Wetland Functions & Values Flashcards

Which primary function do wetlands perform by temporarily storing excess stormwater and releasing it slowly downstream?

Answer: Flood attenuation

Wetlands act as natural sponges that temporarily store floodwaters and release them slowly, reducing downstream peak flows and flood damage.

Which microbial process in wetland soils converts nitrates to nitrogen gas, permanently removing nitrogen from the aquatic system?

Answer: Denitrification

Denitrification is the anaerobic microbial process that converts nitrates (NO3-) to nitrogen gas (N2), which escapes to the atmosphere and removes nitrogen from the system.

The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach to wetland functional assessment classifies wetlands primarily based on:

Answer: Geomorphic setting, water source, and hydrodynamics

The HGM approach classifies wetlands by their geomorphic setting, water source, and hydrodynamics to predict functional capacity relative to reference wetlands of the same class.

Carbon sequestration in wetlands is most significant in which type of system due to slow organic matter decomposition under anaerobic conditions?

Answer: Peatlands such as bogs and fens

Peatlands accumulate carbon-rich peat over millennia because waterlogged, anaerobic conditions dramatically slow decomposition, making them the largest terrestrial carbon stores per unit area.

Coastal wetlands such as salt marshes and mangroves support marine fisheries primarily by:

Answer: Serving as critical spawning grounds and nursery habitat for juvenile fish

Salt marshes and mangroves provide structure, cover, and abundant invertebrate prey that make them essential spawning and nursery habitat for many commercially and recreationally important fish species.

What is the fundamental difference between a wetland 'function' and a wetland 'value'?

Answer: Functions are ecological processes; values represent human-assigned worth of those processes

Wetland functions are the physical, chemical, and biological processes wetlands perform (e.g., denitrification), while values represent the human benefit or worth assigned to those functions (e.g., cleaner drinking water).

In the HGM classification system, which wetland class receives its water and nutrients almost exclusively from precipitation with negligible surface or groundwater inputs?

Answer: Organic soil flat

Organic soil flats (bogs) are ombrotrophic systems that receive water and nutrients exclusively from precipitation, isolated from surface water and groundwater inputs.