River Basin Simulations Reveal Wide-Ranging Wetland-Mediated Nitrate Reductions.

ABSTRACT: River basin-scale wetland restoration and creation is a primary management option for mitigating nitrogen-based water quality challenges. However, the magnitude of nitrogen reduction that will result from adding wetlands across large river basins is uncertain, partly because the areal extent, location, and physical and functional characteristics of the wetlands are unknown. We simulated over 3600 wetland restoration scenarios across the ∼450,000 km² Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) depicting varied assumptions for wetland areal extent, physical and functional characteristics, and placement strategy. These simulations indicated that restoring wetlands will reduce local nitrate yields and nitrate loads at the UMRB outlet. However, the projected magnitude of nitrate reduction v

SUBMITTER: Evenson GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10633752 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature