Students in Dr. Emily Tarsa’s ENVS 4100 course have created miniature versions of one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems—wetlands. Approximately 13 percent of Georgia’s land area is covered with wetlands, making Georgia one of the leading states in total wetland acreage, which includes salt marshes, bogs, and swamps. This course gives students a hands-on look at the processes that occur in flooded soils.
Tarsa, an assistant professor of environmental science, started the semester with teaching what wetlands are all about, then had students build wetland microcosms (small-scale versions) in flasks. The microcosms were periodically flooded and stored in the greenhouse, located next to the Southeast Georgia Conference Center. In wetlands, the ground is constantly or periodically flooded. Due to the lack of oxygen, microbes in the soil use other nutrients for metabolic activities such as nitrogen, iron, manganese and sulfates. The use of these other nutrients occurs in a certain reduction-oxidation process, also known as redox. The longer an area is flooded, the more biogeochemical reactions take place, Tarsa said. The benefits of wetlands include water purification and flood prevention.
As part of the course lab, students are measuring dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and other concentrations in their wetland soils, and are also collecting qualitative data on changes in color and odor—like swampy, rotten egg smells.
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