February 2nd is World Wetlands Day- a day to celebrate and recognize the contributions that wetlands provide to the world around us. Not only do wetland areas impact and benefit the animals and organisms that live within the ecosystem, but humans as well. Today I am going to talk about some of the ways that wetland ecosystems contribute and impact our daily lives. In Florida, the Everglades are home to many different ecosystems and contain the largest strand of sawgrass prairie and the largest protected mangrove forest in the northern hemisphere. The Everglades is also the only subtropical wilderness area in North America.
- Water Mitigation/Management
Wetland areas help to regulate and hold water which is very helpful in areas that flood or in areas of high water. The reason for this is because the plants that live within these areas are flood tolerant meaning they can take in a lot of water or are able to live in flooded areas. In Florida this is very beneficial, especially during hurricane season and the summer months when it rains a lot. The plants help to hold and process lots of water through their long root systems.
- Water Filtration
Wetland ecosystems are also responsible for helping to filter water. The way water naturally flows and seeps helps to trap and remove sediment that is contained in the water. Water filtration is an important role of wetlands, especially here in Florida because many individuals in south Florida rely on the Everglades for drinking water. Millions of individuals who reside in south Florida depend on the aquifer that is naturally filled with the runoff from the Everglades.
- Biodiversity
Wetlands help support many different types of species from small insects to big reptiles and everything in between. The diversity of species allows for healthy ecosystems, which is important to the roles (water/air filtration, carbon sequestration) wetlands play. Each organism that makes up this biodiverse ecosystem has very important roles (decomposition, habitat/shelter, and prey/predator relationships) that keep the ecosystem balanced and healthy.
- Carbon Sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the ability of an organism to hold and process carbon. Wetlands collect carbon by gathering carbon in the air through photosynthesis and acting as sediment traps for runoff. Wetlands have been shown to hold large amounts of carbon in the soil because the soil is oxygen-poor and accumulates organic matter. This helps reduce global warming and increase air quality overall. This is important to know because wetlands overall, but especially the Everglades, have been severely impacted by climate change and habitat destruction. This is one more reason to preserve wetlands.
