Audit expert: Yang Yanhui
Beijing Haidian Water Ecological Construction and Development Co., Ltd. landscape senior engineer
The temperature is getting warmer, everything is recovering, the mountains and rivers are unloading the dullness of winter, and the green buds and blooming flowers announce the arrival of spring.
Source: Beijing Daily
The Qingming holiday has arrived, if you want to feel the beauty of spring, but also hope to be able to play while learning popular science knowledge, then you might as well go to these wetlands in Beijing to take a walk and see more abundant and beautiful nature.
Wetlands, also known as the "kidneys of the earth", not only play a very important role in regulating the ecology, but also contain biodiversity. Spring is the time of year when wetlands come alive and make them a great place to learn about flora and fauna.
Why are wetlands called the "kidneys of the earth"?
Wetlands cover only 6% of the Earth's surface, but provide habitat for 20% of the planet's known species, and are not only home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, but also natural reservoirs on land, in addition to extracting groundwater, our freshwater source is mainly provided by wetlands.
At the same time, wetlands also have the functions of climate regulation, water conservation, flood diversion and peak reduction, land desiltation, and pollutant degradation.
Source: China Railway 18th Bureau Group Co., Ltd
Broadly speaking, all large areas of water on the earth, except for the ocean (more than 6 meters deep), can be called wetlands, so they can be called "wetlands" from small rice fields and ponds to large lakes and swamps.
What science do you have the opportunity to learn about wetlands?
Since it has the titles of "cradle of life", "paradise of birds", "species gene bank" and so on, wetlands have also become one of the best "outdoor classrooms" for us to study science in spring with their biodiversity.
Every year during Bird Week in April, you can often see a variety of birds in the wetlands that were rarely seen in the past. In addition to animals, there are also a variety of plants in the wetlands: marsh-type calamus and alocasia, cattails and reeds that stand up for water, water lilies and prunopus grasses that float in the floating type, duckweed and manjianghong, and important submerged plants such as bitter grass, goldfish algae, foxtail algae, black algae, etc.
Source: China Weather
So, what are the scientific highlights of wetlands in spring? Let's take a look~
01
The "Great Gathering" of Birds
Wetlands cover about 6% of the Earth's land area, but more than 40% of the world's species depend on wetlands to thrive, and it is because of this abundance of life that we have the opportunity to see animals in wetlands that are rarely seen in ordinary times.
Source: Hanshiqiao Wetland
Heron, Ruddy-winged Duck, Mallard...... When you walk in the wetlands, these animals may be bathing in the same sunlight as you, and seeing these rare animals and observing their habits is not more direct than seeing them in a book?
02
The real version of "SpongeBob SquarePants"
In the wetlands, there is an interesting plant that can absorb a lot of water, even up to 18 times its weight, just like SpongeBob SquarePants in the cartoon, and this interesting plant is the sphagnum moss.
Source: Baidu
Sphagnum moss with a length of 10-20 cm and a dry weight of about 4 grams can easily absorb a whole bottle of 500 ml of mineral water with only about 80 pieces.
03
Wetland Regulars – Reeds
Reeds occupy an important ecological position in wetlands and provide important habitats for biodiversity. They are highly adaptable plants that can grow in different soil and water environments, which not only enriches the living space of birds, but also increases food source plants (those that can provide food resources for animals), and further improves the living environment of wild animals and plants through ecological water replenishment, ensuring water sources and improving water quality.
Source: The Paper
The reed plant is tall, the stalk height can reach 2-6 meters and form an upright state, the reed stalk is hollow and tough, the reed leaves of about 30 cm are long and thin, and the reed can be used to make woven products, paper, roof covering materials, etc., and also has strong economic value.
If you have the opportunity, you can also weave your own handicraft from the reeds and make unforgettable memories of this holiday.
What wetlands can you see without leaving Beijing?
01
Olympic Forest Park Dieshui Huatai Wetland
There is such a wetland in the Olympic Forest Park, this wetland has reeds, cattails, sedges and cannas, as well as waterfalls, wooden boardwalks and other landscape settings, not only can you observe aquatic plants up close, but also is a good place to take pictures.
Source: Beijing News Network
02
National Arboretum
The National Botanical Garden brings together all kinds of plants at home and abroad, and is a treasure trove of popular science of flowers and plants. Here you can enjoy a variety of exotic flowers and plants, and learn about their growth habits, distribution areas and ecological values.
Source: National Arboretum
03
Daxing Nanhaizi Wetland Park
One of the four major country parks in Beijing and the largest wetland park in Beijing...... With a total area of more than 11 square kilometers, Nanhaizi has many titles, not only for the variety of plants, but also for some wild animals.
来源|搜狐
04
Shunyi Han Stone Bridge Wetland
Located in Shunyi District, Beijing, it is the largest reed swamp wetland in Beijing. Here, visitors can observe a variety of birds, including herons, egrets, mallards, kingfishers, as well as insects such as dragonflies and butterflies. Hanshiqiao Wetland Park is also an important transit point for migratory birds.
Source | Shunyi District Culture and Tourism Bureau
There are so many wetlands, so will it cause damage to the wetland environment when we go to see them? These "outdoor classrooms" are all wetland function exhibition areas, which are planned and constructed to let the public know more about wetlands and improve their scientific quality. At the same time, in order to protect the "kidneys of the earth", wetland core protection areas have also been set up in various places, which are also the "big community" where animals and plants live.
Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, more than 2,300 hectares of wetlands have been restored, writing a vivid practice of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Therefore, even if we come to the exhibition area to visit, we should pay attention to the "beauty of distance" with wild animals and plants, observe wild animals from afar, and contribute to the protection of the ecological environment of the wetland.
In the "Living-Living" exhibition hall of the Beijing Science Center, the "Life" exhibition hall shows the formation, growth and development of life on the earth.
If you want to accumulate some knowledge before participating in outdoor classes, you can also go to the website of the Beijing Science Center to make an appointment to visit the "Three Living" exhibition hall to explore the scientific mysteries of life, survival and life.