Students will gain the basic knowledge and skills needed to evaluate wetland ecosystem processes as governed by the interactions of hydrology, soils, vegetation, biogeochemistry, and nutrient cycling. Students will apply this knowledge to wetland delineation procedures used in wetland protection, restoration, and mitigation. The significance and role of vegetation in wetland dynamics will be studied with a focus on physiological and morphological adaptations, models of vegetation succession, and plant classification. Classification of North American wetlands and the relevance of wetland ecosystems to functioning landscapes, watersheds, and coastal regions will be examined through case studies.
BIO 210: General Ecology