As another summer fades away (a hot one at that1), the fall is here— at least in terms of the local flora. In driving by a local swamp the other day, I noticed that the red maples were red. In just a short time, those trees will lose their leaves as they do every year, only to reappear in the spring after their tiny red flowers have blossomed. Fall is my favorite time of year as the temperature is more to my liking and the landscape is enhanced by the deciduous trees, revealing beautiful colors of red, scarlet, yellow, and orange that lie hidden for the rest of the year due to the overwhelming production of chlorophyll, creating the green color that dominates the foliage.
The Society is making final preparations for its annual meeting to be held in Taipei, Taiwan, on November 11-16. This is our first such meeting in Asia, and we’re hoping you’ll attend. We are planning to publish the proceedings in our January 2025 issue. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to a great meeting.
As this issue was in the design phase, I received word of the passing of John Teal whose work, especially his book Life and Death of the Salt Marsh, was an inspiration to me as I began my career as a wetland scientist working in tidal wetlands in the 1970s. He was
1
gracious enough to write the preface to my book, Tidal Wetlands Primer, in 2013. John was President of our society from 1998 to 1999. We’ll be posting a tribute to him in the next issue. Meanwhile, thanks, John, for all you’ve done for wetlands ... may you rest in peace.
In this issue of WSP, thanks to Matt Miller, we’re publishing the proceedings of the South Atlantic Chapter’s annual meeting held in Pensacola, Florida, on June 19-24. You’ll likely find a number of presentations that may interest you along with contact information for getting details on the project or the topic. We’re hoping other Chapters will follow Matt’s lead in publishing abstracts of their meetings in future issues of WSP. Also, in this issue, we have an article contributed by Jace Standish and Julia Alards-Tomalin on hydric soils for British Columbia comparing various approaches to their identification. We also have a summary of the events and discussion between a few of our SWS scientists and Chinese scientists/managers about wetland restoration and the use of constructed wetlands submitted by Alanna Rebelo and colleagues. Thanks to all for their contributions. I also prepared a contribution for Notes from the Field showing some observations from a few wetland encounters this summer.
Meanwhile, there’s still time to plan your trip to Taiwan and attend our annual meeting.
Happy Swamping!
Ralph
Globally, June and August were the hottest months ever recorded, and July 22 was the hottest day on record, averaging 17.16°C or 62.89°F worldwide.
CONTENTS
Vol. 42, No. 4 October 2024
ISSN: 1943-6254
266 / From the Editor’s Desk
268 / President’s Message
270 / SWS News
281 / Proceedings of the 2024 Conference of the South Atlantic Chapter
310 / Notes From the Field
315 / Wetlands in the News
316 / Wetland Bookshelf
317 / WSP Submission Guidelines
318 / 2024 Advertising Prospectus
ARTICLES
301 / Identifying Hydric Soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley, British Columbia: A Comparison of Methods
Jace Standish and Julia Alards-Tomalin
COVER PHOTO:
New England bog in the fall. (Credit: Ralph Tiner)
SOCIETY OF WETLAND SCIENTISTS
1818 PARMENTER ST., STE 300, MIDDLETON, WI 53562
(608) 310-7855
WWW.SWS.ORG
Note to Readers: All State-of-the-Science reports are peer reviewed, with anonymity to reviewers.
&Wetland Science Practice
PRESIDENT / Eric Stein, Ph.D.
PRESIDENT-ELECT / Rebecca Pierce
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT / Susan Galatowitsch, Ph.D.
SECRETARY GENERAL / Kai Rains, Ph.D.
TREASURER / Yvonne Vallette, SPWS, SWSPCP
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / Erin Berggren, CAE
MARKETING MANAGER / Davida Jackson
WETLAND SCIENCE & PRACTICE EDITOR / Ralph Tiner, PWS Emeritus
CHAPTERS
ASIA / Wei-Ta Fang, Ph.D.
CANADA / Susan Glasauer, Ph.D.
CENTRAL / Lindsey Postaski
CHINA / Ming Jiang
EUROPE / Matthew Simpson, PWS
INTERNATIONAL / Alanna Rebelo, Ph.D. and Tatiana Lobato de Magalhães, Ph.D., PWS
MID-ATLANTIC / Bill Morgante
NEW ENGLAND / April Doroski
NORTH CENTRAL / Casey Judge, WPIT
OCEANIA / Maria Vandergragt
PACIFIC NORTHWEST / Shelby Petro
ROCKY MOUNTAIN / Rebecca Pierce
SOUTH ATLANTIC / Richard Chinn
SOUTH CENTRAL / Jessica Brumley
WESTERN / Richard Beck, PWS, CPESC, CEP
SECTIONS
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY / Katie Bowes
EDUCATION / Darold Batzer, Ph.D. and Derek Faust
GLOBAL CHANGE ECOLOGY / Melinda Martinez, Ph.D.
PEATLANDS / Bin Xu, Ph.D.
PUBLIC POLICY AND REGULATION / John Lowenthal, PWS
RAMSAR / Nicholas Davidson, Ph.D.
RIGHTS OF WETLANDS / Gillian Davies
STUDENT / Deja Newton
WETLAND RESTORATION / Luke Eggering
WILDLIFE / Rachel Fern
WOMEN IN WETLANDS / Mo Wise
COMMITTEES
AWARDS / Amanda Nahlik, Ph.D.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH / Jeffrey Matthews, Ph.D.
GLOBAL REACH / Rebecca Woodward
HUMAN DIVERSITY / Christina Omran
MEETINGS / Yvonne Vallette, PWS
MEMBERSHIP / Kai Rains, Ph.D.
PUBLICATIONS / Keith Edwards
WAYS & MEANS / Yvonne Vallette, SPWS, SWSPCP
WETLAND CONCERNS / Max Finlayson
WETLANDS OF DISTINCTION / Roy Messaros, Ph.D., Steffanie Munguia and Jason Smith, PWS
REPRESENTATIVES
PCP / Christine VanZomeren
WETLANDS / Marinus Otte, Ph.D.
WETLAND SCIENCE & PRACTICE / Ralph Tiner, PWS Emeritus
NAWM / Samantha Vogeler
October 2024
Dear SWS Colleagues,
I hope you all had an enjoyable summer, whether it was spent travelling, teaching, doing fieldwork, or just enjoying some well-deserved R and R. I recently spent some time in the southern Sierras, which is one of my favorite places to backpack and camp. No matter how much time I spend in the Sierras, I am always in awe of the beauty and natural processes all around me. Unfortunately, striking evidence of the combined effects of climate change and other anthropogenic stress is all too prevalent—depleted stream flows associated with less precipitation and earlier snowmelt runoff, higher temperatures, invasive species, and extensive burn scars across the landscape. The need to work collaboratively to better understand and protect our wetlands, streams, estuaries, and the watersheds that support them has never been greater.
The US Supreme Court’s recent decisions will likely substantially reduce the ability of federal agencies to use their authorities to regulate, manage, and protect aquatic resources. This demands new strategies that involve collaboration at the regional, state, and local levels to build inclusive partnerships to protect and manage our precious aquatic resources. SWS provides many opportunities to develop and advance these
partnerships through committees, local chapters, and sections. Whether your passion is restoration, policy, education, diversity, global outreach or other aspects of wetland science, there are opportunities through SWS for you to help develop future strategies for aquatic resource study, management, and protection. The Society will be undertaking numerous important initiatives this year, including recruiting our first-ever executive director and updating our five-year strategic plan, which sets the Society’s priorities. I encourage you to get involved in your society and build new friendships along the way.
The strength of our society is the commitment and engagement of our diverse membership. Now more than ever, broad participation is critical from all sectors—including NGOs, tribes, academia, agencies, and the practitioner community. I urge you to reach out to friends and colleagues who are not SWS members and encourage them to join and become active.
As this issue of WSP is released, our annual meeting in Taiwan is just around the corner. I look forward to seeing many of you there to learn, experience, engage in important conversations, connect with old friends, and develop new friendships. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, any of the SWS Board Members, or our staff partners at MCI if you have any questions or concerns or want to learn how to get more involved.
Warmly,
Eric Stein President, SWS
Eric Stein President, SWS
English:
Thursday, December 19 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Topic: PhD Research Findings & Floating Wetlands in Local Parks (follow up to PhD work)
Speaker: Carla A. Campbell
Spanish:
Wednesday, December 4 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Topic: TBD
Speaker: Dr. Carlos Manuel Burelo Ramos
NOTE: Webinar topics and speakers are subject to change. Visit the SWS Event Calendar for the most recent details and for future webinar dates.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 WEBINAR SERIES SPONSORS
Opportunity for Career Development - Assistant Editor of Wetland Science & Practice
Having been the Editor of Wetland Science & Practice for a decade or so, it is time to get someone ready to move the journal forward after mid-2025. During my tenure, we’ve been able to take the journal into the digital realm as a full-color e-publication and have reestablished the process of assigning DOI codes to articles to make them more readily available online. To make the transition seamless in anticipation of my retirement by 2026, we’d like to have someone come onboard as an Assistant Editor (AE) for the next year or so with the expectation that the AE would assume the Editor’s position by the end of 2025.
The duties would be to help the Editor contact local chapters for possible contributions, review contributions for their suitability for publication and suggest edits, coordinate any additional peer review as necessary, and learn the process of working with our support staff in getting the issue posted online. In terms of a time commitment, most issues require about 3-4 days of work from the Editor, so the AE would spend a day or so four times a year.
As far as qualifications are concerned, the best candidates would have some experience in writing scientific papers/ publications and articles for the general public on the ecology or natural history of wetlands. FYI, the Society’s budget includes a travel stipend for the Editor to attend the Society’s annual meeting.
If interested, please send a note to me... Ralph Tiner, Editor WSP at: ralphtiner83@gmail.com. Thanks for your consideration.
Upcoming Research Symposium (March 2025)
Biophilia:DesigningforAnimals
Penn State’s Stuckeman School is hosting a symposium entitled “Biophilia: Designing for Animals,” which will focus on giving more consideration to animals in landscape designs and new developments. The meeting will be held at the HUB-Robeson Center on the University Park campus on March 2-3, 2025. Andy Cole, SWS Member (former editor of Wetland Science & Practice) and Director of the Ecology plus Design Research Center at Penn State, is organizing the symposium. Keynote speakers planned for the event are:
• Doug Tallamy, T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture at the University of Delaware and founder of Homegrown National Park, a grassroots effort focused on raising awareness about the biodiversity crisis and urging people to address the issue by adding native plants and removing invasive ones, and
• Nina-Marie Lister, professor and graduate director of the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University and founding principal of PLANDFORM, a creative design practice focused on advancing designs for green infrastructure that protect biodiversity and support equitable, accessible, and healthy community-based solutions.
The Stuckeman School invites submissions from researchers and practitioners exploring the full range of biophilial design, from megafauna to microbes, and their intersection with natural and built environments. For more information, visit the website or contact Andy Cole at cac13@psu.edu.
Get Ready for the SWS 2024 Annual Meeting in Taiwan!
The SWS 2024 Annual Meeting is right around the corner, and the planning team is dedicated to making this first-ever SWS meeting in Asia an unforgettable experience! With the theme “Wetlands and Global Change: Mitigation and Adaptation,” the meeting will focus on the essential roles wetlands play in biodiversity, carbon storage, climate change mitigation, and public safety, highlighting their significance as the world navigates the challenges of global change.
This historic conference, hosted in collaboration with the National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC), and co-hosted with the Asia Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists, marks a new chapter for SWS by spotlighting the growing importance of Asian wetlands and the outstanding contributions of Asian wetland scientists.
Visit the SWS 2024 Annual Meeting website for the latest updates, including:
• A list of plenary speakers
• Descriptions of exciting field trip offerings
• Information on visiting Taiwan
Don’t miss out—register today to secure your spot and take advantage of early bird pricing. Get ready to explore the remarkable wetlands of Taiwan with SWS.
Register Now
Save the Date: SWS 2025 Annual Meeting in Rhode Island!
Mark your calendars! The Society of Wetland Scientists is thrilled to announce its 2025 Annual Meeting, set to take place in beautiful Rhode Island on July 15-18, 2025. We’re excited to bring the SWS community together in the New England area for an inspiring and impactful gathering.
This year's theme, “Navigating the Waters: Wetland Science, Evolving Policy, and the Future of our Landscape,” will delve into the dynamic intersections of wetland science, policy evolution, and the critical role of wetlands in shaping a sustainable future. Expect engaging sessions, insightful discussions, and unique opportunities to explore the stunning wetlands of Rhode Island.
