POLLUTION AND

THE WETLANDS

IntroductionIntroduction• Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s 5.7 million acres are Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s 5.7 million acres are

wetlands. Ninety-five percent of North Carolina’s wetlands wetlands. Ninety-five percent of North Carolina’s wetlands are found in the coastal plains. A wetland is part of a are found in the coastal plains. A wetland is part of a watershed (geographic are that drains to a single body of watershed (geographic are that drains to a single body of water) or a drainage basin. They are covered by shallow water) or a drainage basin. They are covered by shallow water and have soils waterlogged to the surface. Over time water and have soils waterlogged to the surface. Over time the wetlands have been drained and transformed into the wetlands have been drained and transformed into industrial facilities, as well as, a use for waste disposal. The industrial facilities, as well as, a use for waste disposal. The wetlands are effected by the biosphere, lithosphere, wetlands are effected by the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and the hydrosphere. atmosphere, and the hydrosphere.

ProblemProblem

• What is polluting the Great Dismal Swamp?

Invasive SpeciesInvasive Species

• Erosion causes Erosion causes increases in the increases in the amount of inorganic amount of inorganic sediment in the sediment in the water, inviting water, inviting foreign species of foreign species of sponge and diatom sponge and diatom that need less light that need less light to take over water to take over water habitats.habitats.

Asterionella formosa

Invasive Species: Invasive Species: Fish and AnimalsFish and Animals

• Invasive fish, such as Invasive fish, such as the Northern the Northern Snakehead, destroy Snakehead, destroy underwater underwater ecosystems.ecosystems.

• Animals, such as pets Animals, such as pets that can no longer be that can no longer be cared for, can cared for, can become invasive if become invasive if enough are released.enough are released.

Invasive Species: Plant Invasive Species: Plant WorldWorld • Plant species such as Plant species such as

Purple Loosestrife, Purple Loosestrife, Mile-a-Minute, and Mile-a-Minute, and Tree-of-Heaven Tree-of-Heaven displace and destroy displace and destroy native foliage.native foliage.

• Even native plants Even native plants can become can become invasive. Good invasive. Good examples are sweet examples are sweet gums and maples.gums and maples.

• Water plants such as Water plants such as water hyacinth water hyacinth spread quickly and spread quickly and reduce water quality.reduce water quality.

PollutionPollution

• Swamps act as Swamps act as sinkholes, sinkholes, grabbing any grabbing any contaminants in contaminants in water and sucking water and sucking them in.them in.

• Pollution from Pollution from sewage, dump sewage, dump sites, spills, and sites, spills, and storage areas are storage areas are problems. problems.

What is Soil Erosion?What is Soil Erosion?

* movement of soil particles by * movement of soil particles by

wind, gravity, or waterwind, gravity, or water

Soil Erosion (cont.)Soil Erosion (cont.)

• Wind & WaterWind & Water

• Fertilizers & Fertilizers & SedimentsSediments

• Algae ProductionAlgae Production

Cause/Effect Cause/Effect RelationshipsRelationships

• PrecipitationPrecipitation

• ErosionErosion

• RunoffRunoff

FertilizersFertilizers

• Organic FertilizersOrganic Fertilizers

• Mixed FertilizersMixed Fertilizers

• Chemical FertilizersChemical Fertilizers

Purpose of WetlandsPurpose of Wetlands

• ProtectionProtection

• SoilSoil

THE ATMOSPHERETHE ATMOSPHEREPrinciple Gases of Dry Air

Carbon Dioxide, 0.04%

0.93%

20.95%

78.08%

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Argon

Carbon Dioxide

•What is the Atmosphere made of?

Recycling of Atmospheric Recycling of Atmospheric MaterialsMaterials

• The amount of a given substance The amount of a given substance leaving the atmosphere = the leaving the atmosphere = the amount of the same substance amount of the same substance entering the atmosphere over the entering the atmosphere over the same period of timesame period of time

Atmosphere to other Atmosphere to other spheresspheres

• BiosphereBiosphere AtmosphereAtmosphere

• AtmosphereAtmosphere BiosphereBiosphere

• AtmosphereAtmosphere LithosphereLithosphere

Air PollutantsAir Pollutants

Reduces lungs functions & causes inflammation

Reactions of nitrogen oxides & hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight

Ozone

Damages nervous & digestive systems

Smelters, Battery PlantsLead

Contributes to respiratory problems linked to cancers

Factories, power plants, oil refineries, paper mills,

volcanoes

Particulate Matter

(dust, smoke, soot, ash)

Irritates respiratory system contributing to acid rain

Burning of fossil fuels in power plants, oil refineries,

paper mills, volcanoes

Sulfur Dioxide

Irritates lungs & contributes to acid rain and smog

Burning of fossil fuels in power plants & automobiles

Nitrogen Dioxide

Reduces delivery of oxygen to body tissues; impairs vision reflexes

Automobile ExhaustCarbon Monoxide

EffectsMajor SourcesAir Pollutant

Acid RainAcid Rain

• How does Acid Rain form?– Forms when pollutants

such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water vapor in the air

• The resulting acid precipitation can fall as rain or snow

Acid Rain (Cont.)Acid Rain (Cont.)

