Wetlands significantly contributes to regional, national and global carbon budgets. Because prairie-pothole wetlands have 1) highly productive vegetation and 2) low rates of carbon decomposition, they are ideal systems for accumulating and storing carbon in the soil. However, because prairie-pothole wetlands are located in areas of intense agricultural activity, this important pool of stored carbon is at risk of being emitted to the atmosphere, potentially contributing to atmospheric radiative forcing. Furthermore, large uncertainties still remain in our understanding of the mechanisms that control wetland carbon cycling, the fate of carbon following wetland drainage or restoration, and the impact of climate and land-use change on carbon storage and flux in prairie-pothole wetlands. The overarching objective of this study is to improve National assessments of carbon storage and flux by developing a series of integrated models of land-use change and carbon dynamics across the Nation’s wetlands to assess major controlling process, characterize uncertainties, and develop future projections. This particular project will focus on emergent wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Typha (cattail) invasion in North American wetlands: Biology, regional problems, impacts, ecosystem services, and management
Hydrologic lag effects on wetland greenhouse gas fluxes
Terrestrial wetlands
- Overview
Wetlands significantly contributes to regional, national and global carbon budgets. Because prairie-pothole wetlands have 1) highly productive vegetation and 2) low rates of carbon decomposition, they are ideal systems for accumulating and storing carbon in the soil. However, because prairie-pothole wetlands are located in areas of intense agricultural activity, this important pool of stored carbon is at risk of being emitted to the atmosphere, potentially contributing to atmospheric radiative forcing. Furthermore, large uncertainties still remain in our understanding of the mechanisms that control wetland carbon cycling, the fate of carbon following wetland drainage or restoration, and the impact of climate and land-use change on carbon storage and flux in prairie-pothole wetlands. The overarching objective of this study is to improve National assessments of carbon storage and flux by developing a series of integrated models of land-use change and carbon dynamics across the Nation’s wetlands to assess major controlling process, characterize uncertainties, and develop future projections. This particular project will focus on emergent wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Typha (cattail) invasion in North American wetlands: Biology, regional problems, impacts, ecosystem services, and management
Typha is an iconic wetland plant found worldwide. Hybridization and anthropogenic disturbances have resulted in large increases in Typha abundance in wetland ecosystems throughout North America at a cost to native floral and faunal biodiversity. As demonstrated by three regional case studies, Typha is capable of rapidly colonizing habitats and forming monodominant vegetation stands due to traits sAuthorsSheel Bansal, Shane Lishawa, Sue Newman, Brian Tangen, Douglas Wilcox, Dennis Albert, Michael J. Anteau, Michael J Chimney, Ryann L. Cressey, Edward S. DeKeyser, Kenneth J Elgersam, Sarah A Finkelstein, Joanna Freeland, Richard Grosshans, Page E. Klug, Daniel J Larkin, Beth A. Lawrence, George Linz, Joy Marburger, Gregory B. Noe, Clint R.V. Otto, Nicholas Reo, Jennifer Richards, Curtis J. Richardson, LeRoy Rodgers, Amy J Shrank, Dan Svedarsky, Steven E. Travis, Nancy Tuchman, Arnold van der Valk, Lisamarie Windham-MyersHydrologic lag effects on wetland greenhouse gas fluxes
Hydrologic margins of wetlands are narrow, transient zones between inundated and dry areas. As water levels fluctuate, the dynamic hydrology at margins may impact wetland greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes that are sensitive to soil saturation. The Prairie Pothole Region of North America consists of millions of seasonally-ponded wetlands that are ideal for studying hydrologic transition states. Using a lAuthorsBrian Tangen, Sheel BansalTerrestrial wetlands
1. The assessment of terrestrial wetland carbon stocks has improved greatly since the First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (CCSP 2007) because of recent national inventories and the development of a U.S. soils database. Terrestrial wetlands in North America encompass an estimated 2.2 million km2, which constitutes about 37% of the global wetland area, with a soil and vegetation carbon pool of abAuthorsRandall Kolka, Carl Trettin, Wenwu Tang, Ken W. Krauss, Sheel Bansal, Judith Z. Drexler, Kimberly P. Wickland, Rodney A. Chimner, Dianna M. Hogan, Emily J. Pindilli, Brian Benscoter, Brian Tangen, Evan S. Kane, Scott D. Bridgham, Curtis J. Richardson