Stay tuned for more details, including exact venue information and a full schedule of events. We can’t wait to see you there—prepare for a meeting that promises to advance wetland science and forge connections within our vibrant community.
Learn More
NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
As one of the world’s leading planning, engineering and consulting firms, Michael Baker International believes in the power of naturebased solutions to reduce risk and improve infrastructure for a more resilient and sustainable future.
SOLUTIONS
For more information, contact Richard Beck, PWS, Michael Baker Practice Executive P: 949-855-3687 E: rbeck@mbakerintl.com
Constructed Wetlands
Dune Rehabilitation & Restoration
Ecosystem Restoration
Green Roofs & Rooftop Gardens
Habitat Preservation & Restoration
Hybrid Green-Gray Solutions
Living Shorelines
Mitigation Offsets & Banking
Phytoremediation
Recreational Resources
Regulatory Processing
Riparian Habitat
Creation & Restoration
Shoreline Restoration
Stream & Floodplain Restoration
Watershed Restoration
Wetland Delineation
PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE SOCIETY OF WETLAND SCIENTISTS
Bow Creek Stormwater Park Flood Mitigation Improvements / City of Virginia Beach, Virginia
Boulder County Flood Recovery and Ecosystem Restoration / Boulder, Colorado
Westside Creeks Restoration / San Antonio, Texas
SWS Scientists Exchange Ideas with Chinese Wetland Scientists About Wetland Restoration Including the Use of Constructed Wetlands
SWS scientists participated in an exchange of wetlands expertise in China on May 21-28, 2024, as part of an international cooperation project called Key technologies of wetland restoration in Beijing-TianjinHebei with the goal of carbon sequestration, which is funded by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
Dr. Lei Yinru (Institute for Wetland Research at the Chinese Academy of Forestry - CAF) invited international experts including:
• Professor Max Finlayson (SWS; guest researcher at CAF and visiting professor at Australia’s Charles Sturt University and the University of New South Wales);
• Andy Herb (SWS; AlpineEco in Denver, Colorado, USA),
• Dr. Ritesh Kumar (SWS; Director of Wetlands International South Asia),
• Dr. Shirish Singh (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands), and
• Dr. Alanna Rebelo (SWS International Chapter co-chair; Water Science Unit, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa; Department
THE FIRST DAY (MAY 21) began with two seminars at the Institute for Wetland Research at the CAF in Beijing. The first seminar included presentations on wetland restoration for carbon sequestration: “Wetland carbon storage of China” by Wang Jinzhi and “Wetland and climate change: state of research and programmes” by Dr. Kumar. These covered research on wetlands carbon assessment in China and India, respectively, with projections of the total wetland carbon store in each country presented. In the second seminar, Dr. Rebelo’s presentation “Wetland restoration as a naturebased solution” gave some background on South African wetlands, how they are classified and their state (which is dire as ~50% are degraded), and described the importance and benefits of restoration as a naturebased solution. Dr. Singh then presented on constructed wetland technology, highlighting the unique features of surface flow, sub-surface flow–horizontal and vertical flow constructed wetlands and how these different constructed wetland types can be coupled and combined to improve treatment effectiveness.
ON THE SECOND DAY (MAY 22), we were given a walking tour of the Hanshiqiao Constructed Wetlands and animal rescue sanctuary in Shunyi District, Beijing. The sanctuary consists of an artificial lake and many enclosures of
Participants at a seminar at the Wetland Research Institute, Beijing. (Photo by Lei Yinru)
12 different segments, mainly of the surface flow (free water flowing) constructed wetland technology, and a pump that moves water from the lake into the system. Gravel and sediment ranged from 40 cm to 60 cm deep in places, and the water level rises to 20–30 cm above the ground in the summer during the rainy season. In the winter, due to the subzero temperature conditions, the pumping is halted, and the technology is not used. In the summer, biomass of the reeds and sedges grows substantially, and this is harvested and removed from site. Postgraduate student Shaokun Wang of the Institute for Wetland Research presented a talk on these constructed wetlands, “Plant rhizosphere microbiome research in constructed wetlands,” which, in part, demonstrated that different plant species had differential impacts on water purification due to enzyme activities in the root zone (rhizosphere). At 4.85°C there was a threshold below which microbial diversity and function dropped off, justifying the seasonal approach to wetland use.
The major issue emphasized by the wetland park management team is that, despite aerating the artificial lake, as well as implementing the constructed wetland system, the lake remains eutrophic. The team of local and international experts discussed potential solutions.
The first issue raised was that of scale: the amount of water being pumped into the constructed wetland system and leaving the wetland system did not appear to be measured, and therefore it was impossible to quantify the overall impact of water purification by the wetland on the lake itself. What was known is that quite a large amount of water was disappearing from the constructed wetland system over its length, presumably due to evapotranspiration, as the wetland is lined and therefore does not allow interaction with groundwater, unless the lining had been breached. A mass balance approach was proposed: to measure water (and total nutrients) entering the constructed wetland system, and the water leaving, as
well as an estimate of the total volume of the lake. From this mass balance, it would also be possible to determine what volume of water would need to be treated for impact to be evident in the lake. Thereafter, the loading could be calculated, and a constructed wetland optimization could be designed, to make more efficient use of the space available, for example, more diverse and deeper substrate, different flow paths (e.g., horizontal and vertical subsurface flow instead of just surface free-flow) and perhaps some treatment steps at the start of the system as well.
The second issue raised was the lack of knowledge about the local and regional groundwater setting. It was recommended to install some monitoring wells throughout the site, so as to understand seasonal groundwater level fluctuations and water quality interactions. This could shed light on seasonal variations in water quality, and whether there are likely to be any limiting effects to the constructed wetland’s potential to purify water (i.e., does the regional groundwater dilute the water polluted by birds, or does it worsen the condition?). When is this effect likely to be observed? Monitoring wells are inexpensive to install and can be manually measured; data loggers can also be inserted, which can be more costly.
Thirdly and lastly, suggestions were made for the lake itself, improving efforts to aerate the lake (e.g., a fountain or solar pump) and increasing the vegetation (and consequently cutting and removal of biomass) around the lake border. If the lake were extended outward, it need not infringe on the area of open water surface that seemed to be desirable for specific suites of species of waterbirds.
Left: The design of the Hanshiqiao Constructed Wetlands and bird sanctuary in Shunyi District, Beijing; Right: a section of the free-flowing constructed wetland with water inlet pipes through the center of some yellow flowering irises. (Photos by Alanna Rebelo)
FOR DAY THREE (MAY 23), we participated in a seminar with Nanfeng County government officials in Beijing on the use of wetland offsetting to fund wetland restoration efforts. Several talks were delivered.
The first talk was a practical case of wetland banking in Nanfeng County Province by Wang Lihong, deputy county chief of Nanfeng County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province. He explained that the objective of the wetland bank is that the area and quality of the wetlands will not be reduced; the principles underpinning this approach are conservation priority and wise use. As proposed, the government would lead the establishment of the wetland bank and setups, while a third-party professional company would serve as a management service organization for implementation. After restoration is completed, maintenance would then be taken over by a village-run company with benefits to the village (profits would remain in the village). The loan would remain with the government. This work has
Drs. Zhai Xiajie and Lei Yinru from the Institute of Wetland Research then presented their research on four aspects of the wetland mitigation bank approach:
(2) diverse participants (government, village collective, third-party implementer, a commercial bank),
(3) methods and performance for wetland restoration (sustaining the restoration efforts has been highlighted as an issue), and
(4) challenges to local practice (e.g., how to introduce credit assessment and sales mechanisms? how to calculate wetland credits? how to ensure sustainability?).
Andy Herb then described his experience in wetland mitigation banking in the USA. Wetland mitigation
Typically, certain types of wetlands were being restored
A view of Hengshui Lake. (Photo by Alanna Rebelo)
ecosystem services. To address this, in 2008, they started requiring the replacement of wetland functions. Getting a mitigation bank approved in the USA can take a minimum of 10 months in theory, but often takes much longer in practice. Wetland credits are based on function: higher functioning wetlands score higher. One credit may cost as much as $100,000 in Colorado, USA, but buying credits at a bank releases the purchaser from having to acquire land and protect it in perpetuity.
The fourth talk, “Wetlands wise use: A call for integrative approaches,” was given by Dr. Kumar and Professor Finlayson. The term “wise use” of wetlands first appears in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and was subsequently defined, linking it with the concept of maintaining the “ecological character” of wetlands, including ecosystem services, carbon, and biodiversity. Because wetlands are complex socioecological systems, we need effective social and governance processes or mechanisms to manage ecological character, and we need to address wicked problems using a transdisciplinary approach, being
The fifth and final talk for the day was “Wetland Conservation, Occupation and Restoration” by Professor Yi Xie (Beijing Forestry University). He told a story of the wetlands in Inner Mongolia which hold ecological, economic, and social significance, not least due to the scarcity of wetlands in the northwest of China. There is an age-old conflict between conservation and development: the local people want to fish for their livelihoods, but local agencies want conservation. What is the solution? If conservation, then what is a reasonable compensation to people? Or is there a balance? The researchers have conducted a survey to investigate the willingness of the people to entertain compensation, and what amount would be appropriate.
The seminar ended with an open discussion around the challenges of damages to wetlands in China and globally, and mechanisms to halt and offset this degradation whilst providing co-benefits to local people.
EARLY ON DAY FOUR (MAY 24), we did some birdwatching along the promenade through the Hengshui Lake in Hebei County. The lake is a major stopover point for migratory birds on the East-Asian-Australasian Flyway and provides habitat for Baer’s Pochard, a critically endangered bird. After our tour concluded, we reconvened for a discussion about the wetland park, some of the issues faced, and potential solutions. We established that the lake has good water quality, and that the source of the water is from the Yellow River, one of the two biggest and most important rivers in China. The deputy director had two key questions:
(1) what they could do to improve the ecosystem services provided by the park (e.g., fishing, recreation), and the lake wetland, as well as its biodiversity value, and
(2) what they could do to strengthen their partnership with the researchers at the Institute for Wetland Research.
In response, Herb gave a talk on wetland restoration titled “Practical guidance for the design and implementation of wetland restoration projects” that introduced his “FIT” principles to restoration:
• “F” for “form and function,” which means that the restoration intervention should be crafted to replace form and function that is lost (i.e., like for like);
• “I” for “investigate and integrate,” which represents the critical importance of assessment, including understanding the needs of the watershed; and
• “T” for “technique and time,” which represents a dedication to sound science, implementing proper restoration techniques, and the importance of monitoring and adaptive management.
He gave some examples of his restoration work in the USA, and detailed some techniques that can be used.
We ended with a discussion in response to the deputy director’s questions. One specific and practical suggestion given by Herb for improving biodiversity of the wetland was to try to diversify ecosystem structures on the islands that are less structurally diverse—for example, allowing for more mudflats, reed beds, and forest, rather than just forested systems. The suggestion was to change the shape of the islands to encourage some of the missing habitats,
like moving some sediment from the top of the islands to extend the mudflats for some open habitat and some reed bed formation. Monitoring of bird and other species responses to these interventions, before, during and after, was highlighted as critical. In terms of improving collaboration, suggestions were made to host a symposium at the lake and invite all relevant researchers, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and any interested stakeholders to discuss management issues and research questions that are a priority for the management of the lake wetlands. This could be an annual event, encouraging researchers to take on research projects and students to get involved. In South Africa, this is commonly done as what we call a “catchment partnership” and meetings may often be quarterly and may last as long as three days, with emphasis on building relationships and coordinating research and management efforts. Another framing could be using this wetland lake and catchment as a “living lab.” A final suggestion was to host a conference specifically about the wetland lake.
ON MAY 26, we made our ascent to the Mongolian Plateau to visit the Chahan Naoer Wetland, a shallow, seasonal pan that, when full, is only about a meter deep at its deepest point. Home to trilobites and some interesting species of bird, this wetland park has biodiversity significance. The major issues in this wetland system are water table drawdown and streamflow reduction. With a mean annual precipitation of about 300 mm per annum, water is scarce in this landscape. Added to this the pressures of land-use change to more wateruse intensive crops, such as potatoes, and there is less water left for the ecological reserve. More recently, local government has been pushing greening of the landscape, and this has resulted in the planting of millions of trees in the grasslands. This further draws down the water table, placing additional strain on water resources. As a result, the wetland park facility sits high and dry today, kilometers away from the water’s edge. Research has shown that the surface area of the water has reduced significantly over the last 30 years.
