Phosphorus is one of the major nutrients limiting the productivity of terrestrial, wetland and aquatic ecosystems. Over the last decade several research projects were conducted on Florida's ecosystems from state and federal agencies and private industry to address water quality issues, and to develop management practices to control nutrient loads. Phosphorus Biogeochemistry in Sub-Tropical Ecosystems is the first thorough study of the role of phosphorus in ecological health and water quality ever published. Because of its vast and extensively studied ecosystems, Florida has often served as a national laboratory on current and future trends in ecosystem management. The reader will find studies at all levels of biological organization, from the cellular to entire ecological communities. The book is a definitive study of the role and behavior of phosphorus deposition in the upland/wetland/aquatic environment. The papers presented in this book are organized in specific groups: ecological analysis and global issues, biogeochemical transformations, biogeochemical responses, transport processes, phosphorus management, and synthesis. Although Florida's ecosystems are used as a case study, the results presented have global applications.

The globally important nature of wetland ecosystems has led to their increased protection and restoration as well as their use in engineered systems. Underpinning the beneficial functions of wetlands are a unique suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate elemental cycling in soils and the water column. This book provides an in-depth coverage of these wetland biogeochemical processes related to the cycling of macroelements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, secondary and trace elements, and toxic organic compounds. In this synthesis, the authors combine more than 100 years of experience studying wetlands and biogeochemistry to look inside the black box of elemental transformations in wetland ecosystems. This new edition is updated throughout to include more topics and provide an integrated view of the coupled nature of biogeochemical cycles in wetland systems. The influence of the elemental cycles is discussed at a range of scales in the context of environmental change including climate, sea level rise, and water quality. Frequent examples of key methods and major case studies are also included to help the reader extend the basic theories for application in their own system. Some of the major topics discussed are: Flooded soil and sediment characteristics Aerobic-anaerobic interfaces Redox chemistry in flooded soil and sediment systems Anaerobic microbial metabolism Plant adaptations to reducing conditions Regulators of organic matter decomposition and accretion Major nutrient sources and sinks Greenhouse gas production and emission Elemental flux processes Remediation of contaminated soils and sediments Coupled C-N-P-S processes Consequences of environmental change in wetlands# The book provides the foundation for a basic understanding of key biogeochemical processes and its applications to solve real world problems. It is detailed, but also assists the reader with box inserts, artfully designed diagrams, and summary tables all supported by numerous current references. This book is an excellent resource for senior undergraduates and graduate students studying ecosystem biogeochemistry with a focus in wetlands and aquatic systems.