Bills Wetlands presentation

Wetlands: 

Wetlands The Long Island - Louisiana Connection

What is a Wetland?: 

What is a Wetland? A Wetland Has water at or near the surface for at least part of the year. Has hydric soils which are moist or saturated and do not hold much oxygen. Has plants that are adapted to wet conditions and hydric soils.

Wetlands are usually classified into three categories: 

Wetlands are usually classified into three categories Bog Swamp Marsh

What is a Bog?: 

What is a Bog? Characteristics Spongy peat deposits Thick carpet of sphagnum moss Acidic waters Receive all their water from precipitation Low in nutrients

Robert Cushman Murphy  County Park  Calverton/Manorville: 

Robert Cushman Murphy County Park Calverton/Manorville

Bird Life: 

Bird Life Red winged blackbirds nest here in the spring along with a wide variety of birds.

Bog Plants: Sphagnum Moss: 

Bog Plants: Sphagnum Moss Sphagnum moss produces both male and female plants. On the left the females are the ones with the knobs at the apex of the stem indicated by arrows.

Bogs Role in Preservation: 

Bogs Role in Preservation Bogs consist of 2 layers The lower layer is mostly acidic water & peat Acidic + anaerobic conditions immobilize bacterial decay Human bodies, wood and other artifacts are preserved in a bog.

Carnivorous plants Pitcher Plant Sun Dew: 

Carnivorous plants Pitcher Plant Sun Dew

What is a Swamp?: 

What is a Swamp? A wetland that supports the growth of deciduous trees Shu Swamp, Mill Neck Shu from old Dutch, Sheogh, meaning cascading waters High groundwater table Dominant trees -Tulip, Red Maple, Tupelo

Marsh: 

Marsh Caumsett State Historic Park

Zonation Looking toward high Marsh Looking toward lower marsh: 

Zonation Looking toward high Marsh Looking toward lower marsh Caumsett State Historic Park

Glasswort or Salicornia  Stores salt water in its stems: 

Glasswort or Salicornia Stores salt water in its stems

Prickly Pear Cactus  A threatened species in New York State: 

Prickly Pear Cactus A threatened species in New York State

Rosa ragusa or Salt Spray Rose: 

Rosa ragusa or Salt Spray Rose

Winged Sumac berries Provide food for wildlife : 

Winged Sumac berries Provide food for wildlife

Even poison ivy berries are eaten by birds : 

Even poison ivy berries are eaten by birds

Japanese Bittersweet is an invasive species but provides food for wildlife: 

Japanese Bittersweet is an invasive species but provides food for wildlife

Exploring the marsh ay high tide with mask and snorkel: 

Exploring the marsh ay high tide with mask and snorkel Caumsett State Historic Park

Exploring the marsh at low tide : 

Exploring the marsh at low tide

Notice the hydric soil: 

Notice the hydric soil

Fiddler Crab: 

Fiddler Crab

Spider Crab: 

Spider Crab

Invasive SpeciesJapanese shore crab - Hemigrapsis: 

Invasive Species Japanese shore crab - Hemigrapsis

Male and female horseshoe crab: 

Male and female horseshoe crab

Slide30: 

A close-up of the “eye”

Horseshoe crabs are harmless: 

Horseshoe crabs are harmless

Horseshoe Crabs Endangered?: 

Horseshoe Crabs Endangered? Once used for fertilizer & chicken feed now taken for eel bait & medical research 1990-1.2 million counted in Delaware Bay 1995-100,000 in Delaware Bay 2000-2.3 million HC harvested for bait Alive worth over $2,500 over it’s lifetime chopped up for bait worth .75 cents /lb

Oysters can lay over 1 million eggs !: 

Oysters can lay over 1 million eggs !

Ribbed mussels filter approx. 1 gallon of water/hour: 

Ribbed mussels filter approx. 1 gallon of water/hour

Marsh snail eats diatoms that grow on the spartina grass: 

Marsh snail eats diatoms that grow on the spartina grass

Raccoon and Deer tracks in the marsh: 

Raccoon and Deer tracks in the marsh

Great Blue Heron: 

Great Blue Heron

Mute Swans: 

Mute Swans

Black Crowned Night Heron: 

Black Crowned Night Heron

Osprey nest with young: 

Osprey nest with young

Habitat Loss : 

Habitat Loss Louisiana 1927 Great Flood 1,000 people die Army Corps Build Levees Since 1932 1,900 sq miles lost (State of Delaware or 80 Manhattans) Will lose 500-700 more in the next 50 years 353 species of birds, 4 million over winter here 40% of nations salt marsh

Bayou Farewell Mike Tidwell: 

Bayou Farewell Mike Tidwell Bayou – Choctaw Indian word meaning sluggish, slow moving stream Cajun – The closest Anglo-Americans could come to pronouncing “Acadians” Descendents of French immigrants savagely expelled from Nova Scotia during the French & Indian War Acadia – From Greek Arcadia, land of milk and honey

Habitat Loss: 

Habitat Loss Long Island 1930 USGS listed 1,000 lakes and ponds 2001 USGS lists 500 lakes and ponds Jamaica Bay losing about 40 acres/year In the last 80 years it went from 2,300 acres to 1,000 acres

Salt Marsh at high tide: 

Salt Marsh at high tide Caumsett State Historic Park