You wash in it, you cook with it, you drink it and you could not last a week without it. What is it? Water.
It is one of the most precious substances around and almost everything from the tiniest microbe to the tallest tree needs it. This amazing substance is made out of two gases – oxygen and hydrogen (H20).
Visit the Aqua Chamber to see how water moves around the planet and touches the lives of humans, animals and plants. For example – did you know that a tomato plant drinks around 2 litres of water a day – the same amount as an average adult!
Water, water everywhere!
Water moves around the planet, evaporating and falling back down to Earth in a cycle. Plants are very important to the water cycle as they help to move water from the ground into the air. In a continual process, water flows into a plant’s roots and is forced upwards into the stem and the leaves where it evaporates into the atmosphere. This is known as transpiration.
The first plants on Earth evolved in water. Today water covers over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, so perhaps it is not surprising that more oxygen is produced by plants in the sea than by all the rainforests in the world.
Although no plant can live without any water, some plants have adapted to survive in areas where water is very scarce. Succulents, including cacti, can store water in their stems, leaves and roots to use during droughts.
Pond Life
The pond is a micro-world made up of mini-habitats where plants and animals live. Just like the rest of the planet, the creatures that live in ponds depend upon each other to survive, and especially on the plants that make life in the pond possible. Most plants are rooted to the bottom, but some have no roots and receive all the nutrients they need from the water. Some of the more interesting varieties of plants and animals you will find in the pond include:
Water Lilies – live on the surface, but they like to have their roots deep down in the rich soil.
The Great Water Boatman – swims upside down hunting for fish, tadpoles or insects.
The Great Diving Beetle – when underwater it breathes air trapped under its wing cases.
Floating Fairy Moss – floats on the surface and carries out photosynthesis helping to provide oxygen for fish and underwater insects.
Wonderful Wetlands
Whether it is a river, the coast, marshes, lakes, ponds, estuaries, bogs or fens, most of us live near water. These ‘wetlands’ are one of our most important resources.
Wetlands are also important habitats for wildlife. Around 40% of the world’s known species of plants and animals live in or near water. Without wetlands we would not have fish, seafood, rice, palm oil or peat for fuel, and yet they cover only 3% of the planet.
One of the really important jobs that wetland areas do is in cleaning and storing water. One acre of wetland can store between 1 and 1.5 million gallons of floodwater. Wetlands also help to slow down climate changes by storing one of the main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, in plants and soil.
Wetlands Under Threat
In Britain over 20,000 square kilometres of wet ground has been lost since 1940, and nearly 7,500 ponds have been destroyed in the last 100 years. Wetlands change gradually over time and some disappear because of natural disasters such as hurricanes or droughts, but most of it is down to us humans.
Demand for water is now six times greater than 100 years ago due to population increase and the growth of big industries. Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels has also caused some habitats to disappear.
Dredging, draining and infilling of wetlands so they can be built on, or used for storing rubbish destroys valuable resources and habitats. Pollution has also contributed to over half of all freshwater species in the world becoming endangered.
What Can We Do To Help?
One of the best ways to help wetland plants and animals is by building a pond in your garden. Making a habitat for wildlife and encouraging interesting plants and animals to come and live nearby.
It is also important to make sure your litter goes in the bin. It reduces the number of landfill sites (which are often built on wetland areas) and reduces the risks to wild animals or plants.
Turning off taps and fix dripping taps will help to save litres of water every day, helping to preserve habitats and protect plants and animals. Choose environmentally friendly cleaning products and toiletries as anything that goes down the sink can end up in wetlands.