Phosphorus Transformations in Forested Floodplains

West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

Natural ecosystems perform fundamental services that are essential for sustaining human populations. Ecosystem services arise from complex interactions between natural cycles and ecological processes, and could cost human societies trillions of dollars annually to replace. Because human population growth and consumption cause the continued alteration of natural ecosystems, identifying and monitoring ecosystem services is a critical natural resource need for sound environmental decision-making. This research project focuses on the ecosystem services provided by floodplain forests ---specifically, how floodplain forests remove phosphate (a common pollutant) from floodwaters, converting it to a less harmful form prior to export downstream. One consequence of the development of natural ecosystems for agriculture or human habitation is an increase in phosphate exports to aquatic ecosystems. Because phosphate can cause the eutrophication of these aquatic ecosystems, understanding how floodplain forests convert phosphate to less harmful forms is an important component of understanding the ecosystem services that improve water quality.