often located near large bodies of water like lakes and rivers and can be found throughout the world.

Wetlands can play an important role in nature. When located near rivers, wetlands can help to prevent flooding. They also help to purify and filter water. They are the home to many species of plants and animals.

Wetland animals - Wetlands have a huge diversity in animal life. Amphibians, birds, and reptiles all do well in the wetlands. The largest predators are alligators and crocodiles. Other animals include beavers, minks, raccoons, and deer.

Wetland plants - Wetland plants may grow entirely underwater or float on top of the water. Other plants grow mostly out of the water, like large trees. Plants include milkweed, water lilies, duckweed, cattail, cypress trees, and mangroves.

Facts about the Freshwater Biome

Scientists that study freshwater bodies of water like ponds, lakes, and rivers are called limnologists.

The amount of rainfall varies widely depending on where a wetland is located. It could be as little as seven inches per year to over a hundred inches per year.

Marshes are wetlands without trees.

Swamps are wetlands that grow trees and have seasonal flooding.

Tidal swamps are sometimes called mangrove swamps because the mangroves can grow in the mix of freshwater and saltwater.

The largest lake in the world is the Caspian Sea.

The longest river in the world is the Nile River.

The largest wetland in the world is the Pantanal in South America.

Activities
Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.
Back to Kids Science Page

Back to Kids Study Page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids learn about the freshwater aquatic biome. Ecosystems such as rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, swamps, and bogs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Biomes

There are two major aquatic or water biomes, the marine biome and the freshwater biome. The marine biome is primarily made up of the saltwater oceans. It is the largest biome on planet Earth and covers around 70% of the Earth's surface. Go here to learn more about the world's different oceans.

Types of Marine Biomes

Although the marine biome is primarily made up of the oceans, it can be divided up into three types:

Oceans - These are the five major oceans that cover the world including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans.

Coral reefs - Coral reefs are small in size when compared to the oceans, but around 25% of marine species live in the coral reefs making them an important biome. Go here to learn more about the coral reef biome.

Estuaries - Estuaries are areas where rivers and streams flow into the ocean. This area where freshwater and saltwater meets, creates an ecosystem or biome all its own with interesting and diverse plant and animal life.

Ocean Light Zones
The ocean can be divided up into three layers or zones. These layers are called light zones because they are based on how much sunlight each area receives.

Sunlit or euphotic zone - This is the top layer of the ocean and it gets the most sunlight. The depth varies, but averages around 600 feet deep. The sunlight provides energy to the ocean organisms through photosynthesis. It feeds plants as well as small little organisms called plankton. Plankton are very important in the ocean because they provide the food basis for much of the rest of ocean life. As a result, around 90% of ocean life lives in the sunlit zone.

Twilight or disphotic zone - The twilight zone is the middle zone in the ocean. It runs from about 600 feet deep to around 3,000 feet deep depending on how murky the water is. There is too little sunlight for plants to live here. Animals that live here have adapted to living with little light. Some of these animals can produce their own light through a chemical reaction called bioluminescence.

Midnight or aphotic zone - Below 3,000 or so is the midnight zone. There is no light here, it is completely dark. The water pressure is extremely high and it is very cold. Only a few animals have adapted to live in these extreme conditions. They live off of bacteria that get their energy from cracks in the Earth at the bottom of the ocean. Around 90% of the ocean is in this zone.

Animals of the Marine Biome
The marine biome has the most biodiversity of all the biomes. Many of the animals, such as fish, have gills that allow them to breathe the water. Other animals are mammals that need to come to surface to breathe, but spend much of their lives in the water. Another type of marine animal is the mollusk which has a soft body and no backbone.

Here are just a few of the animals that you will find in the marine biome:

Fish - Sharks, swordfish, tuna, clown fish, grouper, stingray, flatfish, eels, rockfish, seahorse, sunfish mola, and gars.

