Subsurface Biogeochemical Processes in Coastal Wetlands - Impacts on Water Quality
Abstract
Wetland ecosystems are globally important and provide multiple ecosystem services (water quality improvement, nutrient retention, flood control, fisheries, tourism and recreation). These systems and particularly coastal wetlands are, however, comparatively understudied and underrepresented in subsurface biogeochemical models yet processes in the subsurface directly affect groundwater and surface water quality with implications to humans and the natural environment. To address this critical knowledge-gap our objective is to develop a mechanistic understanding and ability to model the coupled hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes controlling water quality in wetlands and the implications of these processes for watersheds commonly found in coastal regions of the United States. Work proposed here will take place at representative sites in Elkhorn Slough a coastal wetland in California. These sites represent a range of conditions representative of tidal and impounded coastal wetlands with different nutrient loads and can provide a complete and broadly representative mechanistic understanding of subsurface processes that will allow for model application in diverse wetlands. We specifically identified two common thematic knowledge gaps that inhibit ability to predict controls on water quality: (1) in-depth understanding of the molecular-scale biogeochemical processes that affect C, N, Fe, and S and contaminant speciation in the subsurface, and (2) in-depth understanding of hydrologically driven biogeochemical controls on the mass transfer of C, N, Fe, S and contaminants. We will conduct field studies to shed light on specific biogeochemical processes and the impact of hydrological controls and incorporate the results in a hydro-biogeochemistry reaction-transport-model.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 09, 2020
- Source ID
- W911NF2010101
Entities
People
- Adina Paytan
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of California, Santa Cruz