Ballona Wetlands

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by proj03
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Ballona Wetlands

Ballona Wallflower:(Erysimum Insulare) The Ballona Wallflower is a unique plant. It was previously thought to be no longer existant in the Wetlands. The yellow flowers are rarely seen, even though it is a native plant that was first seen in the 1900s. The people who came across the long lost Wallflower think that such discoveries highlight how important it is to continue studying the Ballona Wetlands. The flower was found in restoration dune area and its presence shows a positive shift in the habitat because it is able to once again grow these beautiful flowers that stopped growing there for years.Southern Tarplant (Centromadia parryi) The Southern Tarplant is part of the same family as sunflowers. It prospers in moist, salty habitats like grasslands and lowlands. The Southern Tarplant relies on environmental disturbances such as seasonal flooding because that is what it best grows in. It blooms from June to September. The Southern Tarplant is extremely rare, yet it is a keystone species. Many animals and organisms living in the wetlands depend on it. It has an erect stem with small, pointy, green, branches attatched to it. Lupines(Lupinus) The Lupine, also known as the flowering plant, has over two hundred species. Lupines are in a leaf shape, with soft leaves which are often green or gray. Many species have leaves with a silver tint to them. Their leaves are dense and have spikes. Inside the Lupine there is a pod with several seeds. Lupines are successful in cool climates and are becoming a cash crop. They also tend to fertilize the soil that they grow in for other plants.

Ballona Wallflower

Snowy Egret:(Egreta Thula)The Snowy Egret is an all white, slender heron with a dark bill and yellow feet. These features make it easy for the Snowy Egret to be identified. These herons mainly stay along the ocean shore and can also be found along ponds. Basically, they hang out anywhere near a marsh. Other habits of these interesting birds are that they consume fish and nest in trees.

Mosquito Fish:(Gambusia Affinis) The Mosquito FIsh are small in size and are grey in color. They are called Mosquito FIsh because they consume mosquito larvae and algae. Many of these fish can eat hundreds of larvae daily. They love to stay in sunlit parts of the marshes and they enjoy warm weather. During the winter, they hibernate. Although these fish are able to deal with changes in temperature, salinity and food supply.

Savannah Sparrow: (Passerculus Sandwichensis) The Savannah Sparrow is small and usually dark colored on top with light colors on the bottom with a yellow patch of feathers above the eye. They enjoy living in low vegitation areas, like marshes. Their diet consists of seeds and they usually consume their food in small flocks of other birds. Although, sometimes they will be seen eating alone. Interestingly, these birds use a high pitched tsss noise to call other birds.


General Information:


Ballona WetlandsBy Lianna and Nicole

The Ballona Wetlands are located in Southern California, south of Marina del Rey. It is one of the last areas of wetlands in Los Angeles. The Ballona Creek runs through the area and leads to the ocean through the Santa Monica Bay. The creek helps with flood control, and it is the main source of fresh water to the wetlands. Not much salt water enters into the marsh because of the Ballona Creek. While the creek is an important water supply, many parts of the wetlands have only rainfall to depend on. Many people are fighting to restore the Ballona Wetlands because over the years, industry and polution have been causing it harm. There are many different organisms that consider Ballona Wetlands to be their home. Birds enjoy to visit, many fish are safe there, and many organisms that help break down toxins live in the mud and plants.

Southern Tarplant


Refrences:1. "Friends of Ballona Wetlands." Friends of Ballona Wetlands. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. "Ballona Wetlands: Proposed Center in Ecological Reserve Widens Rift between State Agencies and Some Environmental Groups." Argonaut Newspaper. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. restoration-group-chronicles activities-in-ecological-reserve/3. "All About Birds." Snowy Egret, Identification,. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. lifehistory#at_nesting


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