Answer to Question 1 Hydrology refers to the characteristics of water in a soil. When the hydrology in a soil is particularly wet, free
water will be present among the soil particles. If you pick up a handful of soil in this condition and squeeze it,
water will probably drip out.
Hydrophytes are water-loving plants. Hydrophytes require much less soil oxygen than other plants, so that the
presence of excess water does not cause problems in their survival.
Hydric soils are characterized by a general lack of oxygen between the soil particles. This is caused when water
frequently or continuously fills the pores between the soil particles. Because much of the soil's color is a result
of the oxidation of metals such as iron, the absence of oxygen causes a discoloration or mottling of the soil.
This produces white, gray, or pale yellow soil coloration.
Answer to Question 2The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers defines wetland as an area that has frequent flooding or saturation, is covered
by hydrophytes, and includes hydric soils. According to this definition, wetlands exhibit all three of these characteristics:
(1) a wet hydrology, (2) hydrophytes, and (3) hydric soils.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service defines wetlands as land that is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic
systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. Under that
definition, wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: (1) supports predominantly hydrophytes
at least periodically, (2) substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil, or (3) substrate is nonsoil and
saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season each year.
The Pantanal, Brazil, seen here in flood condition, is a critical jaguar range area.
Landmarks of the Area Around the Mouth
WHAT IS THE AREA OF THE REGION SHADED IN RED?
Animated! Organisms are classified into groups according to their characteristics
A container in the shape of a right circular cylinder with no top has surface area square feet.
The diameter of a semicircle is 4 miles. What is the semicircle's area?