Wetland final bruh

1. Wetland Parameters (3 Required Criteria)

To be classified as a wetland, an area must have all three of these features:

Hydric Soils: Soils that are permanently or seasonally saturated, leading to anaerobic (oxygen-deficient) conditions.

Hydrophytic Vegetation: Plants adapted to live in waterlogged soils, like cattails or cypress trees.

Wetland Hydrology: Presence of water at or near the surface for a long enough period to affect the soil and support hydrophytic plants.

2. Plant Adaptations to Anaerobic Stress

Plants must survive oxygen-poor environments using two main strategies:

Avoidance Strategies: Keep oxygen in the root system.

Hypertrophied Lenticels: Swollen areas on stems that facilitate gas exchange.

Aerenchyma: Specialized air-filled channels in stems and roots.

Pneumatophores: "Cypress knees" or aerial roots that draw in oxygen.

Tolerance Strategies: Deal with the stress of anaerobic conditions.

Ethylene Production: Plants release this hormone to trigger certain growth responses.

Enzymatic Breakdown: Enzymes help break down toxic peroxides that accumulate in roots.

3. Wetland Definitions and Regulations

Definition of a Wetland: Areas with hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and wetland hydrology.

Army Corps of Engineers: Gets jurisdiction from the Rivers and Harbors Act and the Clean Water Act.

Clean Water Act: Expanded jurisdiction to "waters of the United States," including wetlands.

1987 Army Corps Wetland Delineation Manual: Defines criteria for wetland identification.

Cowardin Classification: Used by Fish and Wildlife Service for classifying wetlands.

National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Map: A visual tool that shows the location of wetlands.

4. Wetland Classification (Cowardin System)

Wetlands are classified into systems, subsystems, classes, subclasses, and modifiers.

5 Systems:

Palustrine: Inland freshwater wetlands (like marshes and swamps).

Marine: Ocean-related wetlands.

Riverine: Wetlands along rivers and streams.

Estuarine: Where rivers meet the sea (brackish water).

Lacustrine: Lake-related wetlands.

5. Hydrology and Water Budget

Water Budget: Tracks water inputs and outputs. Inputs include precipitation (P), surface inflow (Si), and groundwater inflow (Gi). Outputs include evapotranspiration (ET) and outflow.

Hydrograph: A graph showing water level changes over time, especially in response to rainfall.

Key Water Characteristics:

Duration of Wetness: How long water stays in the wetland.

Depth of Wetness: How deep the water gets.

Frequency of Wetness: How often water is present.

6. Biological Processes

Denitrification: Conversion of nitrate (NO3-) to nitrous oxide (N2O) or nitrogen gas (N2). Happens only in wetlands because anaerobic conditions are required.

Mineralization: Decomposition of organic matter, releasing nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and carbon.

Ammonification: Organic nitrogen (from dead plants/animals) is converted to ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+).

Nitrification: Occurs in two steps:

Ammonia (NH3) to Nitrite (NO2-).

Nitrite (NO2-) to Nitrate (NO3-).

Nitrification occurs in upland soils (not wetlands) because it requires oxygen.

Nitrogen Fixation: Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted into organic nitrogen by bacteria in plant roots (like legumes).

7. Chemistry Concepts

Iron Reaction (Acid Mine Drainage):

Pyrite (FeS2) reacts with oxygen and water to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and ferrous iron (Fe2+).

Wetlands can mitigate this process by neutralizing acidity and capturing metals.

8. Wetland Ecosystem Services

Wetlands provide essential ecological services, such as:

Water Quality Improvement: Filters pollutants like phosphorus, nitrogen, and heavy metals.

Flood Storage: Temporarily stores excess water during storms.

Wildlife Habitat: Provides critical habitat for fish, birds, and amphibians.

9. Autogenic vs. Allogenic Processes

Autogenic Processes: Changes within the wetland caused by internal factors (e.g., plant growth, soil development).

Allogenic Processes: Changes caused by external factors (e.g., floods, sediment deposition, climate change).