• Unlike normal rain, which has a pH of 6, Acid Rain has a pH of 5– It harms both plant and

animal life– It also harms forest by

stripping away vital nutrients from the soil.

THE WATER CYCLETHE WATER CYCLE

What is the Water Cycle?

What are the processes?

Where does the water go?

Contaminated Contaminated GroundwaterGroundwater

• Groundwater contamination is any Groundwater contamination is any addition of undesirable substances to addition of undesirable substances to groundwater by human activities. groundwater by human activities.

• Contaminant sources in urban areas Contaminant sources in urban areas include gas stations, dry cleaners, include gas stations, dry cleaners, garbage dumps, snow-disposal garbage dumps, snow-disposal dumps, and industrial sites.dumps, and industrial sites.

RUNOFFRUNOFF

• Surface runoff is one Surface runoff is one of the causes of of the causes of erosionerosion of the earth's surface. of the earth's surface.

• It is instead forced It is instead forced directly into streams directly into streams or storm water runoff or storm water runoff drains, where drains, where erosionerosion and and siltationsiltation can be major can be major problems, even when problems, even when flooding is not. flooding is not.

• Increased runoff Increased runoff reduces reduces groundwatergroundwater recharge, thus lowering recharge, thus lowering the the water tablewater table and and making making droughtsdroughts worse, worse, especially for farmersespecially for farmers and others who and others who depend on depend on water wellswater wells..

FloodwaterFloodwater

• Major storms, such as hurricanes, fill Major storms, such as hurricanes, fill streets with flooded water. streets with flooded water.

• This will contaminate the water, This will contaminate the water, harming the plants and animals. harming the plants and animals.

• Humans depend on plants and Humans depend on plants and animals for food. animals for food.

ConclusionsConclusions

• Our wetlands are affected by many Our wetlands are affected by many forms of pollution. We need to find forms of pollution. We need to find ways to prevent, or restrict this.ways to prevent, or restrict this.

• We need our wetlands to filter our We need our wetlands to filter our waters, keep soil in place, and waters, keep soil in place, and provide fish and game.provide fish and game.

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Heavy fines on businesses and farms that Heavy fines on businesses and farms that pollute our wetlands, water, and air.pollute our wetlands, water, and air.

• Plant vegetation in areas where erosion is a Plant vegetation in areas where erosion is a problem.problem.

• Ensure that boats coming in to port are Ensure that boats coming in to port are cleaned of plant matter right away.cleaned of plant matter right away.

• Prevent the sale of invasive plants/animals.Prevent the sale of invasive plants/animals.• Use prescribed burns to destroy invasive Use prescribed burns to destroy invasive

plants and bring back native species.plants and bring back native species.

ReflectionsReflections

• We learned that Earth System Science We learned that Earth System Science involves the interaction between the involves the interaction between the spheres and that pollution relates to spheres and that pollution relates to every sphere group.every sphere group.

• We learned that group work is We learned that group work is important in Problem Based Learning, important in Problem Based Learning, and that each person must do their and that each person must do their share of the work. One person cannot share of the work. One person cannot do all the work.do all the work.

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%2Bframe.jpg>.%2Bframe.jpg>.

Bibliography (continued)Bibliography (continued)• www.fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp/History.htmwww.fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp/History.htm• www.soil.ncsu.edu/assist/Wetlands/www.soil.ncsu.edu/assist/Wetlands/• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planethttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planet

s/earth/Watercycle.shtmls/earth/Watercycle.shtml• http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/ottawa/groundwater_e.phphttp://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/ottawa/groundwater_e.php • http://www.clw.csiro.au/cecr/images/groundwater.jpghttp://www.clw.csiro.au/cecr/images/groundwater.jpg• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aquifershttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aquifers

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• www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/glossary/www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/glossary/S.htmS.htm

• www.knowledgebank.lrri.org/glossary/Glossary/O.htmwww.knowledgebank.lrri.org/glossary/Glossary/O.htm• www.knowledgebank.lrri.org/glossary/Glossary/M.htmwww.knowledgebank.lrri.org/glossary/Glossary/M.htm• www.botany.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/facts/erosion.htmwww.botany.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/facts/erosion.htm• www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/shoreline_erosion.htmlwww.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/shoreline_erosion.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_runoff#_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_runoff#_note-2• "Chowan Basinwide Water Quality." "Chowan Basinwide Water Quality." Chowan Basinwide Chowan Basinwide

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AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• Class Instructors:Class Instructors:– Mrs. FowlkesMrs. Fowlkes

– Dr. BottiDr. Botti– Dr. PringleDr. Pringle– Dr. PorterDr. Porter

– Dr. RossbachDr. Rossbach– Mrs. NobleMrs. Noble

– Ms. StamperMs. Stamper– All the members of our groupAll the members of our group