The Biology of Freshwater Wetlands (Biology of Habitats Series)

Global wetlands exhibit significant differences in both hydrology and species composition and range from moss-dominated arctic peatlands to seasonally-flooded tropical floodplains. They are increasingly recognized for the important services that they provide to both the environment and human society such as wildlife and fish production, nutrient filtering, and carbon sequestration. A combination of low oxygen levels and dense plant canopies present particular challenges for organisms living in this aquatic habitat. This concise textbook discusses the universal environmental and biological features of wetland habitats, with an emphasis on wetland plants and animals and their adaptations. It also describes the functional features of wetlands - primary production, litter decomposition, food webs, and nutrient cycling - and their significance locally and globally. The future of wetlands is examined, including the potential threats of global climate change and invasive species, as well as their restoration and creation. This new edition maintains the structure and style of the first, but is fully updated throughout with new chapters on invasive species, restoration/creation, global climate change, and the value of wetlands. Cover 1 Contents 6 Preface to the second edition 10 Preface to the first edition 12 Abbreviations 15 1 Introduction 16 1.1 What is a wetland? 16 1.2 Wetland classification 21 1.3 Wetland inventories 24 1.4 Summary 26 1.5 Practical experiments and observations 26 1.5.1 Wetland classification 27 2 Water and Soil 28 2.1 Physical and chemical properties of water 29 2.2 Wetland hydrology 37 2.3 Secondary gradients 46 2.4 Hydric soils 48 2.4.1 Soil genesis 48 2.5 Summary 56 2.6 Practical experiments and observations 57 2.6.1 Water levels 57 2.6.2 Water chemistry 58 2.6.3 Temperature and oxygen gradients 58 2.6.4 Redox 58 2.6.5 Hydric soils 59 3 Microorganisms and Invertebrates 60 3.1 Microorganisms 61 3.1.1 Bacteria 62 3.1.2 Fungi 64 3.1.3 Algae 66 3.2 Invertebrates 70 3.2.1 Aquatic insects 71 3.3 Summary 80 3.4 Practical experiments and observations 80 3.4.1 Wetland algae 80 3.4.2 Wetland invertebrates 81 4 Wetland Plants and Animals 84 4.1 Wetland plants 86 4.1.1 Internal gas-space continuum 92 4.1.2 Heterophylly 99 4.1.3 Clonal growth 102 4.2 Birds 104 4.3 Fish 109 4.4 Amphibians, reptiles, and mammals 113 4.5 Summary 118 4.6 Practical experiments and observations 118 4.6.1 Macrophyte adaptations 118 4.6.2 Seed banks 119 4.6.3 Wetland birds 120 4.6.4 Wetland fish 120 5 Spatial and Temporal Patterns 121 5.1 Coenoclines 121 5.2 Spatial patterns 125 5.2.1 Coenocline development 128 5.2.2 Fire 134 5.3 Temporal patterns 134 5.3.1 Macro-succession 134 5.3.2 Micro-succession 137 5.3.3 Micro-succession versus fluctuations 141 5.4 Development of wetland landscapes 143 5.5 Summary 146 5.6 Practical experiments and observations 148 5.6.1 Gradient analysis 148 5.6.2 Sediment cores 149 6 Wetland Functions 150 6.1 Primary production 151 6.2 Food webs 160 6.3 Litter decomposition 168 6.4 Nutrient cycling 174 6.4.1 The carbon cycle 175 6.4.2 Nitrogen and sulfur cycling 180 6.4.3 Phosphorus cycling 182 6.5 Summary 184 6.6 Practical experiments and observations 185 6.6.1 Primary production 185 6.6.2 Invertebrates and litter decomposition 185 6.6.3 Methane production 186 7 Invasive Species 188 7.1 What makes a species invasive? 190 7.1.1 Landscape sink or disturbance hypothesis 190 7.2 Superior competitor hypothesis 192 7.2.1 Enemy release 192 7.2.2 Broader tolerance 193 7.2.3 Efficient use 194 7.2.4 Hybrid vigor 195 7.2.5 Allelopathy 196 7.2.6 Empty niche 196 7.2.7 Invasive animal species 197 7.3 What effect do exotic species have on wetlands? 201 7.4 What should be done to control invasive species? 204 7.5 Summary 207 7.6 Practical observations 208 8 Restoration and Creation 209 8.1 Definitions 209 8.2 Restoration and succession 214 8.3 Environmental restoration 216 8.4 Biological restoration 217 8.4.1 Plant materials 218 8.4.2 Invasive species 220 8.4.3 Suitable establishment conditions 221 8.5 Restoration planning 221 8.5.1 Project goals 222 8.5.2 Site selection and evaluation 224 8.5.3 Restoration plan 226 8.5.4 Implementation 226 8.5.5 Monitoring 227 8.5.6 Project evaluation and management 227 8.6 How successful are wetland restorations? 229 8.7 Post-project management 231 8.8 Summary 231 9 Global Climate Change 233 9.1 Wetlands and the global carbon budget 234 9.2 Impacts of climate change 239 9.2.1 Species composition 240 9.2.2 Migration and extinction 242 9.3 Indirect effects 243 9.3.1 Prairie potholes 246 9.3.2 Louisiana coastal mashes 247 9.4 Summary 254 9.5 Practical experiments and observations 255 10 The Value and Future of Wetlands 256 10.1 Functions, services, and values 258 10.2 Protection and conservation 264 10.3 Future of wetlands 268 Glossary 270 A 270 B 270 C 270 D 270 E 270 F 271 G 271 H 271 L 271 M 271 N 272 O 272 P 272 R 272 S 272 T 273 W 273 Z 273 Bibliography 274 Index 290 A 290 B 290 C 290 D 291 E 291 F 291 G 292 H 292 I 292 K 292 L 292 M 293 N 293 O 293 P 293 R 294 S 294 T 295 U 295 V 295 W 295 Z 295 "This concise textbook discusses the universal environmental and biological features of wetland habitats, with an emphasis on wetland plants and animals and their adaptations. It also describes the functional features of wetlands -- primary production, litter decomposition, food webs, and nutrient cycling and their significance locally and globally. The future of wetlands is examined, including the potential threats of global climate change and invasive species, as well as their restoration and creation."--Provided by publisher A concise, easy to read introduction for anyone working in the field of wetland ecology. Besides updating and expanding the material in all chapters of the first edition, the second edition includes new chapters on global climate change, invasive species, and restoration and creation.