Wetlands

=WETLAND= =By Lydia=

A wet land is only a body of water that is found almost at every part of the world and the three famous wetland are Marshes, Swamps and Bogs. Many great things happen because of wetlands so read on and find out. || There are many different wetlands in the United States but the biggest wetland is at the bottom of Florida. Maybe you heard of it? It is called the Everglades, by Miami and Florida Bay. This area has many swamps and marshes and is also home to many plants and animals. Also 95% of Florida and farmers in Florida get all of there drinking water from the Everglades. Because most of Florida gets there water from the Everglades it is almost always dry. That is a lot of facts about the Everglades. || || The cattail is a plant many people have seen but do not know a lot about it. Cattail is a important part of my food chain. It gets its energy from the sun and is a food to many animals. || Believe it or not, some bog plants eat meat! They trap insects for food. The Sundew plant catches insects in its sticky leave just like fly traps. || ||
 * [[image:Manatee_in_canal-2.jpg width="375" height="177" caption="Wetlands from Colorado"]] || About a wetland
 * Everglades
 * [[image:http://thomania.org/gardensite/education/student_work/images/fahaam2_catails.jpg width="370" height="161" caption="Cattails"]] || Cattails
 * Fun Fact
 * [[image:http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/graphics/loosestrife.jpg width="301" height="283" caption="purple loose-strife "]] || This flower is called the purple loose-strife.You will easily spot large clumps of these purple or reddish flowers growing next to streams, lakes, marshes, in wet meadows, and roadside ditches in the late summer. Purple loose-strife, a beautiful garden plant with an aggressive nature, was first introduced into North America in the early 1800s. The plant was sold in North Dakota by its genus name Lythrum for at least 50 years. Purple loose-strife invades marshes and lake shores, replacing cattails and other wetland plants. ||
 * Maryland Meadow Beauty

This flower is called Maryland Meadow Beauty. It grow only in the wetlands in the summer time. This flower only grows in Marshes though. || ||
 * [[image:turtles.gif width="208" height="155" caption="Water Turtle"]] || =Animals=

The Turtle
The turtle is a well known animal. There are many different types of turtles such water turtles, Land turtles and land and water turtles. But the most common turtle is the land and water turtle. || This is a heron. They mostly live in Marshes. If you would like to find one of theese then never go to a swamp or a bog. || || When you think of a beetle, you think "what a harmless little bug." But you are very wrong about this bug. This beetle is a Water bug that is like a leech. It sucks your blood! So next time you are at the lake stay away from theese beetle. || This is a Maryland stork and most people know them as a bird that delivers babies out f the air. This animal is a very importain bird in the food chain. || ||
 * ==Heron==
 * [[image:waterbug.jpg width="241" height="192" caption="Waterbug Beetle"]] || ==Water Beetle==
 * ==Stork==



Websites
http://www.oldmillstream.com/nature/activitypack/activitypage2.htm [|http://www.buzzardsbay.org] http://mbgnet.net/fresh/wetlands/index.htm http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Wetlands/Cattails/CattailGraphics/CattailFoodchain.jpg [|http://www.floridahabitat.org] http://thomania.org/gardensite/education/student_work/webpage_fahaam2.html http://www.nature-gifts.com/3305-sundew-plant.html http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01953/new_page_6.htm

Books
//__A True Book: Wetlands By: Darlene R. Stille__ __First Report: Wetlands By Shirley W. Gray__//