8.4 human impacts on wetlands and mangroves

Wetlands

An area with soil submerged in water for atleast part of the year, but shallow enough for emergent plants

-wetland plants have adapted to living with roots submerged in standing water

Ecosystem services of wetlands

Provisioning: habitats for animal & plant foods

Regulating: groundwater recharge, absorb of floodwater, CO2 sequestration

Supporting: H2O filtration, pollinator habitats, nutrient cycling, pest control

Cultural: tourism revenue, fishing licenses, camping fees, education/ research

Threats to wetlands

1) Pollutants: nutrients, sediment, motor oil, pesticides, endocrine disruptors

2) Development: wetlands can be filled in or drained to be developed into homes, parking, stores, agricultural land (water diversion upstream for flood control, agriculture, or drinking water → reduce flow & dry up wetlands (Everglades))(dam contracture → reduces water sediment)

3)Overfishing: disrupts food web of wetlands

Solutions to watershed pollutants

-cover cropps

-riparian buffers

-animal manure management

-septic tank upgrades

-biological nutrient removal

-enhanced nutrient removal