213
trations which could be a limiting factor for
plant and animal growth.
10. Aerobic horizons (aerial and aerobic water
and soil) are certainly dominated by photosynthesis and aerobic respiration with water
as the major electron donor and oxygen as
the terminal electron acceptor in respiration.
11. Phosphorus is one of the most important limiting chemicals in ecosystems. Wetlands are
no exception. It is a major limiting nutrient
particularly in Asian wetlands leading to
large-scale growth of weeds and eutrophication of the wetlands. It is also a limiting nutrient in northern bogs, freshwater marshes, etc.
However, P is an important mineral in other
types of wetlands, e.g. agricultural wetlands.
In such wetlands, it may not be considered as
a limiting factor because of its relative abundance and biochemical stability.
12. The inputs of materials into wetlands generally occur through geologic, hydrologic and
biologic pathways. Further, a quantitative
description of the inputs, outputs and internal cycling of materials in an ecosystem is
called an ‘ecosystem mass balance’.
13. Wetland soils and overlying water occur over
a wide range of pH.
14. In many wetlands, human influence has caused
significant changes in the chemical cycling.
Suggested Readings
Boon PI (1999) Carbon cycling in Australian wetlands:
the importance of methane. Verhandlungen
Internationale Vereinigung für Limnologie 27:1–14
Clymo RS (1983) Peat. In: Gore AJP (ed) Ecosystems of
the world, vol 4A: Mires: Swamp, Bog, Fen, and
Moor. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 159–224
Crill PM, Bartlett KB, Harriss RC, Gorham E, Verry ES,
Sebacher DI, Madzar L, Sanner W (1988) Methane
flux from Minnesota peatlands. Global Biogeochem
Cycles 2:371–384
Faulkner SP, Richardson CJ (1989) Physical and chemical
characteristics of freshwater wetland soils. In: Hammer
DA (ed) Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, pp 41–72
Gambrell RP, Patrick WH Jr (1978) Chemical and microbiological properties of anaerobic soils and sediment.
In: Hook DD, Crawford RMM (eds) Plants life in
anaerobic environments. Ann Arbor Science, Ann
Arbor, pp 375–423
Greenwood DJ (1961) The effect of oxygen concentration
on the decomposition of organic materials in soil.
Plant Soil 14:360–376
Immirzi CP, Maltby E, Clymo RS (1992) The global
status of peatlands and their role in carbon cycling.
Wetland Ecosystems Research Group, Department of
Geography, University of Exeter, pp 145. Prepared for
Friends of the Earth, London
Johnston CA (1991) Sediment and nutrient retention by
freshwater wetlands: effects on surface water quality.
Crit Rev Environ Control 21:491–565
Johnston CA, Detenbeck NE, Niemi GJ (1990) The
cumulative effect of wetlands on stream water quality
and quantity: a landscape approach. Biogeochemistry
10:105–141
Mitsch WJ, Wu X (1995) Wetlands and global change. In:
Lal R, Kimble J, Levine E, Stewart BA (eds) Advances
in soil science: soil management and greenhouse effect.
CRC Press/Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, pp 205–230
Naiman RJ, Manning T, Johnston CA (1991) Beaver population fluctuations and tropospheric methane emissions in boreal wetlands. Biochemistry 12:1–15
Reddy KR, Kadlec RH, Flaig E, Gale PM (1999)
Phosphorus retention in streams and wetlands. In:
Mitsch WJ (ed) Global wetlands: old world and new.
Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 309–324
Vepraskas MJ (1995) Redoximorphic features for identifying aquic conditions. Technical bulletin 301. North
Carolina Agricultural Research Service, North
Carolina State University, Raleigh, 33 pp
Wiebe WJ, Christian RR, Hansen JA, King G, Sherr B,
Skyring G (1981) Anaerobic respiration and fermentation. In: Pomeroy LR, Wiegert RG (eds) The ecology
of a salt marsh. Springer, New York
Suggested Readings
trations which could be a limiting factor for
plant and animal growth.