Discussions around appropriate interventions for this system took an integrated, catchment-level angle,
such as removing trees in the grasslands to make water available for other uses, including the ecological reserve, as well as incentivizing irrigation efficiency and shifting away from water-intensive crops, such as potatoes, to crops that have lower water requirements. This may require policy changes or financial incentives. We also discussed education and capacity building in local government to reduce future initiatives like tree planting in grasslands, and to reach multiple goals, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, water security, and other co-benefits.
ON
THE LAST DAY, we gathered at the Institute for Wetland Research to learn about their new project on ecosystemintegrated governance in the Yellow River Basin. Dr. Xu Bin introduced the Yellow River Catchment and its context: It is an enormous river (covering 5,464 km from source to sea over an elevation drop of over 4,000 m) that intersects nine different provinces (each with their own local policies), thereby leading to fragmentation of governance and resulting in weakened ecological protection of the system. In terms of terrain, there are high elevations and rugged terrain in the west and low elevation to the east, and the Loess Plateau is located in the middle. The system is dominated by grasslands (47%), and has both deserts (10%) and wetlands (3%), but is also quite transformed, with agriculture (21%) in the middle and lower reaches and forestry in the mid and upper reaches (12%), as well as degraded land and settlements. Despite ecological protection, restoration, flood control, and disaster risk reduction projects, the system is still rather fragile, land use and developments are uncoordinated, and restoration projects are disjointed. Major issues include soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.
A new national law for ecological protection was passed in 2023; however, there is a lack of knowledge on how to implement this law, and detailed local guidance and guidelines are needed. This is where the proposed project comes in. Dr. Chen Jie gave a detailed outline of the project objectives, outputs, approaches, methodologies, and timelines.
The objectives are to:
(1) provide an integrative approach to tackling the complex ecological challenges in the catchment,
(2) offer a solution to fragmented ecological governance in the catchment,
(3) translate the integrated ecological governance concept and practices into national/subnational policies, and
(4) achieve the goal of high-quality development in the catchment, balancing economic and ecological priorities.
The group discussion was around potential case study sites for an international tour for the Chinese experts and team members. Similar rivers with interesting governance solutions included:
• the Murray-Darling River in Australia;
• the Colorado River in the USA;
• the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency for the Sabie and Crocodile Catchment in South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland;
• the Orange River in South Africa;
• the Nile Basin spanning several countries in Africa; and
• the Rhine River, which intersects multiple countries in Europe.
The seminar ended with a commitment to find other platforms that could support future collaboration among the team of wetland experts to continue the cooperation for the benefit of our wetlands and society.
An additional goal of this international wetland expert exchange is to work together on a scientific publication on wetlands and carbon. We discussed some initial ideas for the scope of the paper, and will be taking this forward collaboratively, led by Dr. Yinru.
We ended with a formal dinner at a local Beijing restaurant hosted by Professor Cui Lijuan and toasted our future collaboration for the benefit of wetlands internationally.
Submitted by Alanna Rebelo (SWS International Chapter co-chair; Water Science Unit, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa; Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa), Max Finlayson (SWS; guest researcher at CAF and visiting professor at Australia’s Charles Sturt University and the University of New South Wales), Lei Yinru (Institute for Wetland Research at the Chinese Academy of Forestry), Andy Herb (SWS; AlpineEco in Denver, Colorado, USA), Shirish Singh (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands), Ritesh Kumar (SWS; Director of Wetlands International South Asia), and Cui Lijuan (vice president of the Chinese Academy of Forestry).
Professor Cui Lijuan makes a formal toast to the group of collaborators: to future wetland restoration cooperation among countries. (Photo by Alanna Rebelo)
Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Conference of the South Atlantic Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists
The South Atlantic Chapter held its annual conference in Pensacola, Florida, on June 19–21, 2024. The theme of the meeting was “Sustaining Our Roots: Balancing Development, Conservation, and Wetland Restoration.” The conference was well attended with 81 participants.
On the first day, participants could attend one of two workshops—“The Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method” or “How to Identify FeS in the Absence of H2S in a Coastal Wetland”—or participate in a field trip to either Blackwater River State Forest/Escribano Point or Project Greenshores (a restoration/creation site along Pensacola Bay). On day two, Chief Dan “Sky Horse” Helms welcomed participants; he is a distinguished leader of the Santa Rosa Creek Muskogee Tribe and a dedicated environmental and indigenous rights activist. During the conference, keynote speeches were given by Dr. Mark Rains, Florida’s Chief Science Officer (“Protecting Florida Together: We’ve Never Solved a Problem We Didn’t First Understand”) and Royal Gardner, Professor of Law and Co-director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University (“Unnavigable Waters: The Impact of Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency”). Thirty presentations were given, and seven posters were displayed. Abstracts from the conference are presented on the following pages, along with descriptions of the posters. Please feel free to contact the authors for more information about their research.
Presentation DESCRIPTIONS
Presentation Number: 1
Expanding “Blue Carbon” Inventories to Include Measures of Soil Carbon Stability
Lisa G. Chambers (lisa.chambers@ucf.edu), University of Central Florida
Recognition that vegetated coastal ecosystems store a disproportionately large amount of global carbon (C) relative to their aerial extent has earned coastal marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds the name ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems. Soil was identified as the primary reservoir for this C, but prior research focuses almost exclusively on quantifying the total C pool in soils. This approach that fails to address the highly variable turn-over rates of soil C and the degree of vulnerability to mineralization back to the atmosphere. This study quantified soil C in five blue carbon ecosystems near the pristine Econfina River estuary, NE Gulf of Mexico (Perry, FL), including a freshwater tidal marsh, brackish riverine marsh, fringe and interior saltmarsh, and seagrass bed. Five soil cores (0-30 cm) were collected from each ecosystem, sectioned into 10 cm depth segments, and analyzed for total C and mineral associated organic matter carbon (MAOM-C), which is shown to be the most stable and persistent form of soil C. Average total C (g C/kg soil) increased in the following order: seagrass (14.4±1.0), brackish riverine marsh (96.3±14.0), freshwater tidal marsh (110.1±19.6), saltmarsh fringe (132.1±12.9), and saltmarsh interior (172.1±12.7). In contrast, when analyzed for MAOM-C, brackish riverine marsh had almost 3 times more stable C than all other ecosystems. Moreover, seagrass had the greatest percentage of soil C protected in MAOM-C (55.9%), followed by brackish riverine marsh (22.7%); all other ecosystems had less than 9% of the C protected as MAOM-C. Soil C not in the form of MAOM-C is more vulnerable to mineralization, particularly during changing abiotic conditions, a common occurrence in dynamic, disturbance-prone coastal ecosystems. These findings highlight the importance of considering soil C fractions, rather than total C alone, when evaluating the climate mitigation potential of coastal ecosystems.
Presentation Number: 2
Constructed Treatment Wetland Systems as Effective Tools for Microplastic Removal
Katherine Johnson (ka053491@ucf.edu), University of Central Florida
As plastic use becomes increasingly pervasive in modern society, environmental concerns surrounding plastic pollution have also grown. Microplastics, which are defined as plastic particles less than 5mm in size, have been identified as a harmful pollutant in aquatic systems due to their potential ingestion by aquatic fauna and ability to release or transport other chemicals. Constructed treatment wetland systems (CTWSs) are known to be highly effective at removing diverse pollutants, including anthropogenic nutrients. This study aims to quantify the ability of a CTWS to remove microplastic pollution from tertiary-treated municipal wastewater before discharge into a local natural water body, and to test the impact of various types of microplastics on microbial respiration under laboratory conditions. Microplastic percent removal in the CTWS was determined by manual quantification in triplicate 500-mL surface water samples collected monthly at influent and effluent sites for one year. Water samples were vacuum filtered through a 0.45-m nitrocellulose filter paper, dried, and transported to a microscope station for counting and identification at 45x magnification. In the lab, microbial response to different material types, including cotton, rayon, and polyester fibers, and polypropylene beads, were quantified by anaerobic incubation in 120-mL glass serum bottles containing site soil and water. Effects on microbial respiration (CO2 and CH4) were measured weekly for 8 weeks using a gas chromatograph. Results indicate an average microplastic removal efficiency of 93% in the CTWS, with the highest removal efficiencies observed in pellets. Across the study period, influent concentrations of microplastics varied notably, with little impact on effluent concentrations, suggesting an additional removal potential. In the lab, it is expected that microcosms containing cotton fibers will show the highest rates of respiration and bottles with polypropylene beads the lowest. This research demonstrates that microplastic removal is an additional ecosystem service provided by treatment wetlands.
Presentation Number: 3
Soil Biogeochemical Properties Associated with Coastal Wetland Stability in the Tolomato River Estuary
Jennifer Volk (je924818@ucf.edu),
Affiliation: University of Central Florida
Coastal wetlands perform many essential ecosystem functions that may be negatively impacted by anthropogenic and environmental change. Coastal wetland degradation has been observed in the Tolomato River estuary, part of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR), on the east coast of Florida (USA). In some areas, oyster rakes (linear piles of dead oyster shells) form along the boundary between the river channel, and the wetlands, and appear to be migrating laterally as the channel widens. The role of oyster rakes in the sustainability of the wetlands is unknown; while some areas of wetlands appear healthy with well consolidated soil (i.e., “stable”), others have reduced plant vigor, and loose, unconsolidated soils (i.e., “unstable”). We quantified how soil biogeochemical properties, including sediment particle size, organic matter content (OMC), total and dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus, and potassium permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), differ between stable and unstable marsh soils. Three sites, each containing 3 stable and 3 unstable plots, were identified for study. A fourth site with only stable plots served as a reference site. Soil cores (0-30 cm) were collected from each plot (25 total) and analyzed. Results indicate extractable ammonium concentrations averaged 64% higher in unstable soils, and OMC, total carbon, and POXC averaged 9%, 14%, and 13% higher in stable soils, respectively. A spatial gradient of soil nutrients was also evident, with undetectable nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations at the site nearest the river mouth but increasing to 0.47 mg/kg nitrate and 3.05 mg/kg SRP at the site furthest from the river mouth. Additionally, the reference site generally contained less clay than the other sites, indicating it may drain faster between tides. This data suggests biogeochemical indicators of the syndrome of coastal wetland collapse that may assist the GTMNERR in protecting and restoring their wetlands.
Presentation Number: 4
Enhancing Sediment Stability in Florida Living Shorelines Projects with Plant Selection and Planting Design
Carrie Reinhardt Adams (carrie.reinhardt@gmail.com), University of Florida
Climate change impacts have triggered interest in coastal protection with nature-based solutions such as living shorelines (LSL) which commonly incorporate Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) plantings. LSLs provide many ecosystem services including sediment stability and habitat provision. However, LSLs can fail to meet project goals due to uncontrollable factors like storm events but also because of factors that can be manipulated, such as planting design. We examined aspects of Spartina planting design and focused experiments on parameters linked to sediment stability during establishment as identified by sediment transport models. We tested the roles of plant arrangement and density, population source, and environmental conditions (specifically substrate type) on Spartina growth and morphology. Through a common garden experiment, a mesocosm experiment, and genetic assessments, we assessed key traits (plant clump diameter, shoot production, and biomass accumulation) across different plant sources and substrate types. We observed significant differences in clump diameter and shoot production among plant sources and substrate types, but relative source performance differed with substrate type and over time. Genetic analysis reveals related sources can have persistently different trait expression, emphasizing that plant source likely interacts with the planting environment. Our results demonstrate the potential of manipulating planting designs to optimize sediment stability. These insights offer practical guidance for Spartina plantings in LSLs and other coastal restoration projects designed to enhance sediment stability.
Presentation Number: 5
Developing Seed-based Restoration of Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass) for Living Shorelines in Florida
Madeline Estes (mestes1@ufl.edu), University of Florida
The UN Decade on Restoration has brought restoration science and practice to the forefront and has created a global demand for native plant material. In Florida, restoration of coastlines with marsh dominant species is increasingly implemented; however, professionals frequently struggle to acquire appropriate plant material to supply revegetation. When plant material is available, provenance and genetic diversity is largely unknown. Seed-based strategies offer opportunities to supplement plant availability, increase genetic diversity, and access material of local provenance; however, gaps in the literature and the lack of practical guidelines result in an underutilization of seed. We collected seeds, maternal trait information, and environmental data from 12 natural, restored, and nursery Spartina alterniflora populations across both of Florida’s coasts. We identified visual indicators of seed development, tested novel, time-efficient methods of sorting seed for highest fill and viability, investigated dormancy, and germinated seeds in both an incubator and a greenhouse. Initial results show high variability in seed fill across accessions, with greatest fill and germination occurring in those collected from restored populations. Germination trials show success in incubators, greenhouse, and mist-house settings. The findings will be used to characterize Spartina seeds in Florida to provide the guidance needed to collect seeds and produce plants for revegetation.
