Soil samples were taken in each patch type in each season. In the pre-monsoon season, only 2 soil cores were taken per patch. In the post-monsoon and winter season, 4 soil cores were taken. In addition, only six of the nine wetlands were sampled in the winter rainy season. Soil cores of the same patch type were taken from distinct patches when possible. If only one contiguous patch was present at a site, then the samples were taken at least 5 meters apart. Soil cores were taken to 10 cm depth, stored on ice in the field and at 4 degrees Celsius in the lab until processing, which typically occurred within 24 hours. Soil cores were then homogenized and subsampled for analyses. Gravimetric soil moisture was determined by drying soils for 48 hours at 105 degrees Celsius. Soil organic matter was determined by mass loss on ignition for 4 hours at 550 degrees Celsius. Soil nitrate was extracted by shaking 10 grams of sample with 50 mL 2M KCl for 1 hour and then filtering through pre-leached Whatman 42 ashless filters. Extracts were collected and frozen until analyzed colorimetrically on a Lachat QC8000 flow-injection analyzer. Soil texture was determined using the hydrometer method. Forty grams of 2-mm sieved soils were shaken overnight in 100 mL of a sodium hexametaphosphate solution and percent sand, silt, and clay were determined by measuring the soil solution density at 40 seconds and 7 hours. Soils samples with greater than 10% organic matter were processed to remove organic matter using the hydrogen peroxide extraction method before determining soil texture. Dentification was measured using denitrification enzyme assay. Fifty grams of soil were placed into 125 ml Wheaton bottles and 50 ml of media was added. Media consisted of either just distilled water (DI), the addition of carbon (40 mg glucose-C kg soil-1 as glucose), the addition of nitrate (100 mg NO3--N kg soil-1 as KNO3), or the addition of both carbon and nitrate. Headspace of samples was evacuated and then purged with N2 gas five times to create anaerobic conditions and 10 ml of acetylene gas was added to block the reduction of N2O to N2. Samples were incubated at approximately 20 degrees Celsius and shaken at 140 rpm for 4 hours. Gas samples were collected at 30 minutes and 4 hours and analyzed on a Varian 3800 gas chromatograph for N2O concentration. Plant trait data was not collected in the same locations as the soil cores were collected, but they were collected from the same patches. Three 10cm x 10cm quadrants were placed randomly within each patch type at each study wetland in each season. Within each quadrant rooting depth was measured (an average of three measurements) and above and below ground plant tissue were harvested. Plant tissue was brought back to the lab, rinsed to remove soil, and dried at 60 degrees Celsius for one weeks. Once dry, plant tissue was weighed for biomass measurements. Plant tissue was then ground using a Wiley mill and a subsample was analyzed to determine C:N ratios of plant tissues using a Perkin-Elmer 2400 CHN elemental analyzer.