Wetland chemistry is largely affected by dredging, which can be done for a variety of purposes. Wetlands are areas within floodplains with both terrestrial and aquatic characteristics, including marshes, swamps, bogs, and others. It has been estimated that they occupy around 2.8x10 km, about 2.2% of the Earth’s surface, but other estimates are even higher. It has also been estimated to have a worth of $14.9 trillion and are responsible for 75% of commercial and 90% of recreational harvest of fish and shellfish in the United States. Wetlands also hold an important role in water purification, storm protection, industry, travel, research, education, and tourism. Being heavily used and traveled through, dredging is common and leads to continuation of long-term damage of the ecosystem and land loss, and ultimately a loss in industry, homes, and protection.
Wetlands undergo different chemical reactions depending on a variety of parameters, including salinity and pH. Redox reactions have a major effect on wetland ecosystems, as they depend heavily on salinity, pH, oxygen availability, and others. Common redox reactions in wetland include carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur transformations. Fluctuations in water flow and flooding can change the abundance of the oxidized or reduced species depending on the environment. Increased flooding and water flow can also change the availability of nutrients to local species. The further the wetlands change from their original states, the more difficult rebuilding land becomes. The types of mitigation efforts also change depending on the chemistry, so an understanding of the change is required for effective mitigation.