Presentation Number: 6
Mangrove Freeze Resistance and Resilience Across a Tropical-temperate Transitional Zone
David Kaplan (dkaplan@ufl.edu), University of Florida
Freeze events govern the distribution and structure of mangrove ecosystems, especially in tropical-temperate transitional zones. Understanding mangrove responses to freezing is crucial for predicting their poleward expansion under climate change. After an extreme freeze in December 2022, we measured mangrove freeze damage and recovery, building on a pre-freeze baseline assessment conducted in 2022 across 12 sites along the temperature gradient of Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast (USA). Low temperature thresholds for leaf damage to Avicennia germinans, Rhizophora mangle, and Laguncularia racemosa were quantified at -5.7, -4.1, and -3.6°, respectively. Thresholds for mortality were found to be -6.2° for A. germinans and -4.4° for R. mangle, while L. racemosa reached 20% mortality rate at -3.8°, with no individuals found in colder sites. Thresholds for loss of reproductivity in A. germinans were identified at -6.6°. Resprouting was observed in all three species but limited to one individual for R. mangle. Surviving A. germinans had the greatest number of resprout branches, which increased with leaf damage. Tall A. germinans had a higher resprout rate than short trees. Stratum differences in freeze damage were most pronounced for R. mangle, with higher damage in tall versus short trees, while no difference was found between A. germinans strata. These results suggest that R. mangle population recovery may depend on the growth of short trees, while A. germinans could recover from both strata. Decadal minimum air temperature (Tmin) strongly correlated with mangrove height and biomass. Future Tmin and species-specific freeze degree days predict significantly reduced freeze stress, suggesting further mangrove development and expansion under a warming climate. Collectively, our study advances understanding of mangrove responses to freezing and identifies low temperature thresholds for each species, aiding in predictions of mangrove range expansion.
Presentation Number: 7
Influence of the Loop Current on Red Tide (K. brevis) Blooms Across Southwest Florida
Nicholas Chin (nchin1@ufl.edu), University of Florida
Blooms of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis (“red tide”) occur almost annually along Florida’s Gulf Coast, killing fish and marine mammals, contaminating shellfish, and causing human respiratory irritation. There is growing evidence that blooms are a consequence of climatological, oceanographic and watershed processes, however questions about the drivers of intra- and interannual bloom severity, extent, and duration remain unanswered. Studies suggest that K. brevis blooms begin offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and are transported inland by wind and currents, where they are likely fueled by terrestrial nutrient loading. This work applies machine learning to investigate what confluence of environmental variables correspond to different bloom stages. Daily probabilistic K. brevis maps were generated using a neural network that took in-situ samples and remote sensing data as inputs. The higher spatial and temporal resolution provided by these maps in conjunction with the self-organizing map algorithm, generated a response variable that helps to characterize distinct bloom stages. A random forest classifier was then used to empirically derive the underlying climatological, hydrologic, and oceanographic mechanisms responsible for the discrete categorical bloom maps. Preliminary results suggest that the dynamics of the Loop Current alongside river flows and seasonality have a strong empirical relationship to distinct bloom stages. By testing different combinations of environmental variables with various time lags in a random forest model, the hope is to identify the drivers of key bloom stages like initiation, rapid growth, and termination.
Presentation
Number: 8
Connecting Hydrology and Soil Organic Carbon Storage in Southeastern US Flatwoods Wetlands
Alexis Jackson (a.jackson1@ufl.edu), University of Florida
Wetlands are essential for providing multiple ecosystem services to humans. They play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and are thus considered a valuable terrestrial carbon sink. Hydrology is critical in driving wetland ecosystem services, as it affects multiple biophysical processes. In the southeastern United States, flatwood ecosystems (a matrix of upland pine and mostly isolated wetlands) have the potential for upland restoration (i.e., thinning of plantation pine) to increase wetland hydration and thus enhance carbon storage, but the specific connections between long-term wetland hydrology and carbon storage remain uncertain. To quantify how wetland soil carbon responds to changes in water table and land use, 25 wetlands with ongoing hydrological data collection were randomly selected across a contiguous pine flatwoods site in Bradford County, Florida. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 60 cm and analyzed for soil carbon content. Using this data, this study will answer two connected questions: 1) How do small-scale elevation gradients influence soil carbon within a wetland? and 2) How does timber management, ditching, hydroperiod, and connectivity influence wetland soil carbon across a wetland-scape? Data collection and analysis are still ongoing, but preliminary results support the hypothesis that water table depth influences soil organic carbon stock and accumulation rates. The results can be applied to guide wetland management, conservation, and policy decisions that better account for potential future changes in carbon storage.
Presentation Number: 9
Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Content Within Mineral Associated Organic Matter of Natural and Created Coastal Wetlands
Anthony Mirabito (mirabito96@gmail.com), University of Central Florida
The largest pool of actively cycling carbon exists in the soil as soil organic matter (SOM), but SOM can have highly variable residence times. The distribution of SOM into pools comprised of mineral associated organic matter (MAOM; the most stable form) and particulate organic matter (POM; the less stable form) provides a mechanism to investigate SOM stability, and laboratory techniques effectively differentiate the pools. Despite wetlands storing 20-30% of the global carbon pool, MAOM and POM fractionation in wetlands has been understudied. This research investigates MAOM prevalence in natural coastal wetlands and marshes created used dredge sediment to highlight the extent of total carbon and nitrogen within the more stable pool. Although created wetlands typically contain less total carbon than natural wetlands, it is predicted that the created wetlands will have a higher proportion of carbon and nitrogen in the MAOM pool due to the availability of mineral-rich dredged sediments, which provide additional opportunities for mineral association to occur. Twelve soil samples (0-50 cm) were collected from 2 natural coastal wetlands with varying SOM content, and the third wetland that was a created in 1976 using dredge sediment. Soils were analyzed using a combination of physical and density fractionation methods to isolate the MAOM and POM pools and then quantified for total carbon and nitrogen. Preliminary results indicate the natural wetland with the highest SOM content contained the most MAOM (275 mg C g-1 soil), representing 63% of the total carbon. The created wetland exhibited the least MAOM (87 mg C g-1 soil), but it represented a higher relative proportion (71%) of the carbon measured. This trend was similar for nitrogen, with the created wetland displaying 85% of the total nitrogen in the MAOM pool, whereas the high SOM and low SOM natural sites had 76% and 80%, respectively. These findings allow scientists to more accurately understand wetland creation outcomes, and how vulnerable accumulated nutrients are to potential mineralization and loss.
Woody encroachment into herbaceous ecosystems represents a major threat to global biodiversity. Terrestrial wet prairies adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico coastline in the Florida panhandle are among the many herbaceous ecosystems in the United States experiencing woody encroachment. These plant communities have been described for decades as an ecosystem worth our attention due to high plant species diversity and endemism. Direct loss of these species-rich ecosystems is often a result of coastal development. Degradation to remaining isolated wet prairies on protected public lands is primarily caused by fire suppression, ultimately leading to hardwood encroachment. Research related to reliable and efficient restoration strategies to return these systems to their natural herbaceous state, as well as understanding the ecological benefits of doing so, are essential for their continued resilience. In 2019, a partnership was formed between the Univ. of Florida and the Atlanta Botanical Garden with funding from the U.S. EPA to assess novel restoration approaches such as mechanical removal of accumulated organic matter and diaspore transfer alongside conventional restoration methods. All methods were assessed through the evaluation of shifts in groundcover vegetation, groundwater dynamics, and soil physical and chemical properties. Thus far, a pre-restoration seed bank evaluation revealed the accumulated organic layer in degraded wet prairies contains many viable seeds of dominant encroaching woody species, cold stratification of soil samples increases emergence of forb and graminoid species, and duration of seed bank emergence studies are important for determining recovery potential from the seed bank. Preliminary groundwater data collection revealed higher groundwater chloride, sodium, potassium, sulfate, and magnesium ion concentrations in woody encroached wet prairies compared to reference wet prairies. This interdisciplinary approach has led to insights regarding considerations for restoration action and potential consequences of inaction. Findings related to postrestoration groundcover vegetation and soil conditions based on restoration treatments will be presented.
Presentation Number: 11
CReST: A Conservation and Restoration Screening Tool for Prioritizing Opportunities for WaterQuality Improvement
Edgar Guerron Orejuela (edgarguerron@usf.edu), University of South Florida
The State of Florida faces complex challenges posed by population growth and related land use change, with 22 million permanent residents and 140 million annual visitors. Since achieving statehood in 1845, Florida has been transformed from a mainly natural to a largely built environment. This transformation is exemplified by St. Lucie County in the Indian River Lagoon Watershed. In the 1850s, wetlands covered 84% of the County’s area. By the 1950s, wetlands covered 54% of the County’s area. Between the 1950s and 2019, the total area of wetlands in the county decreased by more than 80%, with most of the wetland area being lost to agriculture. By 2019, wetlands covered only 9% of the County’s area. Moreover, between the 1950s and 2019, the total drainage density in the County increased by 105%. This loss of natural capital has been accompanied by the loss of ecosystem functions and services, such as characteristic nutrient cycling and related water-quality improvement, contributing to water quality degradation in the receiving waterbodies, including the Indian River Lagoon. There is continued interest in conservation and restoration, including conservation and restoration of wetlands and open waters, as tools for water-quality restoration. However, we cannot restore all natural habitats, or halt all development. Therefore, to assist decision-makers and facilitate dialogue, we developed the Conservation and Restoration Screening Tool (CReST), a geospatial tool to assist in prioritizing opportunities for waterquality restoration. CReST is a modular tool developed by integrating data analytics, modeling techniques, and stakeholder engagement that allows users to hierarchically intersect up to 8 screening layers that represent physical characteristics of the landscape, such as land use history, hydrological connectivity, present and future land condition, and opportunities for interagency collaboration. This allows the rapid identification of priority areas for conservation and restoration. CReST has been piloted in St. Lucie County, where it is already being used to support wetland acquisition and restoration efforts.
Presentation Number: 12
Implications of Mangrove Migration and Nitrogen Enrichment on Mineral-Associated Organic Matter
Formation in Coastal Wetlands in Florida Mercedes Pinzon Delgado (me381459@ucf.edu), University of Central Florida
Coastal wetlands play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon (C), storing 20–30% of the total global carbon as soil organic matter (SOM). With the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere steadily rising, understanding the mechanisms that preserve C within SOM is essential. Among the forms of SOM, mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) is considered the most stable and persistent form, providing a critical reservoir for longterm C storage. This study explored the interaction of climate change-induced northward migration of mangroves in Florida and anthropogenic nutrient enrichment, examining the implications for MAOM formation in coastal wetlands. Situated within the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Research Reserve, soil biogeochemical properties and MAOM abundance were quantified in replicated marsh and mangrove plots in a factorial design based on location (interior vs. creekside) and 3 years of nitrogen (N) addition (enrichment vs. control). Forty intact soil cores were collected in total and sectioned into two depths (0-15 cm; 15-30 cm), followed by MAOM quantification through standard physical and density fractionation methods. We hypothesized that MAOM formation will be greater in N-enriched marsh plots due to the increased availability of mineral sediment and labile litter. Preliminary results showed that marsh plots contain ~15% more fine soil particles (<53µm) than mangrove plots, a precursor to the formation of stable MAOM. Therefore, the marsh-to-mangrove conversion could be associated with a change in the abundance of MAOM in coastal soils. The outcomes of this research aim to enhance our understanding of the complex dynamics governing coastal wetland C and N storage and inform management strategies in the face of ongoing climate change and human-induced alterations to nutrient cycles.