10. Aerobic horizons (aerial and aerobic water
and soil) are certainly dominated by photosynthesis and aerobic respiration with water
as the major electron donor and oxygen as
the terminal electron acceptor in respiration.
11. Phosphorus is one of the most important limiting chemicals in ecosystems. Wetlands are
no exception. It is a major limiting nutrient
particularly in Asian wetlands leading to
large-scale growth of weeds and eutrophication of the wetlands. It is also a limiting nutrient in northern bogs, freshwater marshes, etc.
However, P is an important mineral in other
types of wetlands, e.g. agricultural wetlands.
In such wetlands, it may not be considered as
a limiting factor because of its relative abundance and biochemical stability.
12. The inputs of materials into wetlands generally occur through geologic, hydrologic and
biologic pathways. Further, a quantitative
description of the inputs, outputs and internal cycling of materials in an ecosystem is
called an ‘ecosystem mass balance’.
13. Wetland soils and overlying water occur over
a wide range of pH.
14. In many wetlands, human influence has caused
significant changes in the chemical cycling.
Suggested Readings
Boon PI (1999) Carbon cycling in Australian wetlands:
the importance of methane. Verhandlungen
Internationale Vereinigung für Limnologie 27:1–14
Clymo RS (1983) Peat. In: Gore AJP (ed) Ecosystems of
the world, vol 4A: Mires: Swamp, Bog, Fen, and
Moor. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 159–224
Crill PM, Bartlett KB, Harriss RC, Gorham E, Verry ES,
Sebacher DI, Madzar L, Sanner W (1988) Methane
flux from Minnesota peatlands. Global Biogeochem
Cycles 2:371–384
Faulkner SP, Richardson CJ (1989) Physical and chemical
characteristics of freshwater wetland soils. In: Hammer
DA (ed) Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, pp 41–72
Gambrell RP, Patrick WH Jr (1978) Chemical and microbiological properties of anaerobic soils and sediment.
In: Hook DD, Crawford RMM (eds) Plants life in
anaerobic environments. Ann Arbor Science, Ann
Arbor, pp 375–423
Greenwood DJ (1961) The effect of oxygen concentration
on the decomposition of organic materials in soil.
Plant Soil 14:360–376
Immirzi CP, Maltby E, Clymo RS (1992) The global
status of peatlands and their role in carbon cycling.
Wetland Ecosystems Research Group, Department of
Geography, University of Exeter, pp 145. Prepared for
Friends of the Earth, London
Johnston CA (1991) Sediment and nutrient retention by
freshwater wetlands: effects on surface water quality.
Crit Rev Environ Control 21:491–565
Johnston CA, Detenbeck NE, Niemi GJ (1990) The
cumulative effect of wetlands on stream water quality
and quantity: a landscape approach. Biogeochemistry
10:105–141
Mitsch WJ, Wu X (1995) Wetlands and global change. In:
Lal R, Kimble J, Levine E, Stewart BA (eds) Advances
in soil science: soil management and greenhouse effect.
CRC Press/Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, pp 205–230
Naiman RJ, Manning T, Johnston CA (1991) Beaver population fluctuations and tropospheric methane emissions in boreal wetlands. Biochemistry 12:1–15
Reddy KR, Kadlec RH, Flaig E, Gale PM (1999)
Phosphorus retention in streams and wetlands. In:
Mitsch WJ (ed) Global wetlands: old world and new.
Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 309–324
Vepraskas MJ (1995) Redoximorphic features for identifying aquic conditions. Technical bulletin 301. North
Carolina Agricultural Research Service, North
Carolina State University, Raleigh, 33 pp
Wiebe WJ, Christian RR, Hansen JA, King G, Sherr B,
Skyring G (1981) Anaerobic respiration and fermentation. In: Pomeroy LR, Wiegert RG (eds) The ecology
of a salt marsh. Springer, New York
Suggested Readings