Ecosystem Dynamics and a Phosphorus Budget of an Alluvial Cypress Swamp in Southern Illinois

Abstract

Annual patterns in hydrology, phosphorus circulation, and sediment dynamics were studied in a southern Illinois, USA floodplain swamp dominated by bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and swamp tupelo (Nyssa aquatica). The study emphasized the swamp's interactions with the adjacent river. For the year, major inputs of water to the swamp were throughfall (74.3 em) and runoff (69.4 em) with minor contributions due to groundwater (21.6 em). Outflows were by evapotranspiration (72.3 em), surface outflow (56.5 em), and groundwater (21.0 em), with the latter two draining primarily to the river. A flood occurred during the study period, passing 1.6 x 10 7 m 3 of river water over the swamp and depositing 0.06 em of sediments.An annual phosphorus budget was developed for the swamp from field measurements. The greatest input of phosphorus to the swamp was 3.6 g P·m-2 ·yr-t, due to deposition of high-phosphorus sediments during the flood. This was 10 times greater than the outflow of phosphorus to the river, 0.34 g P· m-2. yr-1 , and 26 times greater than the throughfall input of 0.14 g P· m-2 • yr-t. Total tree uptake from sediments was estimated to be 0.87 g P· m-2 ·yr-1 of which 0.77 g P· m-2 • yr-1 returns as litterfall to the swamp sediments. Duckweed productivity was estimated to take 3.3 g P·m-2 ·yr-1 from the water column and deposit this in the sediments during die-off.For the period 1937-1967, cypress growth, based on tree ring analyses, was closely correlated with several measures of flooding frequency and magnitude, all obtained from past river data. Tree ring data prior to 1937 showed poor correlation with flooding, probably because of logging activity. Cypress growth has decreased dramatically in recent years, corresponding to the rise in water level caused by beaver activity.

Water Quality Improvement Through an Integrated Approach to Point and Non-Point Sources Pollution and Management of River Floodplain Wetlands

“…Hydrologic conditions are extremely important for the maintenance of a floodplain wetland's structure and function, because they affect many abiotic factors, including soil anaerobiosis, nutrient availability (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007;Vorosmarty and Sahagian, 2000). The hydrology of a river wetland creates unique physiochemical conditions that make such an ecosystem different from both well-drained floodplain systems and deeper old river bed systems.…”

“…Water depth, flow patterns, and duration and frequency of flooding, sediments and nutrients transport (Kadlec and Knight, 1996;Magnuszewski et al, 2007;Altinakar et al, 2006;Kiedrzyńska et al, 2008a;Kiedrzyńska et al, 2008b), which result from all hydrologic inputs and outputs, influence the biochemistry of the soils and are major factors in the ultimate selection of the biota of wetlands (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007;Kiedrzyńska et al, 2008a). The water status of a wetland defines its extent and determines the species composition in a natural floodplain wetland (Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993).…”

“…The water status of a wetland defines its extent and determines the species composition in a natural floodplain wetland (Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993). However, biota components are active in altering the wetland hydrology and other physiochemical conditions (Zalewski 2000;Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007;Kiedrzyńska et al, 2008a).…”

“…The extent of the world's wetlands is now thought to be from 7 to 10 million km 2 , or about 5 to 8 % of the land surface of the Earth (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007). Wetlands include swamps, bogs, marshes, mires, fens, and also river floodplain wetlands.…”

Fen Management and Research Perspectives: An Overview

“…11.6). However, it should be noted that the input of nutrients adsorbed to sediment was not included in the flooding assessment, which could be a very important input source of P in fens (Mitsch et al 1979). The dominant role of soil processes in setting nutrient availabilities along the productivity gradients demonstrated that human alterations of site conditions, such as drainage, have been a major cause of nutrient enrichment for N, P, and K (Olde Venterink et al 2002).…”