Presentation Number: 13
The Reintroduction of the Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii): Survival and Attachment of Plants Germinated Ex Situ
Adam Herdman (herdman.adam@ufl.edu), Univ. of Florida
The Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) Bentham ex Rolfe (Orchidaceae) is a leafless epiphytic orchid found throughout southwestern Florida and Cuba. In Florida, the range remains restricted to a narrow strip of swamps and sloughs throughout the Fakahatchee Strand. This already restricted environment has led to extensive habitat degradation and fragmentation under a rapidly shifting landscape. Conservation and intensive field monitoring programs were started in 2015, producing nine years of data on the wild populations at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. With material collected from the same sites, successful asymbiotic ex situ germination conducted at the University of Florida producing 124 plants from a single seed capsule. In September of 2018, Ghost Orchid individuals were successfully reintroduced into their historic range on the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. With established field methodology in the same locations, intensive monitoring was extended to the reintroduced plants to track the success of the population. Every year subsequently, the reintroduced orchids were monitored in July in tandem with wild populations to monitor growth and reproduction. After six years of monitoring, the population declined by 71%. Of the 36 remaining plants, 97% had had root attachment and are considered successfully reintroduced. Although established individuals flower regularly and are pollinated, no successful seed capsule development has been observed. Methodology and observations communicated here will inform on future research, land management, and reintroduction planned in the coming years at the University of Florida.
Presentation Number: 14
How to Unravel the Age and Source Components of Spring Water: A Novel Modeling Framework Based on SWAT-MODFLOW and MODPATH
Rob de Jooij (r.derooij@ufl.edu), Univ. of Florida
Assessing the outcome of alternative mitigation strategies to decrease the nitrate loading to groundwater requires complex numerical models since the fate and transport of nitrate throughout the subsurface is governed by complex biological, chemical and hydrogeological processes. Our work illustrates the capabilities of a novel modeling framework which is based on SWAT-MODFLOW and MODPATH. In essence, we can simulate the age and source components of water being discharged in a zone of interest. The age components provide the travel time distribution and by combining the age and source components we can answer questions related to intrinsic vulnerabilities and mitigation prioritization. Here, the novel framework is applied to the Devil’s Ear Spring Complex along the Santa Fe River. We developed a SWAT model covering the Santa Fe River Basin. The MODFLOW model is based on a clipping of the North Florida South-east Georgia Model (NFSEG) as developed by the Suwannee River Water Management District and St John’s River Water Management District. The SWAT component in our framework makes our modeling approach very versatile. Namely, it permits to consider different management practices, changes in land use as well as different climate scenarios.
Presentation Number: 15
Water Quality Performance of Wetlands Receiving Non-Point Source Nitrogen Loads: Nitrate Removal and GHG Emissions
William Crumpton (crumpton@iastate.edu),
Iowa State University
Nonpoint source nitrogen loads in the U.S. Corn Belt are a major concern both for local impacts on receiving waters and for contributing to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Wetland restoration is a promising strategy for reducing surface water contamination in agricultural watersheds and in particular for reducing agricultural nitrate loads. However, there is some concern over GHG emissions from wetlands and in particular nitrous oxide emissions from wetlands intercepting elevated nitrate loads. Over 100 wetlands have been restored through the Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program with the explicit goal of intercepting and reducing nonpoint source nitrate loads. These wetlands total over 400 ha of pool area and intercept nitrate loads from approximately 50,000 ha of primarily cultivated cropland. We measured nitrogen mass balances and greenhouse gas emissions of a subset of these wetlands to evaluate their effectiveness at reducing agricultural, nonpoint source nitrogen loads, and to evaluate their effect on net greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen loads to the wetlands were primarily in the form of nitrate, and all of the wetlands were effective in reducing both nitrate and total N loads. Mass nitrate removal was primarily a function of hydraulic loading rate, temperature, and nitrate concentration. The wetlands were highly efficient at denitrifying nitrate to N2, with fractional yields of N2O-N averaging less than 0.5% of total nitrate removal. However, results also demonstrate that N2O emissions from wetlands constructed or restored on former agricultural land are similar to emissions from cropland that the wetlands replace. In addition, denitrification in freshwater wetlands produces a lower fractional N2O yield than would otherwise be produced in downstream riverine and marine systems. As a result, to the extent that wetlands reduce nitrate loads to these downstream waters, overall N2O emissions across these combined systems would be reduced.
Presentation Number: 16
Space or Time? Understanding Patterns of Aquatic Insect Emergence Across Geographically Isolated Wetlands
Elizabeth
Sicking (esicking23@vt.edu),
Virginia Tech University
Wetland biodiversity is supported by spatial and temporal heterogeneity that result from interactions among habitat and other environmental factors, but identifying primary drivers is difficult. In seasonally flooded geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs), spatial and temporal differences in hydrology and vegetation may be important drivers of aquatic insect diversity. Here, we assess the relative importance of heterogeneity for local and regional diversity of emergent insects across six geographically isolated wetlands with two distinct plant communities (sedge marshes and cypress swamps). Local level, or alpha and beta diversity, may be best explained by a combination of intermediate disturbance and patch theory that posits heterogeneity, created by vegetation structure and variability in historical inundation, should give rise to a community that displays resilience, resistance, and persistence in the face of disturbance. Using two decades of hydrologic data and emergence data collected during the 2023 hydroperiod, we predicted: local (alpha) insect diversity will be greatest in marshes with historically longer, intermediately variable hydroperiods, and regional (gamma) diversity will be supported by the combination of different habitats and hydrologic regimes across the mosaic of wetlands. Identifying the importance of historical hydrologic and habitat variability for aquatic insect diversity will allow for better predictions of how climate change will alter GIW communities that are often unprotected under the Clean Water Act. Relating historical hydrologic patterns and vegetation communities to insect diversity is a first step towards understanding the mechanistic controls of diversity.
Presentation Number: 17
The Current Status of Section 404 Assumption in Florida
Richard Chinn (rchinn@richardchinn.com)
In 2018, the Florida legislature authorized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to begin the process to assume Section 404 regulation, like Michigan and New Jersey. Beginning September 22, 2020, the EPA allowed the FDEP to assume Section 404 permitting in some waters, mostly inland, i.e., "Assumed Waters” but retained regulatory jurisdiction in other waters, mostly coastal, i.e., “Retained Waters.”
The FDEP issued State 404 permits. On February 15, 2024, the US District Court for the District of Columbia ordered that the EPA’s approval of the assumption process be vacated. As of April 2024, the regulatory agency of Section 404 is far from clear. I will give an update on the status of regulation of Section 404 during the South Atlantic Chapter conference in June 2024.
Presentation Number: 18
Using the National Wetlands Condition Assessment to Assess the Health of Wetlands in Pensacola and Perdido Bays
Haley Gancel (hngancel@ppbep.org), Pensacola and Perdido Bay National Estuary Program Wetlands are important transition zones between terrestrial and aquatic environments that help protect shorelines by buffering wave energy, filtering water, trapping sediments, and providing critical habitat for organisms. To assess the health of estuarine wetlands across the Pensacola and Perdido Bay watersheds, the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) partnered with the US EPA and University of Florida’s IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center’s Watershed Management Lab to participate in EPA’s National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) to monitor 30 estuarine wetland sites in the Yellow River Marsh Aquatic Preserve, Escambia River delta, Garcon Point peninsula, Santa Rosa Island, and Perdido River delta from May to August 2021. Every 5 years, the NWCA collects data on multiple parameters, including wetland vegetation species and various soil, water quality, and hydrology indices. Sites were selected using the EPA’s strategized random sampling design and each site was sampled once during the survey period. Results suggested that our wetlands are currently in good health with very few human modifications. Most sites were within protected or conservation land boundaries as access to private lands was difficult. The wetlands monitored had more than 65 species of vegetation identified and were dominated by three main species of vegetation: black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus), sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense), and smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Most nutrient concentrations were low, except one site in Escambia River delta (TN: 3.9 mg/L; TP: 0.3 mg/L) and the site sampled on Santa Rosa Island (TN: 13.4 mg/L; TP: 0.4 mg/L). Also, the site on Santa Rosa Island had some of the highest chlorophyll-a concentrations measured (9.1 ug/L). The Santa Rosa Island site is on a narrow barrier island located closer to anthropogenic influences than other sites. While our wetlands are currently in good health, they continue to face threats of increasing development and poor management practices. PPBEP hopes to conduct the 2026 NWCA survey to determine if wetland conditions have changed.
Tim Hull (Tim.Hull@ocfl.net), Orange County, Florida
Over the past three years, the Orange County Environmental Protection Division has undergone significant efforts to update their wetland protection ordinance (Chapter 15, Article X) and associated wetland permitting processes. A "State of the Wetlands (SOTW) Study" was completed in 2023 by a term contractor to provide a scientific basis that directed how Article X should be updated. The primary goal of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the County’s current wetland ordinance, which was originally adopted in 1987, at preserving both the quantity (i.e., spatial coverage) and quality (i.e., function and health) of the County’s wetlands. To accomplish this, a comprehensive scientific evaluation within the County was completed that compared the historic inventory of the County’s wetlands with present day conditions and provided an analysis of the ecosystem services and hydrologic responses associated with changes to wetland area and function. Following this effort, the County’s wetland permitting processes were updated to better protect remaining wetland resources and promote sustainable growth within Orange County.
Presentation Number: 20
A Novel Low-impact Approach for Working in Tidal Salt Marsh to Rebuild a 4-mile Segment of Electric Transmission Line in Savannah, GA Warren Wagner (whwagner@southernco.com), Georgia Power Company
The Georgia Power Company recently rebuilt a 4-mile segment of aging electric utility infrastructure located entirely within tidal saltmarsh which also crossed through three tidal river systems. Traditional construction techniques were not practicable for this project due to the difficulty for heavy construction equipment to access through tidal marsh systems and any potential damage to those systems that might occur. Early on during the scoping phase of the project, a minimal impact construction approach was identified as a major objective. After extensive research into alternative construction methods across the United States, a unique construction plan was devised. The plan called for using a combination of helicopter assisted lifting capabilities in conjunction with specially designed airboats built for working in inundated marsh habitat. Additionally, a unique pole foundation was designed to hold the new transmission poles steady within the soft pluff-mud of the marsh. In all, twentynine individual transmission structures over 4 miles of contiguous tidal marsh resulted in only 0.004 acre of permanent wetland impact.
Presentation Number: 21
Ecologic Corridors as a Tool for Smart Growth
Matthew Miller (mmiller@wraengineering.com), Water Resource Associates (WRA)
Pasco County has implemented an Ecologic Corridor ordinance since 2016 after years of planning and studies. In drafting the ordinance, the County reviewed existing public land locations (federal, state or local land holdings) and designed corridors to connect these lands based on the animals that would utilize them. The result is a well thought out ordinance that gives landowners options on how to utilize their property while also giving these corridors the best chance and maintaining connectivity to large tracts of conservation lands.
Presentation Number: 22
Bayou Chico Restoration Project
Paul Looney (plooney@wraengineering.com), Water Resource Associates (WRA)
WRA teamed with AECOM and Escambia County on a RESTORE Act project in Pensacola looking at the potential options for remediation of sediments in Bayou Chico. The Bayou is an urban system with a long history of industrial and commercial land uses that have left legacy pollutants in the sediments. We are responsible for the natural resource investigations associated with the project and coordinating permitting for the final remediation actions. As part of our research into existing natural resources in the Bayou, we were tasked with determining what potential natural resources could be affected by potential remediation actions. Despite years of pollutant loading into the Bayou, recent observations of dolphins and manatees provided hope that removal of the pollutant sources and untreated discharges may have benefitted the once barren bottomland. In Mid-October 2022, just as the first cooler weather arrived in Pensacola, WRA divers completed a full seagrass survey of the entire 303-acre waterbody. Using a pontoon boat with the ability to get into waters up to 18 inches, our team of five completed a three-day field review of the entire shoreline and a single dredge material island adjacent to the Federal Navigation Channel. We targeted 35 areas with water less than five feet deep as potential habitat for seagrass presence. Our divers traversed 106 transects and sampled 783 discrete sample points. We did not expect to find seagrass because of the historic pollution.
In this Florida seagrass survey, the team found seagrass at 137 sample points. Most of the seagrass identified was Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima). The other submerged aquatic vegetation found was Tape grass (Vallisneria americana). In several locations, the Widgeon and Tape grass carpeted the bottom in lush beds. Since we were measuring salinity and Secchi depth at each area, we have been able to correlate the presence of seagrass with those two factors. The Bayou has salinities greater than 22 ppt throughout most of the area with a near shore anomaly of 12 ppt in an area that could indicate a spring inflow. No sea grasses were found at greater than 3 feet, indicating that light penetration is low in the Bayou waters.
