The Water Quality Of Freshwater Ecosystems
Healthy freshwater ecosystems are a living indicator of water quality. Develop a sense of place for these valuable natural resources.
Freshwater Ecosystems
Contributors: Mindy Block, Quality Parks President, Chris Duffner, Master Naturalist Graduate & Instructor
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Freshwater systems are permanent or periodically flooded, with with saturated soils and plant species that are adapted to wet conditions. They can be bogs, wet meadows, marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers. Bogs are acidic and often have specialized plants, such as cranberries, pitcher plants and sundews.
Marshes have herbaceous plants. Swamps are wooded/shrubby wetlands. Changes in hydrology (for example, loss of water from water usage) will a wetland succeed into an upland. Yet wetlands can transform into more woody growth; open water can fill in with floating wetland plants. Wetlands are wet and the amount of water can vary with the season. Vernal pools dry up completely and don't contain fish which is important to other species survival, such as the tiger salamander. Water quality is measured by observation and by water chemistry. |
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Soils are mucky brown or black and have a hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg) oder because they of anaerobic (lack of oxygen) conditions. Plants can be floating, or be submergent or emergent (such as cattails).
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Both freshwater and tidal wetlands are extremely important ecosystems. They have generally high productivity and support a rich biodiversity. They provide a breeding ground and nursery for numerous species of birds, waterfowl, amphibians, fish, reptiles, mammals and insects. They filter pollutants from runoff and help to cleanse the water before it seeps into the aquifers or makes its way into one of our surrounding bodies of water. Over half of the wetlands that once existed in the United States are gone. In New York State they are currently protected by two pieces of legislation: The NY State Freshwater Wetlands Act and The New York State Tidal Wetlands Act
Lakes & Ponds- Long Island has at least one fairly large, deep lake – Lake Ronkonkoma. There are a multitude of smaller ponds. The technical difference between the two is that a lake has at least some portion that is too deep for rooted vegetation. A pond has rooted vegetation across its entire span. Ponds are shallower and smaller than lakes. Lake Ronkonkoma and some of the ponds on Long Island have glacial origins – When the last continental glacier (or ice-sheet) began to melt and recede northward Large chunks of ice broke off and were buried in the glacial debris. When the ice melted in left depressions called glacial kettles. When these depressions filled with water, they became kettle lakes or ponds. There are numerous coastal plain ponds in the Central Pine Barrens region. These are not kettle ponds. They are too shallow. The water in Long Island’s ponds is actually a reflection of the water table. |
Aquatic Food Chains - include a variety of species and are partially pictured on the right. Algae is formed by algae producers (bacteria).
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Forested wetlands are fairly common in the forested head-water or source regions for Long Island’s major stream systems
as well as areas surrounding the many shallow coastal plain ponds. Coastal plain ponds occur in a variety of locations on Long Island including the pine barrens.
Riverine ecosystems - Since Long Island is fairly flat, streams are usually not fast flowing. On Long Island, portions of our major stream systems are tidal. So, depending on the tides, and the section of the river, the water can, actually, move in two directions.
More than 90% of the water in Long Island streams is the result of groundwater seepage. Pumping of groundwater from the aquifers, which is how most of Long Island obtains its “drinking water,” has resulted in lowering the water table in some areas, especially in Nassau County. This, in turn, has decreased the volume of water that enters many L.I. streams. Many smaller streams are a fraction of what they once were and many have dried up completely.
Bogs are characterized by extremely acidic water and slow decomposition which allows for an accumulating layer of peat. The peat is usually covered by living sphagnum mosses. Growing within the mat of moss and peat, may be sedges, rushes and even shrubs.
Freshwater Marshes & Wet Meadows contain grasses, sedges and rushes. There may be shrubs as well, but there are few, if any, trees. Freshwater marshes on Long Island are home to cattails, Phragmites, which is believed by most to be an invasive reed, and numerous amphibians, birds and insects.
as well as areas surrounding the many shallow coastal plain ponds. Coastal plain ponds occur in a variety of locations on Long Island including the pine barrens.
Riverine ecosystems - Since Long Island is fairly flat, streams are usually not fast flowing. On Long Island, portions of our major stream systems are tidal. So, depending on the tides, and the section of the river, the water can, actually, move in two directions.
More than 90% of the water in Long Island streams is the result of groundwater seepage. Pumping of groundwater from the aquifers, which is how most of Long Island obtains its “drinking water,” has resulted in lowering the water table in some areas, especially in Nassau County. This, in turn, has decreased the volume of water that enters many L.I. streams. Many smaller streams are a fraction of what they once were and many have dried up completely.
Bogs are characterized by extremely acidic water and slow decomposition which allows for an accumulating layer of peat. The peat is usually covered by living sphagnum mosses. Growing within the mat of moss and peat, may be sedges, rushes and even shrubs.
