Wetland Soil Carbon

in confederated Séliš, QÍispé + Ksanka homelands

Updated Link - 2023.

Welcome.  Updated Link . This storymap has been updated to this location,  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b2df5d86644d4e9890bad8332d0f6a93  .

TAKE AWAYS:

PROTECT MATURE WETLANDS! While there is a great deal of variation between wetlands, STEM literature is clear that mature wetlands are doing essential work in terms of storing carbon. In light of climate change, it is imperative that we protect them from damage. CSKT elders have long said, We must do all that we can to protect wetlands


KEEP + RETURN STEWARDSHIP DECISIONS TO INDIGENOUS STEWARDS - Colonial stewardship has had a devastating effect on all ecosystems. A recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has named colonialism as a contributing factor of climate change. CSKT elders note, Indigenous people of the world have a special moral stature on this issue [of climate change] and may have a special role to play in coming together to advocate for action.


ADD CARBON + GHG FUNCTIONS TO WETLAND POLICY - Typically, when wetland functions are defined they do not include soil carbon, nor other GHG emissions.

One possible action is that sequestering carbon and being GHG net-negative become an essential part of wetland functions. If being GHG net-negative becomes included within the definition of a wetland function, policies and laws might be better able to protect mature wetlands from destruction.


FUTURE RESEARCH - One meaningful next step could be to conduct a reservation-wide baseline wetland soil carbon study. Within this, smaller nested studies could take place - looking closer at vegetation, beaver activity, correspondence with Culturally significant areas, hydrologic conditions, or more.

This will allow future monitoring of carbon functions in both Restored and Created sites. This can help stewards have fuller knowledge when making complex wetland decisions.

After this, it may be of value to measure carbon emissions. Carbon stores are just one aspect of GHG concerns. To facilitate decisions, such as determining appropriate mitigation ratios, an understanding of emissions, like CH4, CO2, and N2O will also be necessary.


Selected References: This is a short selection. For full references, see thesis - Comparing Wetland Soil Carbon: Depressional Wetlands in Created and Time Immemorial Systems (2023)

1. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. CSKT Wetlands conservation program. Wetlands Conservation Program. [accessed 2022 Jul 21].  https://csktnrd.org/ep/wetlands-conservation-program  

2. Were D, Kansiime F, Fetahi T, Cooper A, Jjuuko C. Carbon Sequestration by Wetlands: A Critical Review of Enhancement Measures for Climate Change Mitigation. Earth Systems and Environment. 2019 [accessed 2022 Aug 11];3(2):327–340.  http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s41748-019-00094-0. doi:10.1007/s41748-019-00094-0 

3. Kayranli B, Scholz M, Mustafa A, Hedmark Å. Carbon Storage and Fluxes within Freshwater Wetlands: a Critical Review. Wetlands. 2010 [accessed 2022 Aug 10];30(1):111–124.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-009-0003-4 . doi:10.1007/s13157-009-0003-4

4. Pierre, T., & Thompson, B. S. (2020, August 14). Climate change mitigation potential of wetlands and the cost-effectiveness of their restoration. Interface Focus. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from  https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsfs.2019.0129 

3. Nahlik, A., and M.S. Fennessy. (2016). National Wetlands Conditions Assessment (NWCA) 2011 Soil Chemistry Data. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Carbon storage in US wetlands. Nature Communications. Nature Publishing Group, London, UK, 7: 1-9. [accessed 2022 Jul 21].  https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/nwca 

4. Nahlik AM, Fennessy MS. Carbon storage in US wetlands. Nature News. 2016 Dec 13 [accessed 2022 Jul 21].  https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13835  

5. Rolando J. Organic carbon is mostly stored in deep soil and only affected by land use in its superficial layers: A case study. [accessed 2022 Jul 21].  https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/agg2.20135   6. Kolka R, Trettin C. Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report: Chapter 13: Current understanding of wetland stocks and fluxes. NCA4. 1970 Jan 1 [accessed 2022 Jul 21].  https://carbon2018.globalchange.gov/report_section/13/13_3/ 

7. Valach AC, Kasak K, Hemes KS, Anthony TL, Dronova I, Taddeo S, Silver WL, Szutu D, Verfaillie J, Baldocchi DD. Productive wetlands restored for carbon sequestration quickly become net CO2 sinks with site-level factors driving uptake variability. PLOS ONE. 2021 [accessed 2022 Aug 14];16(3):e0248398.  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0248398 . doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0248398

8. 1. Explaining Eddy Covariance Research at The University of Illinois. [accessed 2022 Aug 14].  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1f7cOOtutg 

9. Modelling the carbon balance at wetlands - Instytut Geodezji i Kartografii. [accessed 2022 Aug 14]. http://www.igik.edu.pl/en/remote-sensing-carbon-balance-at-wetlands

10. Soil Greenhouse Gas Measurement. [accessed 2022 Aug 16]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWdaW0cKZfw

11. How to Make a CO2 Flux Chamber (In the Greenhouse #11). [accessed 2022 Aug 16]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4Z7CxMmV0

12. Greicius T. GeoCarb: A New View of Carbon Over the Americas. NASA. 2018 Jan 11 [accessed 2022 Aug 16]. http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/geocarb-a-new-view-of-carbon-over-the-americas

13. ETC/ULS Report 10/2021 Carbon pools and sequestration potential of wetlands in the European Union. Eionet Portal. [accessed 2022 Aug 17]. https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-uls/products/etc-uls-reports/etc-uls-report-10-2021-carbon-pools-and-sequestration-potential-of-wetlands-in-the-european-union

14. Lemmons R. Organisation Of Volume 4 In 2006 Ipcc Guidelines - Emission Factors. Climate Policy Watcher. 2022 Feb 18 [accessed 2022 Aug 18]. https://www.climate-policy-watcher.org/emission-factors/organisation-of-volume-4-in-2006-ipcc-guidelines.html

15. Wetlands: A Powerful Carbon Sink. [accessed 2022 Aug 18]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amk4UNw9QlQ

16. The Carbon Cycle. 2011 Jun 16 [accessed 2022 Aug 18]. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle/page2.php

17. What is soil organic carbon? [accessed 2022 Aug 19]. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/measuring-and-assessing-soils/what-soil-organic-carbon

18. Report card on sustainable natural resource use in agriculture in Western Australia. [accessed 2022 Aug 19]. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/report-card-conditions-and-trends/report-card-sustainable-natural-resource-use-agriculture-western