The Biology Of Freshwater Wetlands

by van der Valk, Arnold G.

• ISBN13: 9780198525400
• ISBN10: 0198525400
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-13
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This introduction to freshwater wetlands describes those abiotic features of wetlands that make them unique as a habitat and examines in detail the adaptations, distributions, and interactions of various organisms (microbes, invertebrates, plants, and vertebrates) that collectively form wetland ecosystems. All kinds of freshwater wetlands are covered including lacustrine, palustrine, riverine and tidal forms. The management, conservation and restoration of wetlands are also covered. This is an accessible text suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in wetland ecology as well as professional researchers in the fields of limnology and freshwater ecology requiring a concise overview of the topic.

Author Biography

Arnold van der Valk is Professor at the Department of Botany, University of Iowa, and Director of the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(12)
What is a wetland?	1	(5)
Wetland classification	6	(3)
Wetland inventories	9	(1)
Summary	10	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	10	(3)
Wetland classification	11	(2)
Wetland environments	13	(20)
Physical and chemical properties of water	14	(6)
Macrophyte canopies	20	(2)
Wetland hydrology	22	(8)
Summary	30	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	30	(3)
Water levels	30	(1)
Water chemistry	31	(1)
Temperature and oxygen gradients	32	(1)
Microorganisms and invertebrates	33	(23)
Microorganisms	34	(10)
Bacteria	34	(1)
Bacterial metabolism	34	(1)
Dissimilatory metabolism	35	(3)
Assimilatory metabolism	38	(1)
Fungi	39	(1)
Algae	40	(4)
Invertebrates	44	(8)
Aquatic insects	49	(3)
Summary	52	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	53	(3)
Wetland algae	53	(1)
Wetland invertebrates	54	(2)
Wetland plants and animals	56	(31)
Wetland plants	58	(13)
Gas-space continuum	62	(5)
Heterophylly	67	(2)
Clonal growth	69	(2)
Birds	71	(6)
Fish	77	(4)
Amphibians, reptiles, and mammals	81	(3)
Summary	84	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	85	(2)
Macrophyte adaptations	85	(1)
Seed banks	85	(1)
Wetland birds	86	(1)
Wetland fish	86	(1)
Spatial and temporal patterns	87	(22)
Spatial patterns	91	(7)
Coenocline development	92	(5)
Fire	97	(1)
Temporal patterns	98	(4)
Macro-succession	98	(3)
Fluctuation versus Micro-succession	101	(1)
Development of wetland landscapes	102	(5)
Summary	107	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	107	(2)
Gradient analysis	107	(1)
Sediment cores	108	(1)
Wetland functions	109	(27)
Primary production	109	(6)
Litter decomposition	115	(3)
Food webs	118	(5)
Nutrient cycling	123	(9)
Nitrogen and sulphur cycling	129	(2)
Phosphorus cycling	131	(1)
Summary	132	(1)
Practical experiments and observations	133	(3)
Primary production	133	(1)
Invertebrates and litter decomposition	134	(1)
Methane production	134	(2)
The future of wetlands	136	(14)
Wetland losses	137	(2)
Wetland degradation and invasive species	139	(2)
Global climate change	141	(2)
Wetland restoration	143	(6)
Summary	149	(1)
Glossary	150	(5)
Bibliography	155	(14)
Index	169