Sentinel Molecular Diagnostics for Crop Agroterrorism Dr. Joe Eugene Lepo Center for Environmental...

Sentinel Molecular Diagnostics for Crop Agroterrorism

Dr. Joe Eugene LepoCenter for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation

University of West Florida, Pensacola

Tuesday, February 13th, at 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.Ruhl Student Center, Community Room

STSS07 Schedule & Abstract Site (click here)

Wetlands• Characteristic hydric soil and hydrophytic vegetation as

signs of frequent surface saturation or inundation.

• Many types of wetlands: (Dodds, 2002; Table 4.3)– Salt-marshes and (temperate, seawater influence)– Mangrove forests (tropical, seawater influence)– Tidal & non-tidal freshwater marshes– Deepwater (cypress) swamps– Northern (bogs & tundra) wetlands– Riparian forests/wetlands– Man-made (rice paddies & bioremediation)

• Function as nutrient and sediment traps; slow runoff and facilitate recharge; most are highly productive.

Global Distribution

(Matthews, 1993)

Coastal Mangrove

Depressional

Peatland bog

• Wetland ecosystem types are based on hydrologic regime, climate, geomorphology, nutrient input and vegetation. (Dodds, 2002; Table 4.5)

• Geomorphic: Peatlands; Coastal; Riverine; Depressional.

• Hydrologic Regime:– Permanence, predictability (e.g. tidal), seasonality– Primary water source:

• Precipitation; low throughput (ombrotrophic)• Riverine; potentially high throughput (minerotrophic)• Groundwater

• Climate determines the balance of precipitation and evapotranspiration. (E.g., much less precipitation is required for tundra wetlands than that for a tropical savanna wetland.)

Human Impacts on Groundwaters; Streams and Wetlands

• Groundwater or surface pumping:– agriculture – industry – drinking waters.

• Clearing riparian forests & wetlands• Draining and filling for “development”.• Damming and flooding• Diversion channels for water supply.

Levee

Arkansas River (?)

Vanishing Florida Wetlands

Wetland loss from 1780 to1990.70% Riparian Forest lost in USA.

Worldwide estimates are >50%; half due to agriculture.