Marine mammals - Blue whales, seals, walruses, dolphins, manatees, and otters.

Mollusks - Octopus, cuttlefish, clams, conch, squids, oysters, slugs, and snails.

Great White Shark

Plants of the Marine Biome

There are thousands of species of plants that live in the ocean. They rely on photosynthesis from the sun for energy. Plants in the ocean are extremely important to all life on planet earth. Algae in the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and provides much of the Earth's oxygen. Examples of algae include kelp and phytoplankton. Other ocean plants are seaweeds, sea grasses, and mangroves.

Facts About the Marine Biome

Over 90% of the life on Earth lives in the ocean.

The average depth of the ocean is 12,400 feet.

Around 90% of all volcanic activity takes place in the world's oceans.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest point in the ocean at 36,000 feet deep.

The largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, lives in the ocean.

Humans get most of their protein by eating fish from the ocean.

The average temperature of the ocean is around 39 degrees F.

Activities
Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.
Back to Kids Science Page

Back to Kids Study Page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids learn about the marine biome. The largest biome by far, the oceans cover most of the Earth's surface.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
LOCATION:An estuary is an area where seawater mixes with freshwater. Estuaries can be found along the coast. Each day as the tide rises, saltwater is brought into the estuary. Freshwater comes down the rivers and creeks and mixes with this saltwater. During the dry season there may not be much freshwater flowing down the rivers. This can make the estuary very salty. Also, during the dry season water evaporates out of the estuary making it even more salty. If you have ever tasted the water in the ocean, you know it is very salty. Estuaries can become even saltier! (But don't try tasting the water, not only will it taste bad, but it can be bad for your health.)
PLANTS: Plants found in estuaries need to be adapted to salty conditions. Having too much salt can kill many types of plants. Some plants, like pickle weed, can absorb the salt water and store the salt in special compartments, called vacuoles, in the leaves. This makes the plant taste very salty which may be one of the reasons it is called pickle weed. Can you see the other reason in this picture? Other plants, like salt grass and alkali heath, are able to push the salt out onto the surface of the leaves. The salt crystals can be seen if you look very closely.

ANIMALS: Many types of animals are found in estuaries. In fact, the complex food web found in an estuary helps to support an amazing diversity of animals. The decaying plants are eaten by microorganisms (animals so tiny you need a microscope to see them.) The microorganisms are eaten by small invertebrates (animals without backbones.) Fish, like carp and stickleback, then eat the invertebrates. Many of the fish we eat depend upon estuaries. They are sheltered places where fish can have their young and the young fish can grow before moving out into the open ocean. Without estuaries, the number of fish in our oceans would decrease greatly. Occasionally, water in certain areas of the estuary can dry up and all that is left is a mud flat. It may seem like there is no life in this mud flat at all, but there are all kinds of mussels, shrimp, worms and other invertebrates living in the mud. Often you can see birds probing the mud with their beaks looking for a tasty meal.

There are a large number of birds found in estuaries. The migrating birds such as geese use them to rest and feed. There are also birds who are permanent residents of the estuaries. Many of these birds, such as the Great Blue Heron, and the Great Egret, have long legs that they use for wading in the water. Egrets are excellent at hunting fish. Some wiggle their toes in the sand to attract fish, which they can snap up for a meal. If you look at the different types of birds, you will notice that they all have different lengths of bills. This means that each type of bird is adapted to eating different things. This reduces the amount of direct competition between the birds and allows more types of birds to live in the same area.

People and Estuaries: Everyone wants to live near the ocean, right? Unfortunately, in order to build houses near the ocean, estuaries were drained and filled in with dirt so that houses could be built on top of them. Many of our estuaries were destroyed before people realized their value.

