Streams and Wetlands (and intro to Aquaculture?) August 28 th, 2007

LAKES: Nutrient cycling and algal blooms Is this lake eutrophic or oligotrophic?

Streams and Rivers

5 th order 4 th order 3 rd order 2 nd order 1 st order (headwaters)

How do large and small streams differ? Low stream order (i.e., 1 st or 2 nd order) Small, narrow, shallow Steep, fast-flowing rocky bottom Detritivore community breaks down litter High stream order (i.e., 4 th or 5 th order) Big, wide, deep Shallow slope, slow flowing Processed litter comes from upstream

Stream/River Characteristics Streamflow is determined by: –Relief –Volume of Input –Temperature Important abiotic factors: –Sediment/Turbidity –Nutrients –Temperature –Substrate

Adaptations to Stream and River Ecosystems: How have humans impacted Salmon?

Alterations to Stream Habitat Channelization Fish barriers (roads/bridges) Change in riparian vegetation Changes in temperature, flow rate, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, p.p., substrate, …..

Local Watersheds

Atascadero Creek

What’s a Wetland? Ecotones- contain characteristics of two habitats (in this case, aquatic and terrestrial) Wetland- a broad term for all the different kinds of wet habitats where the land is wet for some period of time each year but not necessarily permanently wet.

Wetlands of the World

Wetlands: where water meets land Types of Wetlands: Intertidal zonemarine wetland Estuarine: river mouth + tides= brackish Freshwater: swamps, fens, bogs, and vernal pools

Which US state has lost the largest % of its wetlands ( )? CA- 91% decline (source: USGS) U.S. total = 53% decline

When land is flooded, O 2 gets used up by decomposers and the soil becomes anaerobic Demand for O 2 is still high Other minerals containing oxygen get reduced Reduction is when a compound gains an electron- in this case by giving up an O 2 atom Some molecules release O 2 more easily than others Wetland Biogeochemistry: Depends on HYDROPERIOD! O 2  NO 3 -  Fe(OH) 3  MnO 2  SO 4 2-  CO 2 If the water level drops, O 2 enters the soil again, and the reduced substances can get oxidized

Salt Marsh Biogeochemistry

Wetland Adaptations

Why Should we Care about Wetlands?

Wetland Ecosystem Services Food/Jobs Important Habitat for Species Clean water/Nutrient storage Flood control Erosion control Carbon storage (sink?) Tourism “No net loss” protection for wetlands? How could you calculate the value of a wetland?

What is the value of a wetland? “Value” is a human judgement call –Depends on if you are a: Developer Farmer Engineer Hunter Ecologist Chemical plant owner

Why are Wetlands Diminishing? Drained or Filled Agriculture/residential development/industrial development/oil and gas exploitation Lowering of water table Polluted wetlands are in low-lying areas Natural causes

Local Watersheds

Goleta Slough

Goleta Slough: Endangered Species + Globally Important Bird Area Tidewater Goby CA least tern Red-legged Frog American peregrine falcon

Diminishing Wetlands

Salt Marsh  Lake: Santa Barbara Bird Refuge Penfield & Smith Engineers, Inc Limnological investigation of euthrophication at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and recommendation for mitigating actions.~135 pp. “Mother Nature at work,” ?

Other Local Wetland Projects: Vernal Pools Carpinteria Salt Marsh Ormond Wetland

Changing Perceptions of Wetlands Bioswales: mimic wetland processes

Wetland Value and Natural Disaster Cypress trees mitigate impacts of Hurricane Katrina Mangroves lessen tsunami impacts

Wetlands and Aquaculture: Conversion of Mangroves to Shrimp Farms Mangrove forests once covered 3/4 of the coastlines of tropical and subtropical countries. Today, less than 50% remain. Many factors contribute to mangrove forest loss, including the charcoal and timber industries, urban growth pressures, and mounting pollution problems. However, one of the most significant causes of mangrove forest destruction in the past decade has been the consumer demand for luxury shrimp The Rise and Fall of the Blue Revolution: Article by Alfredo Quarto published in the East Africa Wildlife Society's magazine SWARA

AQUACULTURE: The Blue Revolution?

Aquaculture Status: fastest growing food production industry in the world (  1/3 of all fishery landings)

Aquaculture: Fish Farms Energy flow perspective –Fish vs. Cows –Salmon vs. carp vs. filter feeders –Farmed salmon vs. wild salmon

Sustainable Aquaculture?

Aquaculture: Risks –Impact on wild fish populations Feed for farmed fish ‘Seed’ for farmed fish Fish escapes- invasive species –Algal blooms –Oxygen depletion –Downstream impacts –Disease –(Wet)land conversion

Aquaculture: Integrated Systems Approach

BENEFITS: Waste = food Whole is greater than sum of parts COSTS/RISKS: Pesticide use Labor intensive Limit to fish density

What Can You Do? Vote with your dollars! Get involved! Educate others!

Summary Wetland: definition –Types –Biogeochemistry (just know the basics!) –Ecosystem Services (filtration, C storage, flood control, habitat, food, tourism, etc) –Human causes of wetland loss –Ecosystem Value… depends on perspective. –Local Wetlands Aquaculture –Types –Potential impacts: wetland loss, impact on marine fisheries –Energy flow perspective –Risks –Integrated systems approach