Fun with Science Club®


			Can plants in a wetland tell you what birds are there? Carrie Straight 05.14.01 Conservationists and scientists have recognized the special role that wetlands have in creating a unique habitat for animals and plants. With this growing concern for the preservation of wetlands, there is a need for more information about the relationship between the animals, plants, and water of a wetland. Some researchers realized this need for information and studied the relationship between birds and wetlands. They went to different prairie potholes, and then they counted the number and different types of birds found in each pothole. They also recorded the types of plants at each pothole and other characteristics of the pothole. The researchers then asked if there was any relationship between the types of birds they found and the characteristics of the pothole. They found that the number of bird species was greater when there was more vegetation in the wetland . The researchers also found that the number of different species (called species richness by scientists) also increased in a pothole if there was more wetland habitat nearby. These findings are important for people involved in wetland restoration, preservation, and mitigation. Knowing the association between animals and their habitats will help people restore habitats beneficial for particular animals.


			Fairbairn, Steve E. and James J. Dinsmore. 2001. Local and landscape-level influences on wetland bird communities of the prairie pothole region of Iowa, USA. Wetlands 21(1): 41-47.