Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Don Cipollini, Jr, Ph.D. (Advisor); John O. Stireman, III, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Katie Hossler, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
From the late 18th century until the 1980s, Ohio lost close to 90% of its wetlands. Despite increased efforts to maintain what is left, many freshwater marshes are still being degraded due to pollutants, such as road salt, and the impacts of climate change. This study sought to understand how both road salt and drought could impact the health and carbon sequestration of two wetland species, Acorus americana and Carex scoparia, to better understand tolerance. To do this, both species were separated into groups and subjected to varying salt concentrations and drought conditions. After 9 weeks of treatment, plants were processed, and growth metrics were compared. The data suggest that Acorus americana had greater consistency between treatments and less variation in biomass, which may indicate that it is more tolerant and therefore able to store more carbon despite stressors.
Page Count
74
Department or Program
Department of Biological Sciences
Year Degree Awarded
2025
Copyright
Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
ORCID ID
0009-0003-4533-1102
