Ecosystem Services of Wetlands in an Energy-Limited Future

1. Ecosystem Services of Wetlands in an Energy-Limited Future William J. Mitsch, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Environment and Natural Resources Director, Olentangy River Wetland Research Park Editor-in-Chief, Ecological Engineering The Ohio State University

2. Outline • The big global issues • Ecological engineering • Wetland ecosystem services and human history • Optimizing ecosystem services of wetlands—6 case studies • Conclusions

3. 10 8 6 4 2 0 1800 1900 2000 2100 Worldwide human population projection Human population (billions) Source: Mitsch and Jørgensen 2004

4. Worldwide carbon and nitrogen 100 80 Available Nitrogen 60 Percent Change 40 20 Atmospheric CO 2 0 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 Source: Mitsch and Jørgensen 2004

5. Worldwide oil discovery and production Source: Day et al., 2009

6. Worldwide energy use projection Source: Clugston, 2007 710 Quads 800 570 Quads 600 Quads/year 400 Optimistic 200 Conservative 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2025-2030 Quad =1015 BTU or 1.055 × 1018 joules Source: Clugston, 2007

7. Ecosystems and Complexity Natural ecosystems are complex entropy-fighting systems, and in that complexity comes an infinite amount of feedbacks and adaptations that contribute to resiliency. Human society, as a “part of” nature and not “apart from” nature would do well to recognize and use the important functions of nature (rather than destroy them) to provide a resilient and sustainable society.

8. Conventional Engineering Mitsch (1998)

9. Ecological Engineering ECOSYSTEM Mitsch (1998)

10. Ecological Engineering the design of sustainable ecosystems that integrate human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both Source: Mitsch and Jørgensen, 2004. Ecological Engineering and Ecosystem Restoration, J. Wiley.

11. The Spectrum of Ecological Engineering

12. Wetlands and riparian ecosystems have major roles in restoring the viability of cities and rural areas

13. Wetlands provide valuable ecosystem services: • Water quality improvement • Floodwater retention • Biodiversity islands and corridors • Carbon sequestration • Locations for human relaxation and nature observation/education

14. Human History and Wetlands Babylonian Cultures in their Watery Environment

15. Human History and Wetlands “Marsh Arabs,” southern Iraq

16. Human History and Wetlands Camarguais, southern France

17. Human History and Wetlands Cajuns, Louisiana (early 1900s)

18. Human History and Wetlands Native Americans (Sokaogon Chippewa), Wisconsin

19. Human History and Wetlands We have lost an estimated 50% of our original wetlands in the world. In Ohio, USA, we have lost 90% of our original wetlands.

20. OPTIMIZING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF WETLANDS

21. Restoring an ancient culture

22. Mitsch and Gosselink. 2007 Wetlands, 4th ed., J. Wiley

23. Restoring the Mesopotamian Marshlands

24. Mitsch and Gosselink. 2007 Wetlands, 4th ed., J. Wiley

25. Restoring the Mesopotamian Marshlands

26. Mitsch and Gosselink. 2007 Wetlands, 4th ed., J. Wiley

27. Restoring the Mesopotamian Marshlands Photo by Azzam Alwash, reprinted with permission in Mitsch and Gosselink. 2007 Wetlands, 4th ed., J. Wiley

28. Protecting coastlines and coastal cities

29. Indian Ocean Tsunami • 230,000 people killed or missing in late December 2004 as a result of a massive tsunami around the Indian Ocean caused by earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia • Destruction of mangrove swamps for shrimp farms and tourist meccas bears some of the responsibility. • In the area hardest hit, 26% of mangrove wetlands, or 1.5 million ha, had been destroyed from 1980 to 2000

30. Indian Ocean Tsunami Mangrove Tidal Creek, Koh Phra Tong, Phang Nga, Thailand Before the Indian Ocean Tsunami

31. Indian Ocean Tsunami Mangrove Tidal Creek, Koh Phra Tong, Phang Nga, Thailand After the Boxing Day Tsunami (February 2005)

32. Indian Ocean Tsunami Coastal surges and mangrove forests Pre-tsunami—Simulation models illustrated that a wide (100 m) belt of dense mangrove trees (referred to as a “greenbelt”) could reduce a tsunami pressure flow by more than 90% (Hiraishi and Harada, 2003). Post tsunami—In an area of S.E. India there was significantly less damage where mangroves had been conserved (Danielsen et al., 2005; Science)

33. Past and Projected Wetland Loss in the Mississippi Delta (1839 to 2020) Coastal Louisiana 1839 1870 1993 2020 NEW ORLEANS

34. Coastal Louisiana 1: August 23, 2005 2: August 26, 2005 3: August 28, 2005 4: August 29, 2005 TROPICAL DEPRESSION TROPICAL STORM CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 CATEGORY 4 CATEGORY 5

35. Coastal Louisiana Hurricane Katrina storm surge near New Orleans, estimated to be 5.5 - 6 m high

36. Coastal Louisiana

37. Coastal Louisiana March 5, 2001 pre-diversion March 21, 2001 during diversion River diversions may be one of the answers to wetland loss in Louisiana

38. Coastal Louisiana Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill of 20 April 2010

39. Restoring water quality in watersheds to prevent downstream impacts

40. Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri (MOM) Basin Restoration

41. Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri (MOM) Basin Restoration The Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia in 2008 = 20,700 km2(8,000 mi2)

42. Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri (MOM) Basin Restoration Mitsch et al. 2001 Better Fertilizer Management Created/Restored Wetlands Restored Riparian Bottomlands 2 million hectares of these ecosystems are needed

43. Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park

44. Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri (MOM) Basin Restoration Goal is to create 28,000 ha of riparian systems and wetlands in one watershed in Ohio Columbus OHIO

45. Restoring the Florida Everglades

46. Restoring the Florida Everglades

47. Restoring the Florida Everglades Florida has installed thousands of hectares of wetlands to reduce the phosphorus inflow to the Everglades

48. Sequestering carbon

50. Carbon Sequestration in Wetlands Source: Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007