Review of Biogeochemistry

Question 1

Treatment wetlands

Answer 1

Wetlands which improve

water quality

Question 2

Wetlands can be

Answer 2

–Sinks
–Sources
–Transformers
for many chemicals

Question 3

Biogeochemistry

can be divided into

Answer 3

1. Intrasystem cycling
2. Chemical exchange
   wetland ↔ surrounding

Question 4

Wetlands can be an inorganic nutrient SINK:

Answer 4

• Net retention of an element or a specific
form of that element

• Input > output
• Primarily through hydrological pathways

• Biologically mediated imports from the
atmosphere:
- Carbon
- Nitrogen

•Long term sustainability?
Can become saturated with certain chemicals if loading rates are high

Question 5

Wetlands can be a
SOURCE of total
nutrients:

Answer 5

• Export more of an element to adjacent
ecosystems than would occur without the
wetland

• Hydrological pathway
• Long term burial of chemicals in sediment

• Biologically mediated exports to the
atmosphere:
- Carbon
- Nitrogen

Question 6

Wetlands as
TRANSFORMER of
inorganic nutrients to organic
nutrients:

Answer 6

• A wetland changes the form of the
element

• No net change from the amount going
in or out

• Exchange of various pools of chemicals
within a wetland
- Litter production
- Remineralization
- Translocation

Question 7

The goal of treatment

wetlands is to

Answer 7

OPTIMIZE the wetland’s ability to SERVE AS A CHEMICAL (and sometimes BIOLOGICAL) SINK