Provide brief answers or short explanations for the following items as indicated.
What environmental conditions in a freshwater marsh (from internal and exterior sources) would result in a high BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand)?
Why is the common pore size of 400-500 micrometers, used to separate the macrobenthos from soft sediments, inadequate in understanding the collective benthos (composition and density) of a wetland environment?
What are the primary body features that distinguish wetland (aquatic) insects from terrestrial insects, and how are the feeding habits of aquatic and terrestrial insects discernable from an examination of their mouth parts? Give an example of the distinguishing features of aquatic insects (your choice) and include the evaluation of the mouth parts in determining the food habits (how food is secured and eaten, plant or animal).
Describe the role of protozoans in the ecology of a wetland with a diverse fish fauna.
Discuss how complex ecological interactions of feeding groups serve to sustain (a) food chains, and (b) nutrient releases into water and bottom sediments.
Speculate as to why the percentage of endangered or threatened species is high in wetlands (in most cases) in comparison to the collective of other habitats.
Select an animal from the following list and discuss its impact on the ecology (beneficial or harmful or both) of a freshwater marsh (or other wetland environment of your choice).
Beaver
Muskrat
Nutria
Diving duck(s)
Puddle duck(s)
Shore or wading bird(s)
Carp or other bottom feeding fish
Red-winged blackbird
Merganser(s)
Other (your choice)
List three reasons why wetlands are critical to the long-term survival of shore birds.
Turn in: Written answers (1-8). Please e-mail assignment to J.S. Aber (jaber@emporia.edu).
Return to wetland syllabus.