<h2>Wetlands </h2>
Explanation:
Statements which identify reasons to preserve wetlands are:
- filter water
- store floodwaters
- provide animal habitats
Wetlands are those part of landscape which are defined by the presence of water
They are also the transitional zones between upland and aquatic ecosystems
The amount of water present in a wetland can vary greatly,some wetlands are permanently flooded while others are only seasonally flooded but retain saturated soils throughout much of the unflooded period
Wetland plants are often referred to as hydrophytes because they are specially adapted to grow in saturated soils
Many birds, insects, and other wildlife species are completely dependent on wetlands for critical stages in their life cycles, while many other species make use of wetlands for feeding, resting, or other life activities
Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snow melt, groundwater and flood waters
Trees, root mats and other wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters and distribute them more slowly over the floodplain