Freshwater Marshes & Wet Meadows contain grasses, sedges and rushes. There may be shrubs as well, but there are few, if any, trees. Freshwater marshes on Long Island are home to cattails, Phragmites, which is believed by most to be an invasive reed, and numerous amphibians, birds and insects.
Sense of Place Outdoors on Long Island
Contributors: Mindy Block, Quality Parks President and Billie Weiss, Reveal The Light Within - Master Naturalist Instructor
The way we perceive a place, interact with a place, our historical and experiential knowledge, and for us - the importance of how we experience the natural world that surrounds us, and in the knowing of this place through the seasons, what we do in a nature forms bonds
Long Island, as an island that is a long one, has miles and miles of beach front. Yet many of these beaches are restricted to the public access. Even lands that aren't private, but that are publicly purchased open spaces have limited beach access. Residents rely on private, homeowner associations, village, town, county, and federal lands for beach access (each one has varying access requirements). Maintaining enough public access to Long Island's beaches, and coastal shorelines for walking, swimming, fishing, boating is a concern of Long Islanders and well as to our tourism economy. In New York you can walk along any beach front, as long as you stay below the high tide mark. This is your public access right.
The ability to visit a public park or natural area for legal recreational pursuits. But not all public access is equal. Some public land managers restrict access to local residence by requiring a permit or charging fees. There are many parks and protected open spaces on Long Island, with rare exception, they are open to foot traffic, without a permit. These lands are usually open to vehicle or pedestrian traffic visitation during the off season as well. Special disability permits are also available. But public access can also refer to public buildings and beach access below the high tide mark. But public access can also mean being empowered to have a voice in the decisions being made about public access rights.
- knowing the seasons and personal time spent there,
- special events, activities, etc.
- something that makes the place special
- the trauma we feel when the place is violated
- what we do outdoors in natural areas increase our involvement with nature
- refer to Long Island Conservation to identify events and park resources specializing in related recreational opportunities.
Long Island, as an island that is a long one, has miles and miles of beach front. Yet many of these beaches are restricted to the public access. Even lands that aren't private, but that are publicly purchased open spaces have limited beach access. Residents rely on private, homeowner associations, village, town, county, and federal lands for beach access (each one has varying access requirements). Maintaining enough public access to Long Island's beaches, and coastal shorelines for walking, swimming, fishing, boating is a concern of Long Islanders and well as to our tourism economy. In New York you can walk along any beach front, as long as you stay below the high tide mark. This is your public access right.
The ability to visit a public park or natural area for legal recreational pursuits. But not all public access is equal. Some public land managers restrict access to local residence by requiring a permit or charging fees. There are many parks and protected open spaces on Long Island, with rare exception, they are open to foot traffic, without a permit. These lands are usually open to vehicle or pedestrian traffic visitation during the off season as well. Special disability permits are also available. But public access can also refer to public buildings and beach access below the high tide mark. But public access can also mean being empowered to have a voice in the decisions being made about public access rights.
Early ecologists understood this in their use of descriptive language to describe, inspire, and revere the natural world. In contemporary times materialism and objective science has stripped away our sense of wonder and oneness with the natural world.
“We are in a sense an extension of Mother Nature. We function optimally with organic, natural foods and clean, non-toxic environments. But unfortunately with industrialization and the desire for convenience we have gotten away from that and filled our bodies and minds with ‘stuff’ they cannot process! No matter how busy there is always time to pause for fresh air!” -- Billie Weiss, Reveal The Light Within
Studies show that people who live close to natural areas have measurably better health and well-being compared to those who don’t:
Studies show that people who live close to natural areas have measurably better health and well-being compared to those who don’t:
- In 2008, University of Michigan researchers demonstrated that, after just an hour interacting with nature, memory performance and attention spans improved by 20 percent. Researchers at the University of Kansas reported a 50 percent boost in creativity for people who were steeped in nature for a few days.
- Studies show that simply looking at a natural scene activates parts of the brain associated with balance and happiness. In a study at South Korea's Chonnam National University, fMRI scans showed that when subjects saw images of mountains, forests, and other landscapes, they experienced heightened activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus (which is linked to positive outlook and emotional stability) and the basal ganglia (an area that's been tied to the recollection of happy memories).
- A 2011 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that people who walked on an outdoor track moved at a faster pace, perceived less exertion, and experienced more positive emotions and even performed better afterwards than those who walked on an indoor treadmill. In another recent study done in Scotland, subjects who walked through a rural area viewed their to-do list as more manageable than those who walked on city streets.
- The Japanese knew that shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing," does wonderful things for the body. But now researchers at Tokyo's Nippon Medical School have quantifiable evidence: In one study, women who spent two to four hours in the woods on two consecutive days experienced a nearly 50 percent increase in the activity of cancer-fighting white blood cells.
