Wetlands Quotes

[Julian Gladyshev]

For many of us, water simply flows from a faucet, and we think little about it beyond this point of contact. We have lost a sense of respect for the wild river, for the complex workings of a wetland, for the intricate web of life that water supports.

Im a strong proponent of the restoration of the wetlands, for a lot of reasons. Theres a practical reason, though, when it comes to hurricanes: The stronger the wetlands, the more likely the damage of the hurricane.

I look at it this way... For centuries now, man has done everything he can to destroy, defile, and interfere with nature: clear-cutting forests, strip-mining mountains, poisoning the atmosphere, over-fishing the oceans, polluting the rivers and lakes, destroying wetlands and aquifers... so when nature strikes back, and smacks him on the head and kicks him in the nuts, I enjoy that. I have absolutely no sympathy for human beings whatsoever. None. And no matter what kind of problem humans are facing, whether it's natural or man-made, I always hope it gets worse.

Humans are an infant species, a mere 150,000 years old. But, armed with a massive brain, we've not only survived, we've used our wits to adapt to and flourish in habitats as varied as deserts, Arctic tundra, tropical rainforests, wetlands and high mountain ranges.

Today, our incentives aren't set up well - you can make a lot of money burning fossil fuels, digging up wetlands, pumping fossil water out of aquifers that will take 10,000 years to recharge, overfishing species in international waters that are close to collapse, and so on.

The "developed" nations had given to the "free market" the status of a god, and were sacrificing to it their farmers, farmlands, and communities, their forests, wetlands, and prairies, their ecosystems and watersheds. They had accepted universal pollution and global warming as normal costs of doing business.

The number of people displaced by dams is estimated at between 40 million and 80 million, most of them in China and India. The costs of dams were on average 50% above their original estimate. Some designed to reduce flooding made it worse, and there were many unexpected environmental disadvantages, including the extinction of fish and bird species. Half the world's wetlands had been lost because of dams.

A scientist with a poet's command of language, Cristina Eisenberg writes with precision and passion . . . takes her reader on a breathtaking, sometimes heartbreaking tour of the planet from the Gulf of Maine to the Amazonian rain forests, the tropical coral reefs to old growth forests of the Northwest as well as rivers, lakes, and wetlands. I found the wealth of information not only accessible but riveting . . . Eisenberg's powerful, beautifully written book . . . has the potential to open many people's eyes, minds, and hearts.

In D.C., I've passed amendments to allocate $6.3 million to keep our waterways open for business, $1 million as a down payment on our wetland restoration - our natural storm protection - and $5 million to ensure that drilling permits are reviewed thoroughly and efficiently.

Some types of environmental restoration projects are well-known; restored wetlands, for instance, or coal mine reclamation projects. Recently though, larger dam removal projects have started, a number of them in Washington state.

He imagines Owens' body dotted with saltwater reservoirs just below the skin. An entire wetland, populated with tiny fish and birds, thriving in his agitation. A species of dwarf crocodile lazing beside an artery.

Wetlands are places where land is permanently or seasonally saturated with water, forming a distinct ecosystem that is both aquatic and land-based. Although wetlands may exist wherever water collects, they often border rivers and lakes, creating spongy coastlines astir with fish, birds, and the drone of mosquitoes and dragonflies.
But wetlands are not just scenic retreats. Wetland plants trap sediment, which stabilizes shorelines. They provide a buffer against waves and storm surges. Wetlands also absorb pollutants, preventing toxic elements from flowing downstream or percolating underground. Along parts of Lake Erie, for instance, there are no longer enough wetlands to filter agricultural runoff. Nitrogen and phosphorous now flow into the lake and produce toxic algal blooms that can cover up to 300 square miles.

Across the northern United States, the Great Lakes wetlands cover approximately 35,521 square miles, about the size of Indiana. Yet this is only half their historical area. To protect what remains, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which will help clean up toxic areas, control invasive species, and restore habitat. In 2010, the initiative sought something they needed to reach these goals: a map of wetlands across the entire Great Lakes Basin that included both Canadian and U.S. sides.

