Organic carbon export from upland and forested wetland watersheds1

Export of organic carbon per unit runoff from five small, eastern North Carolina watersheds with considerable swamp drainage was severalfold higher than the export rates from upland watersheds reported in the literature. This reflects the higher concentrations of organic carbon, especially dissolved forms, in swamp waters and is probably attributable to increased contact time between water and organic debris as well as to concentration effects of high evapotranspiration in swamps.