Wetland Ecology Slide 2 Wetlands lands covered with water all or
part of a year Hydric (saturated) soils saturated long enough to
create an anaerobic state in the soil horizon Hydrophytic plants
adapted to thrive in wetlands despite the stresses of an anaerobic
and flooded environment Hydrologic regime dynamic or dominant
presence of water Slide 3 Wetland Classification Chart Major
CategoriesGeneral LocationWetland types Coastal Wetlands: Marine
(undiluted salt water) Open coastShrub wetland, salt marsh,
mangrove swamp Estuarine (salt/freshwater mix) Estuaries (deltas,
lagoons) Brackish marsh, shrub wetland, salt marsh, mangrove swamp
Inland Wetlands: Riverine (associated w/ rivers and streams) River
channels and floodplains Bottomlands, freshwater marsh, delta marsh
Lacustrine (associated w/ lakes) Lakes and deltasFreshwater marsh,
shrub and forest wetlands Palustrine (shallow ponds, misc.
freshwater wetlands) Ponds, peatlands, uplands, ground water seeps
Ephemeral ponds, tundra peatland, ground water spring oasis, bogs
Slide 4 Physical/Hydrological Functions of Wetlands Flood Control
Correlation between wetland loss and downstream flooding can
capture, store, and slowly release water over a period of time
Coastal Protection Serve as storm buffers Ground Water Recharge
Water has more time to percolate through the soil Sediment Traps
Wetland plants help to remove sediment from flowing water
Atmospheric Equilibrium Can act as sinks for excess carbon and
sulfur Can return N back to the atmosphere (denitrification) Slide
5 Chemical Functions of Wetlands Pollution Interception Nutrient
uptake by plants Settle in anaerobic soil and become reduced
Processed by bacterial action Toxic Residue Processing Buried and
neutralized in soils, taken up by plants, reduced through ion
exchange Large-scale / long-term additions can exceed a wetlands
capacity Some chemicals can become more dangerous in wetlands
(Mercury) Slide 6 Mercury Chemistry Elememental mercury (Hg 0 )
Most common form of environmental mercury High vapor pressure, low
solubility, does not combine with inorganic or organic ligands, not
available for methylation Mercurous Ion (Hg + ) Combines with
inorganic compounds only Can not be methylated Mercuric Ion (Hg ++
) Combines with inorganic and organic compounds Can be methylated
CH 3 HG Slide 7 Methylation Basically a biological process by
microorganisms in both sediment and water Mono- and dimethylmercury
can be formed Dimethylmercury is highly volatile and is not
persistent in aquatic environments Influenced by environmnetal
variables that affect both the availability of mercuric ions for
methylation and the growth of the methylating microbial
populations. Rates are higher in anoxic environments, freshwater,
and low pH Presence of organic matter can stimulate growth of
microbial populations, thus enhancing the formation of
methylmercury (sounds like a swamp to me!) Slide 8 Methylmercury
Bioaccumulation Mercury is accumulated by fish, invertebrates,
mammals, and aquatic plants. Inorganic mercury is the dominate
environmental form of mercury, it is depurated about as fast as it
is taken up so it does not accumulate. Methylmercury can accumulate
quickly but depurates slowly, so it accumulates Also biomagnifies
Percentage of methylmercury increases with organisms age. Slide 9
Slide 10 Chemical Functions of Wetlands Waste Treatment High rate
of biological activity Can consume a lot of waste Heavy deposition
of sediments that bury waste High level of bacterial activity that
breaks down and neutralizes waste Several cities have begun to use
wetlands for waste treatment Slide 11 Biological Functions of
Wetlands Biological Production 6.4% of the Earths surface 24% of
total global productivity Detritus based food webs Habitat 80% of
all breeding bird populations along with >50% of the protected
migratory bird species rely on wetlands at some point in their life
95% of all U.S. commercial fish and shellfish species depends on
wetlands to some extent Slide 12 Wetland Life The Protists One
celled organisms (algae, bacteria) Often have to deal with a lack
of oxygen Desulfovibrio genus of bacteria that can use sulfur, in
place of oxygen, as a final electron acceptor Produces sulfides
(rotten-egg smell) Other bacteria important in nutrient cycling
Denitrification Slide 13 Phytoplankton Single celled Base of
aquatic food web Oxygen production CO 2 + H 2 0 H 2 CO 3 H + + HCO
3 - 2H + + CO 3 2- As CO 2 is removed from the water pH increases.
Solar Energy + CO 2 + H 2 0 C 6 H 12 O 2 + O 2 Photosynthesis:
Slide 14 General Types of Aquatic Macrophytes Submergent Plants
that grow entirely under water. Most are rooted at the bottom and
some may have flowers that extend above the water surface.
Floating-leaved Plants rooted to the bottom with leaves that float
on the water surface. Flowers are normally above water. Free
Floating Plants not rooted to the bottom and float on the surface.
Emergent herbaceous or woody plants that have the majority of their
vegetative parts above the surface of the water. Slide 15 Hydrilla
Coontail Parrotfeather Slide 16 Floating-Leaved Plants Slide 17
Free Floating Plants Slide 18 Emergent Plants Slide 19 Special
Adaptations Slide 20 Wetland Trees Wide at the base Called a
buttress Cypress Tupelo Previous Student I won this boat Slide 21
Benefits of Aquatic Plants Primary Production Wildlife Food Oxygen
Production Shelter Protection from predation for small fish Fish
Spawning Several fish attach eggs to aquatic macrophytes Some fish
build nests in plant beds Water Treatment Wetland plants are very
effective at removing nitrogen and phosphorous from polluted waters
Slide 22 Submerged macrophytes can provide shelter for young fish
as well as house an abundant food supply. Slide 23 Some fish will
attach their eggs to aquatic vegetation. Alligators also build
nests from vegetation. Slide 24 Too many plants can sometimes be a
bad thing! Block waterways Deplete Oxygen
