William J. Mitsch
Encyclopedia
William Mitsch, born March 29, 1947 in Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...

 USA, is an ecosystem ecologist and ecological engineer who was co-laureate of the 2004 Stockholm Water Prize
Stockholm Water Prize
Presented annually since 1991, the Stockholm Water Prize is a prestigious award that recognises outstanding achievements in water related activities...

 in August 2004 as a result of a career in wetland ecology and restoration, ecological engineering, and ecological modelling.

History

Mitsch graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School
Wheeling Central Catholic High School
Wheeling Central Catholic High School is a parochial, Roman Catholic high school in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.-Graduation Requirements:*English - 4 credits*Social Science - 4 credits...

 in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1965 and University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

 in 1969 where he majored in mechanical engineering. He then worked for two years in the power industry—for American Electric Power in Ohio and for Commonwealth Edison in Chicago. It was at the latter utility that he became part of their then-new environmental planning staff in 1970, being influenced by the first Earth Day in May 1970. He then went to the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...

 in Gainesville and received an M.E. degree (1972) and Ph.D. (1975) in environmental engineering sciences. In his Ph.D. program he transitioned to become more of an ecologist, studying wetlands and lakes in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 under Professor H.T. Odum. Prior to arriving at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

 in 1986, he was on the faculties at Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...

 (1975–79) and University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...

 (1979–85).

Contributions

His most significant contributions are 1. development of the field of ecological engineering
Ecological engineering
Ecological engineering is an emerging study of integrating ecology and engineering, concerned with the design, monitoring and construction of ecosystems...

 as an author of the first book on this subject and the founder (in 1992) and editor-in-chief of the scientific journal Ecological Engineering, 2. creation of the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
The Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park is an experimental wetland complex located adjacent to the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Begun in 1992, the park has developed into a multitude of different habitats and setups which are used by OSU faculty...

, a unique 20-hectare (50-acre) wetland research laboratory and now Ramsar Wetland of International Importance at The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

 , 3. major contributions toward the development of the field of wetland ecology, particularly as first author of four editions of the standard textbook Wetlands, a book used around the world use to teach wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

 ecology. That book has educated several generations of wetland scientists since it was first introduced in 1986. Dr. Mitsch's recent wetland research has emphasized wetlands for nutrient removal in the agricultural Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri (MOM) River Basin (Mitsch et al. 2001) and the importance of wetlands in climate change (Mitsch et al. 2009).

Mitsch is currently Distinguished Professor of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

 and Director of the University’s Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
The Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park is an experimental wetland complex located adjacent to the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Begun in 1992, the park has developed into a multitude of different habitats and setups which are used by OSU faculty...

. His research and teaching has focused on wetland biogeochemistry, wetland creation and restoration, ecological engineering, and ecosystem modeling. Dr. Mitsch has authored or co-authored over 400 papers, books, and other publications in ecological and environmental science. He is co-author of 16 books including senior author of Ecological Engineering (1989), Ecological Engineering and Ecosystem Restoration (2004), 4 editions of Wetlands (1986–2007), and Wetland Ecosystems (2009).

Mitsch has served on the Science Advisory Board (SAB) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2001–2007) and on several United States National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...

 (NRC) committees of the National Academy of Sciences (1991–2004).

His international activity includes serving as a Fulbright Senior Specialist, Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre, University of Botswana
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana, or UB was established in 1982 as the first institution of higher education in Botswana. The university has four campuses: two in the capital city Gaborone, one in Francistown, and another in Maun. The university is divided into six faculties: Business, Education,...

 (2007) and Fulbright Fellow, University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...

, Denmark (1986–1987) and an advisor/researcher for East China Normal University
East China Normal University
East China Normal University , was founded in October 1951 in western Shanghai, on the campus of Great China University. It is the first Normal University founded after the establishment of the People's Republic of China.-History:...

, China; United Nations Environmental Programme, Egypt and Jordan; EARTH University
EARTH University
EARTH University, located in Guácimo, Limón & EARTH University – La Flor, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica is a private, international, non-profit university which offers an undergraduate program leading to a licenciatura degree in agricultural sciences and the rational use of natural...

, Costa Rica; IAMZ (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza), Spain; SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
The Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment was established by the 10th meeting of the Executive Committee of the ICSU in 1969. SCOPE's members include 38 national science academies and research councils, and 22 international scientific unions.The current president is Lu Yonglong...

), Paris, France; and MISTRA (Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research), Sweden, among other locations.

Among his awards, Mitsch and his frequent colleague and co-author Sven Jørgensen of Denmark received the 2004 Stockholm Water Prize
Stockholm Water Prize
Presented annually since 1991, the Stockholm Water Prize is a prestigious award that recognises outstanding achievements in water related activities...

 from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 on August 19, 2004 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden. He also received the National Wetland Research Award (1996) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environmental Law Institute, the Theodore M. Sperry Award (2005) for a career in ecosystem restoration from the Society for Ecological Restoration, and a SWS Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) from the Society of Wetland Scientists
Society of Wetland Scientists
The mission of the Society of Wetland Scientists is to promote understanding, scientifically based management, and sustainable use of wetlands.-Vision:The vision of the Society of Wetland Scientists is twofold:#Wetland Science will:...

 (SWS). His Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
The Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park is an experimental wetland complex located adjacent to the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Begun in 1992, the park has developed into a multitude of different habitats and setups which are used by OSU faculty...

 at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

 achieved the status as the 24th USA Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in June 2008 from the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...

 in Switzerland.

