Background

A wetland is an ecosystem that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, and includes swamps, marshes and bogs. The water itself can be either saltwater, freshwater or brackish. Its flora is adapted to surviving in the waterlogged soils and is part of a food web that includes macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.

Ecolinc has a constructed storm water wetland harbouring its own ecosystem and the Werribee River passing close by. Serendip Sanctuary has a larger wetland derived from bore water with its own ecosystem. The type of water and human influences determine the biodiversity of these ecosystems.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge required.

Learning Intentions

In this activity students will:

• compare the physical, chemical and biological aspects of Ecolinc’s and Serendip Sanctuary’s wetlands
• learn methods for testing and analysing chemical properties of water samples
• learn how macroinvertebrates indicate water quality

Activities

The students will:

Victorian Curriculum

• Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment (VCSSU101) [1]
• Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource (VCGGK105) [2]
• Ways that flows of water connect places as they move through the environment and the ways this affects places (VCGGK106) [3]
• The quantity and variability of Australia’s water resources compared with those in other continents and how water balance can be used to explain these differences (VCGGK107) [4]
• Nature of water scarcity and the role of humans in creating and overcoming it (VCGGK108) [5]