Freshwater wetland management

(a) Describe the role of wetlands as a water resource.(b) Evaluate the effectiveness of the management strategies

that have been adopted in a major wetland.

Wetlands

Areas that are regularly saturated by surface water or groundwater, including freshwater marshes, swamps and bogs. [IB Guide]

Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres. [Article 1.1 of the Ramsar Convention text]. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvYj6MM5qtM

Watch the above video and make notes on:

the importance of wetlands the consequences of wetland destruction

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2nd February each year to mark the Day the Convention on Wetlands was adopted in the Iranian City of Ramsar in 1971.

Use the link below to fill in the grid which follows:

http://www.water.ncsu.edu/watershedss/info/wetlands/values.html

Factor 50 word summary of the importance.

Water Quality

Water Supply

Flood Protection

Erosion Control

Fish & Wildlife

Recreation/Culture /Science

(Geogpod)

Management

Using www.garsidej.wordpress.com build up a case study of the issues surrounding the Kissimmee - Evaluate the effectiveness of the management strategies that have been adopted in Florida USA.

Watch the video below to get an idea about the Kissimmee River

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGxYacXM1SU

Us the link below to gather facts and information concerning the Kissimmee River.

http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Portals/44/docs/FactSheets/Kissimmee_FS_February2017_web.pdf

Watch the video clip and note down the key areas of progress:

https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvSZWgIsXdc

Biodiversity under threat – Freshwater wetlands in the East Anglian Fens (Geofile)

https://www.kerboodle.com/system/images/W1siZiIsIjIwMTQvMDcvMjQvMTAvNDMvNDUvOTAzL0dGNjMxX0FRQS5wZGYiXV0/GF631%20AQA.pdf

Exam practice

“Wetland management strategies are never a complete success.” Discuss this statement, with reference to one named major wetland. [10 marks]

Mark scheme

Responses should clearly name, describe and locate one relevant major wetland. If more than one wetland is referred to, credit only the first.

Major wetlands include, for example, the Kissimee, the Mississippi Delta, the Norfolk Broads, but not small-scale ponds (award up to [6 marks] for an inappropriate scale of study if the discussion is good).

Kissimmee River

Strategies (there should be at least two included) should be clearly outlined with respect to why they were needed and what their aims were. Strategies can then be evaluated in terms of how successful they have been (or not). Good answers may approach the strategies from different perspectives (eg biodiversity, human water security, tourism, etc).

Answers that do not refer to a specific wetland should not proceed further than band C.

At band D, responses should describe one or more strategies for a major named wetland, and may assert success/failure.

For band E, there should be either greater detail of the strengths and weaknesses of a range of (at least two) strategies, or a more sophisticated discussion of the veracity of statement (but with less factual support).

At band F, expect both elements.