Climate Change and Great Lakes Wetlands

Wetlands provide more value to humans and nature alike per unit area than any other part of our landscape. They control floods, clean up water polluted by fertilizers and other contaminants, and serve as the best carbon sequestration ecosystems on the planet.

Studies by Dr. William Mitsch and his students at Ohio State’s Olentangy River Wetland Research Park over the past 20 years, as well as his studies at Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Ohio, the Florida Everglades, the Louisiana Delta, Botswana’s Okavango Delta, and all over the world have illustrated the “how” of wetlands providing important ecosystem services, including those to mitigate climate change. Recent studies have illustrated that methane emissions from most wetlands do not matter because of their ability to sequester carbon at much higher rates.

About the Speaker(s)

William Mitsch

William Mitsch

William J. Mitsch is a Distinguished Professor within the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. His research and teaching over his 37-year career have focused on wetland ecology and biogeochemistry, wetland creation and restoration, ecological engineering and ecosystem restoration and modeling. He has authored or co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and has edited or co-authored 17 books including 4 editions of the popular textbook Wetlands and two versions of Ecological Engineering. He founded the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park on OSU’s campus in 1991 and continues to be its Director. In August 2004 he was awarded the 2004 Stockholm Water Prize for lifetime achievements in the modeling, management, and conservation of lakes and wetlands.

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What Attendees Are Saying

  • “ Here in Minnesota we're using the webinars to provide current research updates. The information is pertinent and timely and by using the OSU webinars for content, we can spend time working on other aspects of climate adaptation. – B. Liukkonen, U of MN Extension

  • “ This is one of the most useful and accessible resources in the Great Lakes basin. Consider it a cornerstone of a growing network of climate professionals in this region. ”

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Featured Presentations

  • 2010-09-28
    Dr. Jonathan Patz

    University of Wisconsin
    Climate Change in the Great Lakes: Key Vulnerabilities to Public Health in the Region. Read more.

  • 2010-11-02
    Dr. Brent Sohngen

    Ohio State University
    Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Great Lakes Farms and Forests. Read more.

  • 2010-10-14
    Dr. Dan Herms

    Ohio State University
    Effects of Climate Change on Species Interactions in Natural and Agricultural Ecosystems. Read more.

  • 2011-01-11
    Dr. Peter Curtis

    Ohio State University
    Managing Great Lakes Forests for Climate Change Mitigation Read more.

  • 2010-12-07
    Dr. Anthony D. Kendall

    Michigan State University
    Climate Change, Biofuels, and Land Use Legacy Read more.