Download Swamps provide vital benefits to humans and wildlife By: Corine

Swamps provide vital benefits to humans and wildlife By: Corine Burgess Swamp Thing, Curse of the Swamp Creature, Alien Dead, The Legend of Gatorface, Eaten Alive and Crocodile are movies with frightening circumstances that take place in a sinister swamp setting. It’s no wonder many folks think of these eerie looking wetlands as scary, ominous and foreboding. In reality, swamps are extremely beneficial plant communities and provide a variety of benefits to wildlife including food, nesting areas, shelter and water. They also serve mankind as flood control and purifiers of water. Swamps provide a platform for the food chain. A variety of microscopic life forms exist within the boundaries of swamps and other wetlands. Algae use nutrients in the water and are generally considered the bottom of the food chain. Zooplankton are microscopic organisms that feed on algae. Fish eat the zooplankton as well as insect larvae found in swamps. Snails eat algae and other plant materials. These tiny organisms give rise to the food that attracts larger varieties of wildlife such as the sandhill crane, great blue heron, osprey, alligator, snakes and mammals passing by to grab a meal. Wood ducks nest in the widened, buttressed trunks of the cypress and hardwood trees that thrive in the swamp environment. Many varieties of wading birds use the swamps as rookeries. The alligator builds her nest in the swamp areas as do most of the creatures that reside there year round. Fish breed and reproduce in these watery worlds. Destruction of these important habitats seriously affects the populations of wildlife that nest and feed within their borders. Some of the creatures that depend on swamps are merely passing through or visiting the area from time to time. Insects, reptiles, fish and amphibians depend on the tranquil, murky waters to spawn and reproduce. Other varieties of wildlife may stop by for a quick meal and forage in the shallow, muddy waters. Once they have sated their hunger, they move on to nearby plant communities and disperse seeds they have ingested, providing a balanced ecosystem to adjoining areas. When the drier season comes along, swamps generally have wet pockets that provide invertebrates and fish year round for hungry, migrating birds and other species looking for a bite to eat. Wildlife that depend on wetlands and swamps include many species of frogs, turtles, and snakes. There are fifteen species of reptiles and amphibians in Florida’s swamps that are considered threatened or endangered. Countless species of birds depend on the wet communities. Wood storks, ibis, wild turkey, woodpeckers, owls, warblers, herons, kites, ducks, hawks, roseate spoonbills and many other birds require these wet habitats. Mammals that need swamps to survive include rabbits, otters, bobcats, deer, beavers, raccoons, panthers and black bears. Swamps provide slow moving waters that are excellent breeding and nesting grounds for dragonflies and other insects. Even though some of these winged creatures are annoying to the human race, the larvae, eggs and even tiny emerging insects provide food for frogs, lizards and snakes that reside there. Yet another vital function of swamps is the removal of pollutants from water. Wetlands can be thought of as sponges that filter passing water. When water enters the swamp, plants and other organisms absorb many of the pollutants that are carried with it. Wetlands are known to improve the water quality of nearby water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Swamps and other wetlands also serve as natural flood control. When excess water is a problem, swamps absorb much of it before it reaches nearby farms and urban developments. Wetlands, especially swamps, have historically been considered wastelands that provide a breeding ground for many unwanted insects, such as mosquitoes. As a result, many wetlands have been drained, filled and cleared. For example, the Florida Everglades once covered 8 million acres of south Florida but it now covers less than 2 million acres. Fortunately, mankind has realized the importance of these wetland communities and laws have been put in place to protect them in many areas. Swamp facts: •
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Swamps occur on flat, poorly drained land, often near streams. Swamps are dominated by woody shrubs or water‐loving trees. Mangrove swamps occur in warm climates near the ocean, so their water is salty. Freshwater swamps are the ideal habitat for many amphibians, such as frogs and salamanders, because of the continuously moist environment. From 1982 to 1992, approximately 1.6 million acres of wetlands on nonfederal lands in the United States were converted for other uses. Fifty‐seven percent of the wetlands were converted into land for development. Twenty percent of the wetlands were converted into land for agriculture. Swamps contain a natural filtration system that cleans the water even better than our man made factories.