Louisiana Wetlands Quiz

Are You All Wet? Take This Quiz About Louisiana's Wetlands to Find Out

Most of the wetlands in the United States have been lost. During colonial times, approximately 215 million acres of wetlands existed in what is now the lower 48 states. By the mid-1970s, only 99 million acres remained, a loss of approximately half of the original wetlands. Since 1970, 290 thousand acres have been lost.

Life in the Louisiana wetlands is diverse, mixing unique animals, plant life and people. The birds and mammals of all of North America thrive here. Diverse coastal animals like alligators, shrimp, oysters and crawfish call Louisiana's wetlands home. So do communities of every culture to be found.

Louisiana and all of America will be affected if the demise of Louisiana's wetlands should continue.

To take the quiz, read the question and then place your mouse cursor over what you think is the correct answer and we'll tell you right away if you are right.

Question #1:

Wetlands are habitats which periodically have wet, waterlogged soils or are covered with a relatively shallow layer of water.

TrueThat's right. Wetlands are located in low-lying areas where rain and groundwater help keep them saturated.You picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #2:

Saltwater marshes are more common than fresh water marshes.

TrueFalse. Freshwater marshes make up an estimated 90 percent of all wetlands. Sorry wrong answer. Guess again.

FalseYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

Question #3:

Swamps, bogs, freshwater marshes and quicksand are examples of freshwater wetlands.

TrueFalse. All are examples of freshwater wetlands except quicksand. Sorry wrong answer. Guess again.

FalseYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

Question #4:

The water level of a wetland stays about the same all year.

TrueFalse. Water levels increase during the winter because of the rain and decrease during the summer when it is dryer. Sorry wrong answer. Guess again.

FalseYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

Question #5:

Wetlands make up roughly five percent of the United States.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #6:

Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930's.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #7:

Wetlands act like a sponge, cleaning the water of impurities and pollution.

TrueTrue. Perhaps the greatest importance of a wetland to the Earth's ecosystems is that it cleans the Earth's water. You picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #8:

The soil in wetlands has very little oxygen in it.

TrueTrue. The soil in wetlands is hydric, so full of water that there is very little oxygen in it. Plants have adapted to survive. You picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #9:

Destruction of wetlands decreases the chances of severe flooding and promotes the survival of endangered species.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #10:

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita transformed 100 miles of marsh into open water in southeastern Louisiana.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #11:

Important crops can be grown in wetlands.

TrueTrue. In Louisiana, rice is grown in wetlands. Cranberries are another crop grown in American wetlands. You picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #12:

Lizards, amphibians, fish, birds, mammals, and a wide variety of insects can be found in wetlands.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #13:

Wetlands can be found all over the world.

TrueMostly true. Wetlands can be found all over the world but only where low lying lands meet water or rivers meet oceans.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #14:

Recovery of a swamp forest doesn't take long. It can happen in as little as three years.

TrueFalse. Recovery is a slow process because established seedlings can take 10 to 20 years to produce seeds that ultimately sustain the habitat type. Sorry wrong answer. Guess again.

False You picked the right answer! Try another one.

Question #15:

People often view wetlands as worthless. Wetlands are sometimes drained and filled for development; others are polluted from dumping.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #16:

Because they are often located between water bodies and high ground, wetlands buffer shorelands against erosion.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #17:

Nearly 5,000 different plants may live as wetlands vegetation.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #18:

Wetlands are just that - land that is constantly under water.

TrueFalse. Wetlands are covered by shallow water at least part of the year but not all year long. Sorry wrong answer. Guess again.

FalseYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

Question #19:

Louisiana's wetlands today represent about 40 percent of the wetlands of the continental United States, but about 80 percent of the losses.

TrueYou picked the right answer! Try another one.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

Question #20:

Louisiana's three million acres of wetlands are lost at the rate about 75 square kilometers annually.

TrueYou picked the right answer! See how you did below.

FalseSorry wrong answer. Guess again.

How did you do on the quiz?

If you are a teacher and would like a hard copy or you had trouble taking the quiz online, we have provided a PDF file for download here.

The Delta Chapter is 3,000 of your neighbors supporting the work of the Sierra Club in Louisiana. We advance the cause of protecting Louisiana's environment in a variety of ways, including lobbying the state legislature in Baton Rouge, sponsoring a Mercury Public Education Campaign, raising public awareness about climate change, and working to keep the Atchafalaya Basin, America's greatest river swamp, wet and wild. In addition, we encourage our members to get outside and enjoy our beautiful planet.

The Sierra Club's members and supporters are more than 1.3 million of your friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

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