| Abstrakt: |
Each year in the U.S., 60,000 acres of natural wetlands are lost to development. To compensate for this, these wetlands must be "replaced" elsewhere by constructed wetlands to comply with "No Net Loss" policies, which aim to mitigate wetland surface area loss. While wetlands have the potential to significantly reduce atmospheric CO2, there is a lack of literature tracking how much carbon constructed wetlands sequester as they age. This knowledge gap precludes policy makers from knowing the long-term benefits that constructed wetlands provide. The Olentangy River Wetland Research Park is a facility that is uniquely qualified to address this knowledge gap. Two constructed riverine wetlands in this park have some of the longest running datasets for constructed wetlands. I have identified 32 sites within these wetlands that were sampled in 1993, 1995, 2004, 2013, and 2022. My study will be the first to quantify carbon sequestration in constructed wetland soils over a 29-year, continuous timescale. These results will clarify mature constructed wetlands' role in carbon sequestration, which will inform design, management, and legislation of wetland conservation and construction. Furthermore, these data can speak to whether "No Net Loss" policies are promoting wetland development that ensure long-term quality of these carbon sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