Although some maps existed, differences in mapping goals and strategies between the two countries and between various interest groups had long prevented efforts to accurately chart wetlands around the entirety of the lakes.

For instance, a biologist may study how migrating geese use wetlands while an urban planner might study whether they can build a new road near that same wetland area. They both collect wetland data, but use different methods, and likely produce results that cannot be easily compared.

Salt marshes are a type of coastal wetland. They consist of areas of large grasses dispersed throughout pockets of water. This ecosystem resides in low-lying areas of open plains, and due to its connection to the sea is characterized by regular tidal flooding. Salt marshes have an extremely fertile food web, that rivals that of mid-western farming. They produce an incredible amount of biomass that is relied upon for food, shelter, and spawning by a diverse group of organisms including birds, mammals, finfish, and shellfish. Specialized plants specific to this habitat form the basis of this exponential production and are a rare sight that can survive in little other places.

In addition to the incredible habitat salt marshes provide, they also serve as a brilliant decontaminator. Salt marshes filter many pollutants including excess nutrients, sediments, and toxic contaminants from human activities. This limits the effects these pollutants have on humans, animals, and other ecosystems. For example, the excess nutrients absorbed by the marsh limits the possibility of algae blooms in coastal waters. Going along with this helpful property, the sediment absorbed by the marsh builds up over time maintaining its height at sea level, causing this ecosystem to be a great source of erosion control and protection from storm surges. They also provide this service by absorbing floodwater, and then slowly releasing this excess water over time limiting its impact. Overall, salt marshes are regulators for the environment, keeping other ecosystems healthy, as well as providing safety for humans.

Speaking of humans, salt marshes provide many valuable services for us. Salt marshes are extremely important for commercial fishing. Two-thirds of commercially valuable bait worms, fish, and shellfish use these marshes at some point during their lifetime. The health of these wetlands is tied directly to the livelihoods of many who make their living from the sea. These marshes also add great aesthetic beauty to landscapes, and can actually increase the property values of nearby communities. In addition, they serve as a plentiful source of recreation, providing a site for hunting, fishing, clamming, boating, and bird-watching. Finally, the great ecological diversity of this ecosystem makes it an ideal educational spot and field trip location.

My PhD student Jayne Hanford has been super busy this year. Not much more than a year into her candidature and she has already locked away a summer of research and has been presenting her findings at conferences here in Australia as well as overseas.

After recently sharing our research at the Society for Wetland Scientists Annual Conference held in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA and the Mosquito Control Association of Australia conference on the Gold Coast, Jayne is off to China for the 10th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference.

Her research is focused on understanding the links between wetland vegetation, aquatic biodiversity and mosquito populations. Better understanding of these links will assist management strategies that minimise actual and potential pest and public health risks associated with mosquitoes and urban wetlands.

#MosquitoWeek has just happened in the U.S. and as it coincided with the close of entries with the Entomological Society of America YouTube competition, I thought what better time to play around with putting together a video.

There is little doubt mangroves are an ecologically important habitat. They provide a home for a wide range of creatures, from bacteria to birds. Rich in nutrients and hiding places, mangroves are perfect nurseries for fish and crustaceans. Bird and bats and rodents and reptiles all find a home here too.

The encroachment of mangroves into saltmashes is a serious problem. This is happening in many parts of the world. It is a strange situation in which one native plant is taking over another and with these ecological shifts, there are knock-on effects to other components of the wetland ecosystem. Most importantly, nesting and feeding shorebirds.

Urban runoff reduces the salinity of these wetlands and this reduced salinity not only removes the ecological advantages of salt-tolerent saltmarsh plants, such as Sarcocornia quinqueflora and Sporobolus virginicus, but it helps mangrove seeds and seedlings survive the otherwise harsh environmental conditions of saltmarshes. Lower the salinity, increase the invasive potential of mangroves.

Filling in wetlands and the construction of seawalls, roadways and other infrastructure give saltmarshes little refuge or respite from these threats. While mangroves encroach from the sea, there is nowhere for saltmarshes to migrate to when dealing with sea level rise.

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