Videos

Wetlands are crucial to help clean up water

iMix: Wetland

Publications

About William Mitsch

"Working with water" Mason Inman. 2010. Nature Reports Climate Change 4 April 2010 | doi:10.1038/climate.2010.28

"An unseen carbon sink," Melanie Lenart. 2009. Nature Reports Climate Change 26 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/climate.2009.125

Waist-deep in Ecological Integrity, Notre Dame Magazine, University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

, Spring 2006

Under Ground by Yvonne Baskin, Island Press
Island press
Island Press is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, environmental publisher based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in natural history, ecology, conservation, and the built environment...

, 2005, Chapter VI "Microbes, Muck, and Dead Zones"

Sven Erik Jørgensen, Denmark; William J. Mitsch, USA, Stockholm International Water Institute
Stockholm International Water Institute
Stockholm International Water Institute is an independent, non-profit policy institute that generates research, awareness and policies on global water issues...

, 2004

By William Mitsch (from more than 400)

Books

Mitsch, W.J., J.G. Gosselink, C.J. Anderson, and L. Zhang. 2009. Wetland Ecosystems, John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...

, Inc., New York, 295 pp.

Mitsch, W.J. and J.G. Gosselink. 2007. Wetlands, 4th ed., John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...

, Inc., New York, 582 pp.

Mitsch, W.J. and S.E. Jørgensen. 2004. Ecological Engineering and Ecosystem Restoration. John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...

, New York. 472 pp.

Mitsch, W.J. and S.E. Jørgensen. 1989. Ecological Engineering: An Introduction to Ecotechnology. John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...

, New York. 472 pp.

Journal Articles

Altor, A.E. and W.J. Mitsch. 2008. Pulsing hydrology, methane emissions, and carbon dioxide fluxes in created marshes: A 2-year ecosystem study. Wetlands 28: 423-438.

Anderson, C.J. and W.J. Mitsch. 2006. Sediment, carbon, and nutrient accumulation at two 10-year-old created riverine marshes. Wetlands 26: 779-792.

Costanza, R., W.J. Mitsch, and J.W. Day. 2006. A new vision for New Orleans and the Mississippi delta: applying ecological economics and ecological engineering. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 4: 465 - 472.

Day J.W., Jr., D. F. Boesch, E. J. Clairain, G. P. Kemp, S. B. Laska, W. J. Mitsch, K. Orth, H. Mashriqui, D. R. Reed, L. Shabman, C. A. Simenstad, B. J. Streever, R. R. Twilley, C. C. Watson, J. T. Wells, and D. F. Whigham.. 2007. Restoration of the Mississippi Delta: Lessons From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Science 315: 1679-1684.

Day, J.W., Jr., C.A.S. Hall, A. Yáñez-Arancibia, D. Pimentel, C. Ibañez Marti, and W. J. Mitsch. 2009. Ecology in times of scarcity. BioScience 59: 321-331.

Hernandez, M.E. and W.J. Mitsch. 2007. Denitrification in created riverine wetlands: Influence of hydrology and season. Ecological Engineering 30: 78-88.

Mitsch, W.J. 1993. Ecological engineering—a cooperative role with the planetary life–support systems. Environmental Science & Technology 27:438-445.

Mitsch, W.J., X. Wu, R.W. Nairn, P.E. Weihe, N. Wang, R. Deal, C.E. Boucher. 1998. Creating and restoring wetlands: A whole-ecosystem experiment in self-design. BioScience 48: 1019-1030.

Mitsch, William J., John W. Day, Jr., J. Wendell Gilliam, Peter M. Groffman, Donald L. Hey, Gyles W. Randall, and Naiming Wang. 2001. Reducing nitrogen loading to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River Basin: Strategies to counter a persistent ecological problem. BioScience 51: 373-388.

Mitsch, W.J. and S.E. Jørgensen. 2003. Ecological engineering: A field whose time has come. Ecological Engineering 20: 363-377.

Mitsch, W.J. and J.W. Day, Jr. 2004. Thinking big with whole ecosystem studies and ecosystem restoration—A legacy of H.T. Odum. Ecological Modelling 178: 133-155.

Mitsch, W.J., L. Zhang, C.J. Anderson, A. Altor, and M. Hernandez. 2005. Creating riverine wetlands: Ecological succession, nutrient retention, and pulsing effects. Ecological Engineering 25: 510-527.

Mitsch, W.J., J. Tejada, A.M. Nahlik, B. Kohlmann, B, Bernal, and C.E. Hernández. 2008. Tropical wetlands for climate change research, water quality management and conservation education on a university campus in Costa Rica. Ecological Engineering 34: 276-288.

Mitsch, W.J., J, Lu, X. Yuan, W. He, and L. Zhang. 2008. Optimizing ecosystem services in China. Science 322: 528.

Mitsch, W.J., L. Zhang, D.F. Fink, M.E. Hernandez, A.E. Altor, C.L. Tuttle and A.M. Nahlik. 2008. Ecological engineering of floodplains. Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology 8: 139-147.

Mitsch, W.J., A.M. Nahlik, P. Wolski, B. Bernal, L. Zhang, and L. Ramberg. 2009. Tropical wetlands: Seasonal hydrologic pulsing, carbon sequestration, and methane emissions. Wetlands Ecology and Management DOI 10.1007/s11273-009-9164-4

External links

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