Infographic: How Wetlands Contribute to Water Quality

by Elisha Tibatemwa

  • Infographic
decorative header image from Volume VII Issue 1 · Fall 2020

Wetlands are an important part of the prairie and the environment but often get overlooked. They offer many benefits to the environment but have been and are still being destroyed.

As I did research on wetlands I found that many people advocate for their protection because of their identity as carbon sequestration zones. With the imminent threat of climate change they are becoming more and more important.

However, in this piece I wanted to focus on a lesser developed importance of wetlands, and this is the ability of wetlands to improve water quality. The Midwest is home to a lot of farmers, and their activities affect the quality of the surrounding water bodies. I made this infographic to showcase the positive effect wetlands have on the environment, and to advocate for restoration and protection as they not only offer long term advantages when it comes to climate change, but also immediately improve the environment they are found in. Rootstalk leaf-bug icon marking the end of the article's text.

About Author Elisha Tibatemwa
Portrait image of author Elisha Tibatemwa.
Elisha Tibatemwa is a fourth-year student from Kampala, Uganda, at Grinnell College studying Biology and Political Science. He also intends to pursue a concentration in Neuroscience. He is very interested in the intersection between policy and biology, especially when it comes to public and environmental health. During this pandemic he has decided to try new things and recently started learning to skateboard and code in different languages.