Tidal Marsh Effects on Water Chemistry: Does looking at the Small Scale Predict whole-System Performance?

长期以来，湿地一直被认为是储存和转化有机物和其他物质的重要栖息地。虽然它们在数量上的重要性是公认的，但为什么某些湿地在更大程度上发挥这些功能还不是很清楚。这项研究将检验这样一种观点，即潮汐湿地内植被斑块的实际位置和配置会影响水质变化的程度。在最简单的情况下，距离湿地和哈德逊河干流之间的水交换最接近的斑块应该对溶解氧和营养物质的浓度有最大的影响。相比之下，海拔较高的斑块较少被潮汐淹没，因此影响应该较小。湿地受到法律的严格保护，经常成为恢复努力的目标，以改善它们为野生动物、水质和人类社会提供的服务。确定保护工作的优先次序和设计恢复计划的前提是扎实地了解哪些因素控制这些生态系统如何履行这些功能。这项研究解决了这种控制问题，并将直接让教师和资源管理机构的员工参与实地工作和数据分析。这种现实世界的经历应该会提高教师备课阐明生态原理的能力，并为管理者保护这些宝贵的生态系统提供坚实的理由。

Wetlands have long been recognized as significant habitats where organic matter and other materials are stored and transformed. While their quantitative importance is well-established, it is less clear why certain wetlands carry out these functions to a greater degree than others. This research will test the idea that the actual location and configuration of patches of vegetation within tidal wetlands influences the extent of alteration in water quality. In the simplest case, patches closest to the actual point where water exchanges between the wetlands and the mainstem Hudson River should have the greatest effect on concentrations of dissolved oxygen and nutrients. In contrast, patches at higher elevation are less frequently inundated by tides and therefore should have less influence. Wetlands are rigorously protected by law and frequently the target of restoration efforts to improve the services they provide to wildlife, water quality and human society. Prioritization of protection efforts and design of restoration plans presupposes a solid knowledge of what factors control how well these ecosystems perform these functions. This research addresses such controls and will directly involve teachers and employees of resource management agencies in both field work and data analysis. This real-world experience should improve the ability of teachers to prepare lessons illustrating ecological principles and give managers a firm rationale for protecting these valuable ecosystems.