Estuaries are valuable for a number of reasons. Many countries and coastal communities around the world rely mainly on fish as their primary source of protein. Estuaries help maintain fish populations in the ocean, and without them we would have fewer fish to eat. Estuaries are also natural water filters. They filter the river water that flows into them, helping to keep our ocean water clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. Another important service they provide is protection from large storms and hurricanes. Large waves caused by these storms can cause incredible amounts of damage when they come onshore. Estuaries create a natural barrier that absorbs the energy of the waves and prevents them from flooding cities, destroying houses and injuring people.
GAME: Water Life: Where Rivers Meet the Sea LINKS: Estuaries.gov National Estuarine Research Reserve System EPA: Exploring Estuaries EPA: National Estuary Program Discovery of Estuarine Environments Office of Naval Research - Ocean Habitats Restore America's Estuaries Natural History of Nova Scotia - Tidal Marsh
Back to Biomes Index

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
LOCATION:An estuary is an area where seawater mixes with freshwater. Estuaries can be found along the coast. Each day as the tide rises, saltwater is brought into the estuary. Freshwater comes down the rivers and creeks and mixes with this saltwater. During the dry season there may not be much freshwater flowing down the rivers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mongabay Kids - the nature and conservation corner for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones. The firstzone is the tree stratum zone. It is the tallest zone and trees here range from 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters) tall. Maple, elm, and oak trees are just some examples of trees found in this zone. The second zone is the small tree and sapling zone. Younger, shorter trees characterize this zone. The shrub zone is the third zone. Shrubs include mountain laurel, huckleberries, and many others. The fourth zone is the herb zone, and contains short herbal plants, like ferns. The Ground zone is the final zone where plants grow directly near the ground. Some plants that grow here are lichens and mosses.

WEATHER: This biome has four changing seasons including winter, spring, summer, and fall. These seasons happen because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. Throughout the year, rays from the sun hit different parts of the world more directly than others, causing varying temperatures, or seasons. If the Earth were not tilted on an axis, temperatures around the globe would always be the same. Temperate deciduous forests also have quite a wet environment. Following rainforests, temperate deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches (75 - 150 cm). This precipitation falls throughout the year, but in the winter it falls as snow. The average temperature in temperate deciduous forests is 50°F (10°C). Summers are mild, and average about 70°F (21°C), while winter temperatures are often well below freezing.

PLANTS: Trees and plants in deciduous forests have special adaptations to survive in this biome. Deciduous trees are trees with leaves rather than pine needles, and they dominate temperate forests. As the seasons change each year, so do the leaves. Each year deciduous trees lose their leaves, and grow them back. In the summer their broad green leaves capture sunlight and help the trees make food through photosynthesis. As temperatures cool in the fall, the chlorophyll (green pigment in leaves) breaks down, causing the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaf colors of fall. In the cold winter, deciduous trees and plants go into dormancy, kind of like sleep. It is too cold for them to protect their leaves from the damage of freezing in the winter, so they simply lse them and seal up the places where the leaves attach to the branch. The warmer spring days signal to the trees that they can grow new leaves again, and restart the cycle.

ANIMALS: Animals in temperate deciduous forests have to adapt to changing seasons. They must be able to cope with cold winters and hot summers. Some animals hibernate or migrate during the winter to escape the cold. Animals who do not hibernate or migrate must have special adaptations to deal with higher exposure to predators in the winter. When leaves fall, there is less cover for animals in this biome to hide from predators.

The black bear is an animal that is well adapted for the temperate deciduous forest biome. It has a heavy coat made of many layers of fur to deal with the winter cold. Black bears have long claws that help them to climb trees.This is an essential adaptation because black bears often live in hollowed trees. Black bears are omnivores, so they eat plants and animals. Most of their diet is composed of plant material, so their long claws are useful to get their food from trees and shrubs. They also hibernate to avoid having to find food in the snowy, frozen winter.

