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The North Carolina Coastal Plains
Biogeochemical Cycles
Nitrogen Cycle
In the nitrogen cycle, the bulk nitrogen is stored as nitrogen gas in the atmosphere. The nitrogen cycling process in wetlands involves both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Nitrogen in the form of ammonium is released from decaying plant and animal matter under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions in a process known as ammonification. The ammonium then moves to the aerobic layer where it is converted to nitrate. All of these processes are mostly controlled and carried out by bacteria. Nitrate not taken up by plants can leach downward with percolating water to reach the groundwater supply or move with surface and subsurface flow. This is where a wetland performs one of its ecosystem services because it filters the percolating water and removes the nitrates. Nitrate can also move back to the anaerobic layer where it may be converted to nitrogen gas through denitrification.
Phosphorus Cycle
The phosphorous cycle does not have an atmospheric component, it mainly travels by water, entering soil through runoff and other ways. The phosphorus cycle connects closely to the floodplain forests in the NC Coastal plain because the runoff from agriculture runs into wetlands, where the water is purified, meaning that wetlands are a central part of the phosphorus cycle. The phosphorus then is stored in the ground of the wetlands which is one of the services that wetlands provide (adding nutrients to the soil).
Carbon Cycle
The Carbon Cycle like most other cycles, has both an atmospheric component and a terrestrial component. The Carbon Cycle in the NC Coastal Plain region centers largely around the floodplain forests because wetlands trap a lot of undecomposed matter and carbon underground (sequestration). Without the wetlands, the carbon in the atmosphere would be significantly higher. This is probably one of the most valuable ecosystem services.
Hydrological Cycle
The hydrological cycle, or the water cycle, encompasses almost all biomes and ecosystems in any area. In the coastal plain region of NC, the sand dunes at the beach are a large part of the cycle because the ocean has a lot of water which evaporates and then comes back down as precipitation in the area. The grass in both the beach dunes and the vegetation in the floodplain forests take up the water in roots and the water transpires. The floodplain forest also has a lot of water which can evaporate or percolate down to groundwater, this again, is another ecosystem service of the wetlands because it filters the water passing through.
Sulfur Cycle
The sulfur cycle, has both an atmospheric and terrestrial component, where the sulfur is converted from sulfur dioxide to both sulfate and other forms of sulfur while moving from the ground, into the atmosphere, and back. When sulfur exits the atmosphere, most of the time, it is from acid rain or other forms of deposition. This water can enter the floodplain forests, which carry out the purifying of water, one of its ecosystem services, and deposit the sulfate into the soil.
