A Comparison
WETLANDS
DISADVANTAGES
Nitrification Inhibitors
They are chemical compounds that slow the nitrification of ammonia, ammonium-containing, or urea-containing fertilisers applied in soils. They can help to...
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Reduce losses of nitrogen in soil produced through nitrification
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Although nitrous oxide (N2O) has a lower atmospheric concentration than carbon dioxide (CO2), it has a global warming potential of 300 times greater than carbon dioxide
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Contributes to 6% of planetary warming
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Concern: Nitrates, a toxic compound for wildlife and livestock and a product of nitrification
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Soil, consisting of polyanionic clays and silicates, has a net anionic charge.
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Ammonium (NH4⁺) binds tightly to the soil but nitrate ions (NO3-) do not
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Nitrate is more mobile
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Leaches into groundwater supplies through agricultural runoff
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Can affect surface water concentrations through direct groundwater-surface water interactions (e.g. gaining stream reaches, springs), or from when it is extracted for surface use.
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As an example, much of the drinking water in the United States comes from groundwater, but most wastewater treatment plants discharge to surface water.
Nitrogen fixation is processed in aerobic zone of wetlands and a complementary process called denitrification occurs
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Where nitrite transforms to nitrous oxide occurs.
However, wetlands are NOT the culprits of Global Warming. The main culprits are HUMANS
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Natural balance: the net GHG productions and annihilation is nearly balanced
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Problems occur when this critical balance is disturbed and the existence of wetlands is threatened
ADVANTAGES
Wildlife Benefits
Animals and plants depend on wetlands for survival. Estuarine and marine fish and shellfish, various birds and certain mammals must have coastal wetlands to survive. Many species of animals depend on wetlands as a space for breeding, safety, shelter, food and water.
Flood Protection
Wetlands have the ability to not only sequestrate carbon, but also to absorb water. This prevents flooding as the soils provide a space for water to percolate and infiltrate into the surrounding soil, lowering the surface runoff produced. Wetlands within plains of downstream urban land are highly vital, as these can absorb the large amounts of surface runoffs from drains in the industrial areas. The holding capacity of wetlands helps control floods and prevents water logging of crops.
Plant sustainability
As described above, wetlands' soils are able to absorb water, an spread them equally across the field. Hence, this is a sustainable way to provide water for plants to grow healthy, and aid in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis.
Wetlands provide something that no other ecosystem can. These include natural improvement of water quality, sustainable wildlife development and up keeping, and flood protection at no cost so we do not have enforce man-made protection and conservation strategies for these, so long we conserve our wetlands.
