Wetland

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/wetland

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ecological significance?High biodiversity, critical for migratory species, significant carbon sinks (especially peatlands)
2. What is the key ecosystem services?Flood control, water purification, groundwater recharge, coastal protection, carbon sequestration
3. Why do wetlands have special plants?Wetland plants, called hydrophytes, have special features like air channels in their stems or roots that help them breathe in waterlogged soil.
4. How do wetlands help protect us from floods?Wetlands can hold a lot of water and release it slowly, so they slow down floods when it rains a lot and keep streams flowing when it’s dry.

Hydrophytes: Plants adapted to grow in waterlogged or saturated soil conditions.
Anaerobic Conditions: Environments lacking oxygen, common in saturated wetland soils.
Ecosystem Services: The benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems.
Ramsar Convention: An international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.