Plants in wetlands: An overview of their fundamental and applied ecology

Wetland plant species differ from those of non-wetlands in being uniquely stress-tolerant to periods of saturated anaerobic soil, inundation, and in tidal areas, salinity. Communities of wetland plants also differ from those of other ecosystems in being regulated by statutes such as a federal Clean Water Act and the Maryland Tidal and Nontidal Wetlands Protection Acts. The ecology of wetland plant communities is fascinating in its own right, but their value to society is also evident from their regulated status protecting and restoring the ecosystem services they provide, including habitat and biodiversity support, water quality improvement, and storm and flood protection.

Vegetation in wetlands is as diverse as variation in climate, geomorphology, hydrology, and human activity. However, there are broad categories of wetland plant species and communities that share ecological characteristics we can use to grasp important controls on their distribution. In this talk, Dr. Baldwin will introduce us to these fascinating and important vegetative species.

Dr. Andy Baldwin is Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Environmental
Science and Technology at University of Maryland in College Park. His Ph.D. from Louisiana
State University focused on the influence of sea-level rise and disturbance on plant
communities of tidal marshes of the Mississippi River delta. As a plant and ecosystem ecologist,
he directs a research, teaching, and extension program on wetland plant and ecosystem
ecology and wetland restoration. He is Fellow and past President of the Society of Wetland
Scientists.