PEOPLE AND THE TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST: Temperate forests are very important to people as they provide enjoyment as well as many resources including food, timber, and oxygen for us to breathe. However, we are also the cause of some major threats to this biome, one of which is acid rain. Acid rain caused by industrial and vehicle emissions damages the leaves of trees, and causes them to produce smaller and fewer seeds. It also reduces the trees' resistance to disease, pests, and frost. Clear cutting of forests is also a threat to this biome. Trees are cut for timber and land cleared for agriculture. Another problem associated with deciduous forests is the introduction of non-native plant and animal species because it upsets the balance of the forest ecosystem. Non-natives may compete for food and habitat space, possibly threatening the native species.

Although these threats may be worrisome, there are many things that you can do to help protect this unique biome. First of all, you can recycle. Trees are used to make the paper for paper bags, newspapers, printer paper, and many more products we use each day. If you recycle used paper, and make the effort to buy recycled paper, you will be reducing the need to cut down more trees. Also be sure to use both sides of the paper that you write on before you recycle it. Use cloth products instead of paper products, like napkins, towels, plates, and cups. These products can be washed and used again, which helps to save trees. Drive less, and carpool when possible. Car exhaust is one of the main contributors to acid rain. Walk or ride your bike to help keep our environment clean. If you are buying furniture, lumber, or any other wood product, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. This label indicates that the trees were grown in a well-managed forest. Learn more about forests. By reading, searching the Internet, and visiting temperate deciduous forests, you can learn lots of cool things about this biome. You can also teach other people about what you have learned. If we want to continue to enjoy temperate deciduous forests, the products that come from them, and protect the unique habitats within them, we must be sure to do our best to take care of this important biome.
GAMES: LINKS: Geography for Kids: Deciduous Forest Blue Planet Biomes: Deciduous Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Ecokids Forests Shades of Green: Earth's Forests
Back to Biomes Index

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones.The firstzone is the tree stratum zone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Grassland biomes can be found in the middle latitudes, in the interiors of continents. They can have either moist continental climates or dry subtropical climates. In Argentina, South America, the grasslands are known as pampas. The climate there is humid and moist.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Biomes are regions of the world with similar climate (weather, temperature) animals and plants. There are
Aquatic Biomes | Terrestrial Biomes | What are biomes? GAMES! terrestrial biomes (land) and
aquatic biomes , both freshwater and marine.

Would you like to know what the weather is like in different biomes around the world? How about the types of plants and animals that live in these biomes? Here you will find all sorts of information about the world's biomes.
Games
How many biomes are there? There is really no completely right answer to this question. Some people say there are only 5 major types of biomes: aquatic, desert, forest, grassland, and tundra. Others split biomes further. Forests are separated into rainforest, temperate forest, chaparral, and taiga; grasslands are divided into savanna and temperate grasslands; and the aquatic biome is split into freshwater and marine.
Kids Konnect: Biomes Enchanted Learning: Biomes ThinkQuest: Biomes Major Biomes of the World NASA - Mission: Biomes World Biomes
Links to more information:
Back to Biomes Index

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Biomes are regions of the world with similar climate (weather, temperature) animals and plants. There are Aquatic Biomes | Terrestrial Biomes | What are biomes? GAMES! terrestrial biomes (land) and aquatic biomes , both freshwater and marine. Would you like to know what the weather is like in different biomes around the world?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Discus user name and password changed on August 1, 2020 for the new school year. If you are a resident of South Carolina and need the new login, please contact your school media specialist, school district, local public library, or academic library with which you are affiliated. SC residents may also request the Discus login from the Discus Office Help Desk. Discus is a service provided by the South Carolina State Library and is strictly for the use of South Carolina residents.

If your public library website requires a separate form of authentication, such as a library card number, to access databases provided by Discus, continue to use that method for access. Due to licensing agreements with our database providers, the login cannot be posted publicly to open websites or to open listservs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Discus user name and password changed on August 1, 2020 for the new school year. If you are a resident of South Carolina and need the new login, please contact your school media specialist, school district, local public library, or academic library with which you are affiliated.