Presentation Number: 23
Tipping Points and Changes in North Carolina's Outer Coastal Plain Wetlands
Kristie Gianopulos (kristie.gianopulos@deq.nc.gov), North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Wetlands everywhere hold tremendous value to humans and wildlife, economically, ecologically, culturally, and recreationally. Wetlands in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain, especially freshwater wetlands, face challenges with saltwater storm surges and sea levels rising. To assess changes over time, we collected and analyzed resample vegetation plot data from 78 freshwater and transitional salinity wetlands across the Outer Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Soil and water chemistry samples were also collected during resampling to obtain corollary data. Overall, wetland sites lost floristic quality, gained brackish tolerant species and coverage, and lost shrub/tree cover while gaining herbaceous species. Forested wetlands showed the most changes in plant communities, particularly in terms of greater invasion by nonnative taxa and decreases in vegetation compositional quality. Plant species occurrence data and top horizon soil sodium were analyzed for 65 sites using TITAN analysis (Baker and King 2010) to arrive at a whole community change threshold; this threshold was predicted to be 383 µg/g (ppm) of soil sodium, which corresponded to approximately 0.93 ppt shallow groundwater salinity (1 m depth). Anderson et al. (2022) analyzed soil sodium and understory wetland plant species occurrence from 34 wetland sites in the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula and arrived at a predicted understory community change threshold of 265 µg/g of soil sodium, which corresponded to 0.54 ppt shallow groundwater salinity. Freshwater vegetative wetland communities are potentially able to tolerate exposure to salinities up to 0.5 ppt, but our analysis suggests that chronic exposure above 0.5 ppt can, at a minimum, precipitate changes in the understory community in freshwater wetlands. Above this threshold, certain sensitive species decrease in frequency of occurrence and certain other tolerant species increase. This result is lower than the prevailing thought in the literature which suggests a “tipping point” of 2 ppt salinity.
Presentation Number: 24
St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bay Estuary Program Status
Ryan Rossi (rrossi@fsu.edu), St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bay Estuary Program
The St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program (SASJBEP) covers the St. Andrew Bay Watershed in the Florida Panhandle which includes St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays and the land that drains into these bays. The SASJBEP is modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Programs and designed to be non-regulatory, science-based and locally governed. SASJBEP works to protect and restore the watershed by implementing projects identified in the recently completed Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to address priority issues such as community engagement, recreational opportunities, stormwater and flooding, wastewater, habitat loss, sediment, nutrients and pathogens, and changing environmental conditions. Ongoing projects include regional research to inform management actions, coordinated implementation project identification efforts, design and engineering for high priority projects, and efforts to increase stewardship across our geography.
Presentation Number: 25
Pensacola and Perdido Bay National Estuary Program
Matt Posner (mjposner@ppbep.org), Pensacola and Perdido Bay National Estuary Program
Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) serves as a trusted source for residents, businesses, industry, and the community on issues relating to preserving, restoring, improving and maintaining the natural habitat and ecosystem of the bays, estuaries and watersheds of Pensacola and Perdido Bays. PPBEP strives to achieve a healthy and collaborative environment by:
1. Elevating and increasing the importance, awareness and understanding of environmental quality.
2. Employing rigorous, unbiased and scientifically sound science to inform and guide decisions, policies, and initiatives.
3. Funding programs and projects that protect the environment, increase ecological resilience.
4. Building a network of inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships that takes into account factors affecting the environment, the economy, and the communityat-large for the benefit of improving the quality of life for all.
Presentation Number: 26
Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program
Melinda Gates (gatmelinda@co.walton.fl.us), Walton County
The Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program is a placebased organization that focuses on the implementation of programs and initiatives for the protection and stewardship of natural resources and water quality and to strengthen community resilience and provide environmental education to maintain a vibrant economy and high quality of life for the Choctawhatchee Bay watershed. Come learn more about the formulated partnerships, projects, and efforts of the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program.
Presentation Number: 27
Herbicide Use for Salix caroliniana Management –How Long Will It Last?
Kimberli J. Ponzio (kponzio@sjrwmd.com), Saint Johns River Water Management District
Since the 1980s, there has been widespread encroachment of herbaceous marshes by Carolina willow (Salix caroliniana) in the upper St. Johns River basin (USJRB) in Florida. This primarily occurred due to reduced magnitude and frequency of flooding and burning. Consequently, scientists at the St. Johns River Water Management District have been actively investigating the use of herbicides to help manage Carolina willow where hydrology and fire have not been effective. We present the responses of willow communities to application of different herbicides (metsulfuron methyl, imazapyr, and glyphosate) and assess the impact on the willow canopy and understory plant communities. In both investigations, we found that willow canopy cover was significantly reduced by herbicide treatment for up to 5-6 years. However, we project that willow canopy will return to pretreatment cover in about 14 years, requiring follow-up herbicide treatments and/or other interventions, such as mechanical treatment, if feasible. Reduction in willow cover resulted in the increase of herbaceous ground cover, especially forbs and graminoids. In one study, there was sufficient herbaceous cover to carry a fire during a prescribed burn in the sixth-year post-treatment, which indicates that we can restore the pyric nature of herbaceous marshes using this type of approach. We demonstrated the successful use of herbicides to manage willow in the short-term and suggest that restoration of appropriate hydrologic and fire regimes be implemented, where feasible, to prolong the treatment effect and to promote longterm sustainability of herbaceous wetlands. Because few herbicide studies monitor off-target effects and reinvasion for more than a couple of years, results from our continuing studies in the USJRB should offer muchneeded information on managing willow and other invasive shrubs around the globe.
Presentation Number: 28
Escambia County RESTORE Act Projects
Chips Kirschenfeld (Jtkirsche@myescambia.com), Escambia County
The Escambia County Natural Resources Department (NRD) focuses on water quality improvement and habitat restoration projects in the Pensacola and Perdido Bay watersheds. Over the past 20 years, NRD has obtained over $250 million from competitive federal, state, and local funding sources to improve the quality of life in Escambia County. Projects include living shorelines, stream restoration, wetland floodplain restoration, and stormwater retrofit projects. The $20 billion settlement agreement from the 2004 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill resulted in unprecedented RESTORE Act funding opportunities for coastal counties bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
Presentation Number: 29
Emerging Technology - Using the Filio Application for Wetland Monitoring Projects
Max Roozbahani (Filio) (max@filio.io), June Zheng (Filio) (june@filio.io), and Richard Looney (WRA) (rlooney@wraengineering.com)
Filio offers a smart visual asset management platform designed to streamline and enhance the tracking and organization of digital assets. Their software provides robust tools for asset visualization, metadata management, and collaboration, ensuring that teams can efficiently manage and utilize their digital content. The platform's intuitive interface and advanced features support seamless integration into existing workflows, improving overall productivity and asset utilization. Using Filio, WRA’s environmental scientists take photos and videos using the camera built into the Filio smartphone app. The mobile app automatically assigns a geolocation and measures the direction of each photo while allowing users to add voice notes and markup the images. Since Filio instantaneously syncs photos to the cloud, team members in the office can review information via a corresponding web platform as field crews collect onsite project data. In the web platform, users can organize photos into dedicated projects, making images standardized and searchable for subsequent editing, filtering, reporting, and presentation. Prior to implementing Filio, a WRA scientist would take a picture or video using a camera roll app, manually mark GPS locations on individual photos in a separate global positioning system, and finally create a map in a geographic information system (GIS). Filio achieves all three of these functions, streamlining WRA’s photo management process from three software applications to one.
Presentation Number: 30
Funding, Passion, and Teamwork Leads to Change in Santa Rosa County
Naisy Dolar (NaisyD@santarosa.fl.gov), Santa Rosa County
A highlight of Santa Rosa County’s timeline of interdepartmental collaboration, motivation and factors toward initiating environmental and natural resources restoration and resiliency efforts. An overview of current project progress and future plans that will leave lasting impacts in the region. Projects include land acquisition & conservation, green infrastructure, adaptation action/watershed plans, flood vulnerability assessments, effluent relocation, septic to sewer conversions, water quality monitoring and sediment reduction.
Poster Session DESCRIPTIONS
Does Dredge Application Promote Soil Carbon Stabilization? A Case Study from the Chesapeake Bay
Rachel Martella (ra784868@ucf.edu), University of Central Florida
One of the many ecosystem services that coastal wetlands provide is carbon storage; removing carbon from the atmosphere and burying it in soil as soil organic matter (SOM). SOM can be considered as two forms: mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) and particulate organic matter (POM). MAOM has been observed to be the most stable and protected form of SOM, while POM is easily mineralized under appropriate environmental conditions. There is little research investigating the mechanisms of MAOM formation in wetlands, and how restoration practices can promote MAOM. This study sought to quantify how the addition of fine minerals to coastal wetlands through dredge sediment restoration techniques may impact soil carbon pools over time. Soil core samples (0-50 cm) were collected in Chesapeake Bay at two dredge-applied sites (18 and 5 years since restoration) and compared to a natural reference site. Soil samples were analyzed for MAOM, POM, and total C content. Results indicated the reference site had the most MAOM and POM, and the two forms of SOM were roughly equal in concentration (averaging 49.9 and 46.6 mg C g-1, respectively). Meanwhile, the restoration sites appeared to accumulate MAOM more rapidly than POM, and particularly in the surface (0-10 cm) of the soil. Both restored sites averaged 33-40% of the MAOM observed in the reference site, while POM accumulated with time (29% of the reference in the 18-y old restored site and 4% of the reference in the 5-y old restored site). Understanding how restoration techniques impact varying C pools can lead to management practices that promote stable C pools in wetlands soils.
Enterococcus within Santa Rosa Sound: Evaluating Fecal Contamination regarding Human Health Concerns
Lindsey Wolfe (lnw17@students.uwf.edu), University of West Florida
Recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking, and fishing are common throughout Santa Rosa Sound and surrounding areas. Human contact means it is imperative to routinely evaluate water quality. Fecal contaminants negatively impact human health from pathogenic bacteria such as Enterococcus. This bacteria is often found in the intestinal tract of humans and animals and the indicator of fecal contamination used by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in estuaries. Enterococcus has impacts on human health such as skin rashes, gastrointestinal distress, and diseases of the eye, ears, and respiratory tract. The FDOH has set the Beach Action Value (BAV) of acceptable Enterococcus levels within the environment for determination of human health at 70 MPN/100 mL. FDOH monitoring of Santa Rosa Sound has found Enterococcus levels above this standard. Identifying possible contamination sources to the Sound is critical. This project focused on six tidal creeks feeding into the Sound: Lands End Lane, Tidewater Dr. east, Williams Creek upper, Williams Creek lower, Navarre Park Beach, and a stormwater outfall at Navarre Park. Two methods of counting Enterococcus are compared: R-cards and Enterolert (QT). Water quality parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, turbidity and water depth were measured using a YSI multimeter. Grab water samples will be analyzed for nutrients, chlorophyll a, color, and total suspended solids (TSS). These observations in data allow for the understanding of how local waterways are being affected by human activities and urbanization.
Utilizing Citizen Science to Strengthen Light Attenuation Models in the Florida Panhandle. Morgan Armstrong (maa69@students.uwf.edu), University of West Florida
Seagrass distribution and health is controlled by light availability. Factors such as the color of the water, chlorophyll a levels, and total suspended solids (TSS) in the water can increase light attenuation and affect the light available to seagrasses. The relative importance of color on light attenuation, as compared to chlorophyll a and TSS, was evaluated in in Santa Rosa Sound and Big Lagoon part of the Pensacola Bay system, Florida. Monthly water quality samples, light measurements, and seagrass quadrat surveys were taken at 6 seagrass beds in the survey areas from May 2023 to October 2023. Percent cover and blade length of the two dominant seagrass species (Halodule wrightii and Thalassia testudinum) was measured These data were used to look at how light attenuation affected the health of the seagrass beds, and to construct a statistical model of light attenuation based on environmental data from the water samples. Citizen science volunteers helped expand the number of water samples and quadrat surveys collected, as well as increase the number of survey sites for this project. The additional data this provided was used to help train and test the light attenuation model. The model will compare results with and without the citizen science data included, demonstrating the important role and potential benefits of involving our local communities in research and monitoring efforts.
