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Water Quality, Wetlands, and Aquatic Ecosystems

Uses of land in the South over the past three centuries have dramatically altered watercourses and wetlands. Ongoing forces of change will continue to directly and indirectly impact water quality, wetland functions, and aquatic species. Still, the South’s forests produce water of high quality, and the biological diversity of the South’s aquatic ecosystems is substantial. In this section, we examine water quality and the effects of forest uses on water quality, forested wetlands, aquatic species of concern, and conservation issues regarding water and aquatic ecosystems in the South.