A litterfall trap.  Leaves caught in trap are used to measure productivity of the wetland forest.Wetland Productivity and Organic Matter Processing

The productivity of freshwater wetlands is often linked to hydroperiod, the depth and duration of flooding. Ecological theory predicts that wetlands periodically flooded by river water will be more productive than non-alluvial wetlands. While models appear to broadly predict patterns of productivity across wetlands, they often fail to Litterbags are used to measure rate of leaf breakdown or organic matter processing.predict productivity at specific sites. The lack of predictive power can be attributed to the lack of studies examining the affects of hydrologic alteration (or other manipulations) on specific ecosystem processes. We are comparing annual variations in productivity, important biogeochemical processes, and biological characteristics of non-alluvial and riparian wetlands on the Ichauway Ecological Reserve. Knowledge gained from this and related studies will have direct application predicting how human and climatic alterations of hydroperiod might impact wetlands, a regionally important ecosystem.