The role of wetlands as a mechanism to manage water quality has been well studied in many areas across the world (Birch et al., 2004; Borin and Tocchetto, 2007; Forbes et al., 2011; Kadlec and Wallace, 2009, Mitsch and Gosselink, 2015), though their use in tropical and sub-tropical environments, especially in terms of their roles in improving specific water quality constituents of concern, is still developing. Recent studies ((Adame et al., 2019; Kavehei et al., 2021; Wallace et al., 2022)) have highlighted the need to quantify specific aspects of wetland processes that may be critical to their function in processing nutrients, especially nitrogen, and the lack of suitable models that can simulate these processes. Previous assessments of the performance of wetland systems in water quality improvement and their effectiveness have been largely based on knowledge and modelling from wetlands in climates significantly different to tropical and sub-tropical zones.
The need to have a model that can effectively simulate wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is critical for understanding appropriate methods and levels of investment needed in protecting the unique and valuable ecosystems and biodiversity of the GBR region, as well as mitigating human impacts on it. Wetlands currently play a crucial role in the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem (Adame et al. 2021), acting as natural filters by removing excess nutrients and pollutants from the water that flows into the reef (Adame et al. 2019). Understanding how they do this, and being able to make predictions and simulations around how best to improve their functions and roles in protecting the GBR in the future is critical for future management and investment in the region and catchments where the wetlands are located.
Developing a modelling approach for wetlands in the tropical climates of the GBR has meant reviewing current science around the key processes needing to be resolved, developing conceptual models to illustrate them and identifying modelling frameworks that might represent them but also be applicable to the intended end users. This paper outlines the process undertaken to develop this modelling approach, including the platforms used, key issues identified around resolving wetland characteristics, the challenges of accessing suitable supporting data and the development approach used.