Hydrodynamics of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Motion: A Case Study in Florida Springs Kathleen Schoenberger (kschoenberger@ufl.edu), University of Florida
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) plays a critical role in aquatic systems. In lotic ecosystems, SAV provides habitat and resources to species by forming the energic base of the trophic pyramid, promoting sediment stability, and modifying hydrodynamics within the stream channel. However, the relationships between structural properties of SAV canopies (flexibility, height, blade morphologies) and their impacts on flow across different scales are not well understood. Given the foundational nature of SAV to aquatic communities, a better understanding of these relationships is necessary for improved natural resource management. Florida springs and spring-fed rivers support robust SAV canopies, making them ideal locations to study the dynamics of SAV and flow interactions. Additionally, Florida springs have seen a reduction of rooted SAV in recent years while algae have proliferated. We hypothesize that SAV canopy structural properties have a significant impact on hydrodynamics above and within SAV canopies and control algal establishment and abundance through canopy motion and blade-toblade interactions. We plan to test our hypothesis using both observational and experimental approaches. In our observational approach, we will conduct multiple field campaigns to collect hydrodynamic data using in situ flow velocimeters and capture vegetation canopy movement using underwater video cameras. These field observations will be used to qualitatively validate a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics model of SAV-fluid interactions. In our experimental approach, we will manipulate flow and alter SAV structure at the canopy and individual blade scales to quantify the impacts on canopy movement and bladeto-blade interactions. This approach will create a novel framework for modeling flow over SAV and advance our understanding of SAV behavior under different flow conditions with different blade properties. Based on observations, we hope to better understand the effects of SAV on hydrodynamics and apply this to key ecosystem processes, such as sediment transport and algae growth dynamics.
Analyzing Impacts of Climate Change on Water Availability in the Santa Fe River Basin, FL Dogil Lee (lee.d@ufl.edu), University of Florida
The Floridan Aquifer is one of the most productive aquifers in the world and an important water source for both Georgia and Florida. However, like many aquifers throughout the world, it is threatened by increasing water withdrawals and climate change. The state of Florida has set minimum flows and levels for the Suwannee River and associated tributaries and springs, which are fed by the Upper Floridan Aquifer, to maintain healthy natural systems while providing adequate public water supply. However, changes in temperature, evapotranspiration, and precipitation due to climate change create uncertainty in predicting future water availability and ecosystem resilience in the Suwannee River Basin. Furthermore, climate change may affect cropping systems and crop cultivation practices, which may impact water demand. Quantifying the potential impacts of climate change on water demand, streamflow, and groundwater elevations is needed to predict water availability and ecosystem health in the future and to establish long term, sustainable water management plans and policies. In this study, characteristics of a suite of future climate scenarios were analyzed and future water demand, streamflow and groundwater elevation change were quantified using an integrated SWAT-MODFLOW hydrologic model for the Santa Fe River Basin, a tributary of the Suwannee River. Climate data from North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) global climate models downscaled by the Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs (MACA) technique were utilized as baseline scenario and future climate scenarios for this analysis. The results of this study should be useful for establishing future minimum flow and level criteria and policies for managing water resources in the Santa Fe River Basin and Suwannee River Basin under a changing climate.
Evaluating the Impacts of Future Land Use and Climate Change on Highly Developed Coastal Basin Yvanna Serra (yvanna.serra@ufl.edu), University of Florida
Coastal watersheds are critical for supplying water, sediments, and nutrients to near-shore environments like estuaries, beaches, and marine habitats. Nearshore environments are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, and they are highly affected by natural and human processes that occur in coastal watersheds. The Peace River basin is in southwest Florida and flows 105 miles downstream to the Charlotte Harbor Estuary. The flow of water and nutrients from the Peace River into Charlotte Harbor directly affects the estuary's health. While phosphorus loads have declined in recent decades, nitrogen loads have increased. To explore alternative potential watershed futures, a hydrologic model of the Peace River basin was developed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). SWAT uses information about watershed soils, topography, land use, and climate to calculate river flow, evapotranspiration, and nutrient flux, among other factors. Land use data was compiled from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, with cropping systems confirmed using the USDA CropScape database. Weather data was extracted from the North American Land Data Assimilation System. The Peace River SWAT model is currently being calibrated using measured flow and nutrient data along the main stem and multiple tributaries. Calibration shows results of NSE=0.61; R2=0.67 and validation of NSE=0.54; R2=0.64. Once it is completely calibrated, it will be used to identify critical nutrient source areas and simulate the effects of future climate, land-use changes, best management practices in agricultural activities, and reduction of septic tanks in the basin. Scenarios of interest are being developed with regional stakeholders, with a focus on understanding how alternative land use and climate change scenarios affect Peace River flows and nutrient fluxes and their ultimate effects on the Charlotte Harbor Estuary.
Water Quality in Tidal Creeks of the Pensacola Bay System with Varying Urbanization.
Julianna O'Bar (jlo36@students.uwf.edu), University of
West Florida
Coastal areas have been historically vital to human development, with their potential for abundant resources, convenient travel, and beautiful landscape. Due to increasing populations, coastal development has been expanding at a rapid pace. While larger estuaries have been studied extensively, the importance of tidal creeks has only begun to be explored. Their smaller size and locations within larger watersheds make them very sensitive to human disturbance, but that may make them a valuable tool in predicting or monitoring early signs of changes in water quality in the larger watersheds to which they are connected. A study of water quality and biofilm accumulation over an urbanization gradient and across upstream/downstream sites was conducted, emphasizing nutrients (DIN & DIP), chlorophyll-a, and biofilm chlorophyll-a. Urban sites generally had the greatest nutrient concentrations, with DIN following the concentration gradient closely. Chlorophyll-a also followed the urbanization gradient, though not as closely. Analysis of the relationship between biofilm DNA and biofilm chlorophyll-a showed that the biofilm communities in upstream sites were composed primarily of non-photosynthetic organisms, while downstream sites had much higher proportions of photosynthetic organisms. However, extensive buildup of biofilms over each two-week growth period likely oversaturated the samples in some cases, highlighting the need for more frequent sampling in the examination of biofilm growth in tidal creeks. This study provides information about poorly studied systems with results suggesting the potential for nutrient impairment based on DEP criteria, such as Indian Bayou, Mulat Bayou, and Washerwoman Creek. Upstream and downstream sites were often similar to each other, suggesting tidal exchange. More consistent testing is needed to further examine the relationship between upstream and downstream water quality patterns.
Identifying Hydric Soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley, British Columbia: A
Comparison of Methods
Jace Standish1 and Julia Alards-Tomalin2
ABSTRACT
In the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, the accurate identification of hydric soils is crucial for effective wetland assessment and management amidst intense land use competition. This study compares five methods for identifying hydric soils in the region: USDA Hydric Soil Indicators (NTCHS), soil moisture regime (SMR), Actual Soil Moisture Regime (ASMR), soil drainage class (SDC), and a region-specific method, Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley (LMFV). Since there is no existing absolute standard for hydric soil, the study assessed hydric soil classifications by comparing each method's results against the NTCHS as a standard. The LMFV method exhibited the highest agreement (96%) with NTCHS, demonstrating strong correlation and minimal discrepancy, while ASMR showed the lowest agreement with NTCHS. If we regard NTCHS as the standard, the LMFV is the highest ranking in terms of accuracy, followed by RSMR, SDC, and ASMR. These findings suggest that for the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley,
methods like LMFV, which focus on detailed soil characteristics, may offer superior accuracy for hydric soil identification compared to other methods.
INTRODUCTION
Assessments of jurisdictional wetlands have become increasingly important in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada, over the last 25 years. The region is located on the southwest coast of British Columbia (Figure 1). The combination of high precipitation, subdued topography, and moderately to slowly permeable soils have favored the development of wetlands. Wetlands covered a significant proportion of the region in pre-settlement times, in the early nineteenth century, but now much of it has been developed for agricultural or urban land use (Boyle et al. 1997; North et al. 1979). Land use competition is intense and accelerating.
Wetlands are administered mainly under Provincial government statutes and regulations, such as the Water
1 J. T. (Jace) Standish, Terrestrial Ecologist, McTavish Resource & Management Consultants Ltd., Jace@mctavishconsultants.ca
2 Julia Alards-Tomalin, Instructor, Renewable Resources, British Columbia Institute of Technology, jalardstomalin@bcit.ca
Figure 1. The Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region in British Columbia, Canada, as referred to in this study (outlined in yellow). Precise locations of soil samples used in this research are not shown with respect to client confidentiality.
Sustainability Act (WSA 2016) and Riparian Area Protection Act (RAPA 1997). Wetland assessment is required before land development is permitted. Most practitioners assess wetlands according to the presence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology: methods like those used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE 1987). Hydric soils are defined as soils formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding of sufficient duration in the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part of the soil profile (USDA 2018).
Hydric soils in the region have been identified by several methods. They include hydric soil indicators (USDA 2018), Canadian pedological soil classification (SCWG 1998), soil moisture regime defined from ecosystem classifications (Pojar et al. 1987; MacKenzie and Moran 2004), and soil drainage classes (Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey 1983). Various combinations of those methods have also been used. The method described below that we call “LMFV” (Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley method) is an example of a combination of existing methods.
The purpose of this paper is to compare hydric soil identification methods used in the Lower MainlandFraser Valley region. An obstacle to comparison is that there is no single, absolute standard for identifying hydric soil. We chose to use the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Hydric Soil Indicators (USDA 2018) developed by the National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils (NTCHS) as a relative standard for comparison for several reasons:
• It rests on a large and diverse body of soil data,
• It has been used and improved through an expert review process over a period of more than three decades,
• It is thoroughly documented (e.g., Tiner 2017; USDA 2018; WTI 2022), and
• It is well known among many wetland practitioners.
OVERVIEW OF LOWER MAINLAND-FRASER VALLEY SOILS
Soils in the region have been described and mapped at a reconnaissance scale by Luttermerding (1981). Mineral soil parent materials are glacial drift along with post-glacial fluvial deposits. Aeolian cappings are sometimes present. Loamy to clayey soil textures are common. Typical soil taxa in the Canadian System of Soil Classification (SCWG 1998) include Brunisolic, Gleysolic, Organic, Podzolic, and Regosolic soil orders (approximate USDA soil taxonomy equivalents are, respectively, Inceptisols, various aquic suborders, Histosols, Spodosols, and Entisols). Many, but not all, of the mineral soils (including Gleysolic soils and gleyed subgroups of other soil orders) are hydric soils. With the exception of soils in the Folisol great group (the Folist suborder in the USDA soil taxonomy), undrained soils in the Organic soil order are hydric. Many soils have been modified by tillage, on-site or offsite drainage, construction, or other soil disturbances.
Acronyms used in this paper are shown in Table 1.
ASMR Actual Soil Moisture Regime
BEC Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification
LMFV Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley method for identifying hydric soil
NTCHS (National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils) Hydric soil indicators as defined in USDA (2018)
RME Reliable Minimum Estimate
RSMR Relative Soil Moisture Regime
SDC
Soil Drainage Class
SMR Soil Moisture Regime
WREC Wetland and Riparian Ecosystem Classification
Table 1. Key acronyms used in this paper.
OVERVIEW OF METHODS OF HYDRIC SOIL IDENTIFICATION
As previously mentioned above, we have defined four methods of hydric soil identification used in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region. We compare their results to those from the NTCHS hydric soil indicators (USDA 2018). An overview of each method is given below. Because the NTCHS method is widely known and well documented (Tiner 2017; USDA 2018) it is not described here. Methods based on soil moisture regimes
(SMRs) and Canadian soil drainage classes (SDC) are briefly described below. Because the LMFV has not been published, it is described in greater detail.
Soil Mosture Regime (SMR)
SMRs are a key component of two major ecosystem classification systems used in British Columbia: the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) system and the Wetland and Riparian Ecosystem Classification (WREC) system. SMR, including both relative soil moisture regime (RSMR) (Krajina 1969; Pojar et al. 1987) and actual soil moisture regime (ASMR) (Klinka et al. 1989; MacKenzie and Moran 2004), have been used in wetland assessments, either by themselves or as a component of ecosystem classifications. For purposes of this paper, hydric soil is defined as soil with very moist, wet, or very wet ASMR or as hygric, subhydric, or hydric RSMR. These definitions gave the greatest degree of similarity to USDA hydric soils.
Relative Soil Moisture Regime (RSMR)
RSMR is an ordinal measure of the average annual amount of soil water annually available for plants over a period of years and is relative to the climate in a Biogeoclimatic Subzone (Pojar et al. 1987).
Assessment of RSMR is carried out by field observations, integrating site properties, soil properties, and vegetation (Krajina 1969; Pojar et al. 1987). Soil properties include texture, coarse fragment content, gleying, soil depth, and depth to water table (Green and Klinka 1994). Vegetation is assessed either by comparison to vegetation tables representing advanced seral or climax plant communities, or by indicator species group analysis (Green and Klinka 1994). RSMR is an important element of British Columbia’s BEC.
