Environmental Issues

Based on our trip, answer the following questions. (10pts)

1. Who owns the Rose Lake wetland and how does the public use it

Jefferson County owns the area. Rose Lake wetland is owned and governed by the state. Last 2006, it has been designated as a State Natural Area. Most people usually go to state natural areas for outdoor recreational purposes. For Rose Lake wetland, the public could do various activities in this land such as biking, hiking, fishing, and even cross-county skiing which is only allowed after January 1st.  However, bike trails are still not established in the area but it will be developed sometime in the future. And because of the diversity of the habitat present in Rose Lake Wetland, people could also see various wildlife species such as mammals, birds and plants.

2. What ecological services do wetlands provide for us

Wetlands are also considered to be the most productive ecosystems comparable to rainforests and coral reefs. A wetland ecosystem consists of variety of species of plants, insects, reptiles, birds, fish, mammals, and a lot more. It can also be called as a biological supermarket since they provide large volumes of food which in turn attracts many animal species. Wetlands is composed of shallow water rich with high levels of nutrients which is very ideal for the growth of various organisms that mainly forms the base of a food web. During migration and breeding, wetlands provide shelter, food and water for many species of birds.  And more importantly, it helps mitigate global climate conditions by storing carbon in the plants and soil located within in a wetland instead of releasing it to the atmosphere.

3.How have people viewed wetlands in the past  Is that changing

In the past, wetlands around the world have been destroyed only to provide space for farming. People have unconsciously considered wetlands to be problems that are in need of solution. But with global warming, people have realized that draining wetlands hastens climate change. And as the whole world is facing probably its greatest environmental problem, peoples points of view are slowly changing. Countries today put more emphasis and importance on our environment especially on wetlands for it plays a key role in adjusting water volumes of our rivers.

4.What is unique about wetland soils

Soils in wetlands are nutrient rich and its pH is most of the time neutral leading to a great quantity of plant and animal life. Wetland soils are very rich and diverse which encourages growth of different life forms.

5.Name 2 producers and 2 consumers that you saw at the marsh.  What organisms are likely to be there that you didnt see

Some of the producers that I saw at the marsh are the Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis) and Blue-joint grass (Calamagrostis Canadensis). Aside from that, I have also observed some consumers which are black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) and great blue heron (Ardea herodias). However, I didnt see any fireflies and spiders all throughout my stay at the area.

6.What is non-point pollution  Why is it so difficult to control

Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) is a kind of water pollution that comes from different sources. It is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving through the ground which gradually picks up and carries natural and man-made pollutants. These pollutants are then delivered and deposited to the rivers, lakes, ground waters, and to other bodies of waters.  Being reported as the leading cause of water quality problems in many countries, nonpoint source pollution is very hard to control because it comes from multiple locations. The flow and type of pollutants the water contains also varies overtime which adds up to the difficulty of pointing the true source of the pollution.

7.What is the purpose of the Tollgate wetlands and in general, how does it accomplish this purpose

Generally, a Tollgate wetlands purpose is to provide and manage an affordable and natural way to clean storm water. On a brief explanation, water coming from the district flows into an artificially created and maintained wetland specifically designed to naturally clean the districts storm water.

8.Specifically, what types of physical features have they incorporated into the wetlands to accomplish the purpose you described above.

When it rains, Tollgate wetlands operate by capturing water by an intricate web of storm sewers and lilly-laden holding ponds. Large portion of this water comes from nonpoint source pollution from the community thats why maintenance of the wetland is needed. And because of this, various native plants are landscaped throughout the area each has a specific role to play in protecting the water quality.