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BI 131 Laboratory Freshwater Wetland Ecosystems Species Seen During Wetland Walk (tentative list) Common name Scientific name Alder, speckled Alnus rugosa Blueberry, highbush Vaccinium spp. Bog laurel Kalmia polifolia Bog rosemary Andromeda glaucophylla Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Cattails Typha spp. Cottongrass Eriophorum sp. Cranberry, large Vaccinium macrocarpon Cranberry, small Vaccinium oxycoccus Duckweed Lemna sp. Fern, marsh Thelypteris palustris Fern, royal Osmunda regalis Huckleberry Gaylussacia spp. Wetland Walk Characteristics Page 1 Labrador tea Ledum groenandicum Lambkill (sheep laurel) Kalmia angustifolium Larch (tamarack) Larix larcina Leatherleaf Chamaedaphore calyculata Maple, red Acer rubrum Moss, sphagnum Sphagnum spp. Mountain holly Nemopanthus mucronata Pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea Rhodora Rhododendron canadense Rose, northeastern Rosa nitida Sedge Carex sp. Spruce, black Picea mariana Sundew Drosera sp. Sweet gale Myrica gale Willow, bog Salix pedicellaris Winterberry Ilex verticillata Wetland Walk Page 2 Themes for Wetland Walk (tentative list) 1) Types of wetlands. 2) How wetlands form. 3) Ecological significance of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing root-nodule bacteria in speckled alder and sweet gale. 4) Role of glacial history in wetland formation. 5) Boreal location of bogs. 6) Why decomposition in peatlands is slow. 7) The moat (lagg) of the bog. 8) Hummocks and hollows of the bog mat. 9) Adaptations of bog plants allow them to survive there but make them poor competitors elsewhere. 10) Role of sphagnum moss as ‘nutrient sponge’ and ‘keystone’ species. 11) Role of leatherleaf and bog rosemary as ‘skeleton of the mat’. 12) Water-saving adaptations of bog plants. 13) Mycorrhiza: fungal symbionts of ericaceous plants 14) Carnivorous plants of the bog. 15) Uses of peat moss. 16) Why bogs are threatened. Wetland Walk Page 3 Some Definitions Bog: a peatland that is ombrotrophic, i.e., receives its mineral nutrients primarily from atmospheric precipitation, and thus is nutrient poor. Because there is little flushing action, dissolved waste products accumulate and pH is very acidic. Dominant plants are sphagnum moss and ericaceous shrubs with scattered conifers. Typically poor in species diversity. Ericaceous: plants belonging to the heath family, characterized as being able to tolerate extremely acidic, nutrient poor growing conditions. Many, but not all, members are evergreen. Examples include blueberry, rhododendron, lambkill, leatherleaf, etc. Most, if not all, ericaceous species have been shown to be associated with mycorrhizal fungi. Fen: a peatland that is minerotrophic, i.e., receives its mineral nutrients from ground water along with atmospheric precipitation, and can vary greatly in nutrient levels. Because there is some flushing action, dissolved waste products do not accumulate and pH is slightly acidic to slightly basic. Dominant plants are sedges in open fens; shrubs and trees in wooded fens. Typically rich in species diversity. Marsh: wetland of predominantly mineral (non-organic) soil with emergent perennial herbaceous plants such as grasses, sedges, and cattails. Annually large proportion of primary production is exported from ecosystem. Mycorrhiza: a mutual association in which the mycelium of a fungus colonizes the roots of a seed plant. The association benefits the plant by allowing it to grow in a nutrient poor environment where it otherwise would not be able to grow. Peatland: wetland of predominantly organic soil (peat) composed of plant remains in various stages of decomposition. Annually a small proportion or none of primary production is exported from ecosystem. When dried, peat will burn when ignited, i.e., can be used as fuel source. Swamp: wetland of predominantly mineral (non-organic) soil with perennial woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Annually large proportion of primary production is exported from ecosystem. Wetland: land where water table is at, near, or above soil surface long enough during the growing season to promote the formation of special (hydric) soils, which support the growth of hydrophytes (special water-loving plants) Wetland Walk Page 4