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Public Health Ecosystem Services and Potential Concerns of Freshwater Wetlands

Hsu, Tsung-Ta David
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439487401

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Environmental Science.
Wetlands provide extensive ecosystem services, such as biodiversity enrichment, flood control, carbon sequestration and water purification. However, the performance of wetlands with respect to treating microbial pathogens is less understood. Since wetlands serve as an interface where human and wildlife come into contact, potential health risks may emerge from human exposure to a variety of zoonotic pathogens that are shed from wildlife. The main goal of this dissertation is to provide an overview of freshwater wetland's ecosystem service and public health implications with regard to bacterial pathogens. The objectives include: (1) to assess ecosystem services of freshwater wetlands in terms of public health, specifically in reducing fecal indicator bacteria and pathogens (Chapter 2); (2) to model freshwater wetlands' ecosystem service in improving bacterial water quality under climate change (Chapter 3); (3) to evaluate the role of wildlife in pathogen dissemination in freshwater wetlands (Chapter 4); and (4) to investigate antimicrobial resistance in freshwater wetlands (Chapter 5). Study sites included created and restored marshes in Ohio at the Olentangy River Wetlands Research Park (ORWRP), which receive water from an urban/agricultural watershed and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR), which is a heavily avian species-impacted coastal Lake Erie wetland. Bacterial culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction were conducted to enumerate E. coli as a fecal indicator and determine the levels of bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter, Arcobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli), microbial source tracking markers (human, ruminant, avian species) as well as antimicrobial resistance genes (tetQ, sul1), respectively. US EPA's Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) and load duration curve analysis were employed to estimate wetlands' performance in E. coli reductions under climate change scenarios. For an emerging zoonotic pathogen in water, isolation and characterization of antimicrobial resistance patterns of Arcobacter were also conducted. The wetlands were found to reduce E. coli by 22.3% as water moved across the inflow to outflow of the urban freshwater wetlands. A simple and empirical model projected that freshwater wetlands would be able to decrease E. coli loads to meet regulatory requirements for both near (2020-2050) and far (2045-2074) terms despite increasing trends of E. coli levels. However, direct investigation of Canada goose feces sampled from freshwater wetlands identified Shiga toxin-producing E. coli gene which was linked to a toxin form of high potency and outbreak-causing strains (O157:H7, O165:H25 and O111:H-). Arcobacter was isolated from freshwater wetland water and demonstrated multiple antimicrobial resistance. More long-term monitoring of pathogens and surveillance of more wildlife species are necessary to better understand how wetlands mitigate pathogens and what health risks could arise when humans are exposed to wetlands. Nevertheless, findings from this dissertation (regarding both freshwater wetlands' ecosystem service and public health perspective) could help support planning for a "wise use of wetlands."
Jiyoung Lee (Advisor)
William Mitsch (Committee Member)
Karen Mancl (Committee Member)
Warren Dick (Committee Member)
153 p.
Environmental Science; Public Health
Ecosystem service; Public health; Freshwater wetlands; Microbial water quality; Waterborne pathogens; Urban watersheds; Climate change; Microbial source tracking; Antimicrobial resistance

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hsu, T.-T. D. (2015). Public Health Ecosystem Services and Potential Concerns of Freshwater Wetlands [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439487401

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hsu, Tsung-Ta. Public Health Ecosystem Services and Potential Concerns of Freshwater Wetlands. 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439487401.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hsu, Tsung-Ta. "Public Health Ecosystem Services and Potential Concerns of Freshwater Wetlands." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439487401

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1439487401
296
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.