Actual Soil Moisture Regime (ASMR)
ASMR is conceptually similar to RSMR but is not relative to the climate of any one Biogeoclimatic Subzone. It is defined by annual water balance, estimated from meteorological data, and depth to the growing season water table (Klinka et al. 1989). In practice, ASMR is often identified by matching field observations of site, soils, and vegetation to descriptions
in field guidebooks (e.g., Green and Klinka 1994). ASMR is incorporated in the BEC and is also an important feature of the WREC (MacKenzie and Moran 2004).
Soil Drainage Class (SDC)
SDCs (Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey 1983) were originally intended to show soil wetness limitations for agriculture crops. They have also been used in wetland assessments as both primary and secondary indicators of hydric soils. SDCs are defined by the Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey (1983) and are more or less similar to Natural Drainage Classes described in Soil Survey Division Staff (1993). Classes are defined according to estimated available water storage capacity and source of soil water. Classes are subjectively assessed in the field based on soil properties, such as texture, coarse fragment content, structure, gleying, and kind of parent material (organic versus mineral), along with site characteristics such as topographic position, slope length, and slope gradient. Very poorly and poorly drained SDCs are considered to represent hydric soils.
Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley Method (LMFV)
The LMFV method is a region-specific, homegrown method that developed out of a need for more detailed criteria for hydric soil assessment in wetland identification and delineation in our area. The LMFV method has been used successfully in the field by wetland practitioners in our region for many years and has undergone periodic revisions. It is based on the hydric soil criteria presented in the WREC system (MacKenzie and Moran 2004) but with additional details added. The Canadian pedological soil classification (SCWG 1998) has useful information applicable to hydric soils that was used to supplement the WREC criteria. These additions include specifics around the matrix colours, redoximorphic features, and the degree of decomposition of the organic soil layers. Information from those two sources, augmented by local knowledge, was combined to create the LMFV method. Important features of the LMFV are shown in Table 2.
MINERAL SOILS
SOILS
ORGANIC
1. All soils with chromas predominantly less than (<) 1 in upper 30 cm
2. Matrix hues in upper 30 cm predominantly 7.5 YR and 10YR with chromas greater than or equal to (≤2) and distinct or prominent mottles ≥ 1 mm in cross-section and occupying ≥ 2 percent (%) of the exposed, unsmeared layer
3. Matrix hues in upper 30 cm predominantly yellower than 10YR with chromas less than or equal to (≤3) and distinct or prominent mottles ≥ 1 mm in cross-section and occupying ≥ 2% of the exposed, unsmeared layer
4. Matrix hues predominantly in upper 30 cm bluer than 10Y (mottles may or may not be present
Organic soil is defined as 17% organic carbon or 30% organic matter by mass (SCWG 1998).
5. Surface horizon is organic (greater than (>) 17% organic carbon by weight) and
a. ≥ 60 cm deep if material is fibric
b. ≥ 40 cm deep if material is mesic or humic
6. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) odor [rotten egg smell] is emitted from the upper 30 centimeters (cm) of soil.
7. Secondary criteria:
a. Subhydric or hydric relative soil moisture regime (RSMR)
b. OR, Very Moist (VM) or, more commonly, Wet (W) or Very Wet (W) actual soil moisture regime (ASMR)
c. OR water table presence ≤ 30 cm from soil surface during growing season.
Table 2. LMFV method for identifying hydric soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley. Secondary criteria are from MacKenzie and Moran (2004) which, by themselves, do not indicate a hydric soil.
METHODS
Forty-five soils, representing a wide range of soil moisture regimes, drainage classes, and Canadian Soil Classification taxa, were randomly selected from a list of 130 Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region jurisdictional wetland assessments. Actual SMRs (Klinka et al. 1989) ranged from slightly dry to very wet, RSMR from mesic to hydric. Canadian soil taxa (SCWG 1998) included soils of the Gleysolic, Organic, Podzolic and Regosolic orders and gleyed subgroups of Podzolic and Regosolic soils. USDA Hydric Soil Indicators included A1, A2, A4, S5, F1, F2, F3 and F6.
Soil pits were excavated to a depth of 70 to 100 cm. Where necessary, greater depths were sampled by soil auger. For each soil layer, depth, Munsell colors, texture, percent coarse fragments, redoximorphic features, rooting depth and abundance, and presence of a water table or seepage were recorded following the procedures in Province of B.C. (2010), USDA (2018); and WTI (2022). Degree of decomposition of organic matter was determined with the von Post scale. Each soil was classified as hydric or non-hydric using five methods: NTCHS, LMFV, RSMR, ASMR, and SDC. RSMR and ASMR were determined using methods in Green and Klinka (1994). SDCs were determined
from descriptions and guidelines in Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey (1983). The phi coefficient (φ) was used to test the level of agreement (as a binary: agree/disagree variable) between the NTCHS method and the other methods at classifying a soil as hydric or non-hydric. The phi coefficient represents the strength of the association of two binary variables and is related to the chi-squared (χ2) statistic for a 2 x 2 contingency (φ² = χ2/n), with n = the number of observations. The Reliable Minimum Estimate (RME) at the 95% confidence level was calculated to provide a simple, conservative, probabilistic estimate of the minimum percentage of agreement of NTCHS with the other methods. In statistical language, RME is a 1-tailed, lower confidence limit (Dawkins 1957; Husch et al. 1972).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Overview of Soils
Soil taxa, in the Canadian Soil Classification (SCWG 1998) along with their approximate equivalents in the USA (Soil Survey Staff 1975; shown in parentheses) included Gleyed Sombric Brunisols (Humbric Dystrocrepts), Gleysols (Aquents and Aquepts), Humic Gleysols (Aquolls and Humaquepts), Luvic Gleysols
USDA Hydric Soil Indicators
USDA Hydric Soil Indicators
(Argiaquolls), Typic and Terric Mesisols (Hemists), one Humic Folisol (Hemist), Humo Ferric and Ferro Humic Podzols (Haplorthods), and Orthic, Humic, and Gleyed Regosols (Entisols). SDCs included moderately well drained (20%), imperfectly drained (11%), poorly drained (39%), and very poorly drained (25%). RSMRs were mostly (60%) hygric, subhydric, or hydric. Soil ASMRs were wet to very wet (41%), very moist (18%), and moist or drier (41%).
Eight USDA hydric soil indicators were sampled and are summarized in Figure 2. Seventy-five percent of the hydric soils were either Histosols (A1), Loamy Gleyed Matrix (F2), or Redox Dark Surface (F6).
Figure 3 shows the number of hydric and non-hydric soils classified by each of the five methods.
Number of Hydric & Non-Hydric Soils According to 5 Methods of Hydric Soil Identification
Figure 2. USDA hydric soil indicators (USDA 2018) in the sample are shown in decreasing order of frequency, from left to right. Number of samples is shown on the left-hand vertical axis and at the top of each column. The line shows the cumulative percentage of soils in each class. A1 = Histosols, F2= Loamy Gleyed Matrix, F6 = Redox Dark Surface, S5 = Sandy Redox, A2 = Histic Epipedon, A4 = Hydrogen Sulfide, F1 = Loamy Mucky Mineral, F3 = Depleted Matrix.
Figure 3. Number of hydric and non-hydric soils according to five hydric soil classifications.
Agreement of NTCHS with Four Alternative Hydric Soil Classifications
Data limitations prevent rigorous statistical hypothesis testing, so results are shown as the percentage agreement between NTCHS and the other four methods, along with correlation (expressed by the phi coefficient) and RME (Husch et al. 1972), as shown in Table 3.
Agreement with NTCHS is high (≥ 82%) for all four methods. Correlation between NTCHS is very strong for the LMFV method and RSMR and strong for SDC and ASMR. The RME is greatest for the LMFV method. Overall ranking of similarity to NTCHS is LMFV, RSMR, SDC, and ASMR.
Trends in the Sample Data
Some trends in the sample data are suggested from Figure 4. The LMFV method had the fewest false positives. RSMR had the most false positives. SDC had slightly more false negatives than it had false positives. ASMR showed the greatest number of false negatives.
*All Phi coefficients are significant at alpha < .01.
Table 3. Four alternative methods for classifying hydric soils compared to NTCHS. “% agreement” is the % of classifications (hydric or non-hydric) in the sample data that agreed with NTCHS. The phi coefficient (also known as “mean square contingency coefficient”) is a correlation coefficient (measuring degree of association between NTCHS and each other method and potentially ranging from -1 to +1), and the RME is a statistical estimate of the minimum % agreement at the 95% confidence level.
Hydric soil classifications by the LMFV showed the greatest similarity to NTCHS. Agreement was high over a range of different soils, including most disturbed soils. Disagreement occurred in two disturbed soil profiles. Those two soils were classified as hydric by LMFV but non-hydric according to NTCHS (i.e., were false positives). Both soils were severely disturbed and almost met NTCHS thresholds. LMFV did not classify any soils as non-hydric that were hydric according to NTCHS (i.e., did not produce any false negatives).
Comparison of Methods for Classifying Hydric Soils
4. Four methods of classifying hydric soil compared to NTCHS hydric soil indicators (USDA 2018). “True” means classification matched with NTCHS ; “false” means they did not match. TP = true positives, the number of soils classified as hydric that match (as hydric) with NTCHS; FP = false positive, soils classified as hydric but classified as non-hydric by NTCHS; TN = true negative, the number of non-hydric soils matching as non-hydric with NTCHS; FN = false negative, the number of soils classified as non-hydric but classified as hydric by NTCHS.
Figure
Classification Objectives and Accuracy of Hydric Soil Identification
Since there is no universal standard of what constitutes a hydric soil, our data cannot show, in an absolute sense, which method of hydric soil classification is most accurate. Nevertheless, we think that NTCHS is a valid standard for relative comparison. Additional verification to compare methods more thoroughly would require longer term research using water table monitoring wells or Indicator of Reduction in Soils films in the mineral soils to record reduction rates.
LMFV, RSMR, ASMR, and SDC classifications all have been used to identify hydric soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region. As might be expected, classifications that are focused on soil characteristics and that include detailed, quantitative soil criteria, such as the LMFV method, produce results most similar to those of NTCHS, a classification based solely on soil characteristics.
LMFV, like NTCHS criteria, is based on relatively detailed descriptions of soil morphology—for example, specific values of soil layer depths and thickness and Munsell colors. It has been developed with the specific purpose of identifying hydric soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley region in order to facilitate wetland identification and delineation.
RSMR, as mentioned above, considers soil, site, local hydrological, and vegetation characteristics (Green and Klinka 1994). Many important soil criteria are included but detailed criteria, such as depth thresholds and Munsell soil colours, are not included. ASMR was initially created to facilitate comparison of soil moisture among BEC ecosystem taxa in different regional climates and was later incorporated into British Columbia’s wetland classification (MacKenzie and Moran 2004). It is useful for classifying wetland taxa but lacks detailed, specific hydric soil criteria.
Soil moisture regimes were created with the intention of showing the relative amount of plant-available water, not the degree of anaerobiosis in soil. Best results from RSMR or ASMR hydric soil assessment
require an accurate assessment of vegetation. The plant community must be described in sufficient detail to compare to vegetation tables or indicator species groups. The reference plant communities and indicator species groups are based on data from mid-seral to climax stage communities. Those communities are typically absent from Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley sites. Another obstacle is that hydric soil assessments sometimes must be done outside of the growing season when some species may be difficult to identify and species abundance challenging to estimate accurately (Standish and Alards-Tomalin 2022).
Unlike RSMR and ASMR, SDC criteria are focused on site and soil features and do not utilize vegetation. They were intended to show soil wetness limitations for agricultural crops (Tiner 2017). Assessment criteria include important site and soil features such as slope, soil texture and structure, gleying, and soil taxa (Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey 1983). However, as with RSMR and ASMR, criteria are mainly qualitative and are relatively sensitive to individual interpretation.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Several alternatives have been used over the past decades for classifying hydric soils in the Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley. The USDA hydric soil indicators for Land Resource Region A (USDA 2018 and referred to in this paper as NTCHS) have been widely used in the USA and parts of Canada. Alternatives include a hydric soil classification based on Canadian pedological and wetland ecosystem criteria, referred to in this paper as LMFV. Others are RSMR, ASMR, and SDC. Forty-five Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley soils were sampled and classified as hydric or non-hydric for each of the five methods. Hydric soils according to NTCHS were compared to the other four methods. LMFV had the greatest similarity to NTCHS. Results for the other three methods, in order of decreasing similarity to NTCHS, are: RSMR, SDC, and ASMR.
We chose to compare to NTCHS because it is wellknown, has been in use and evolving over three
decades, and seems to apply well enough to Lower Mainland-Fraser Valley soils. For each of the four methods, (LMFV, RSMR, ASMR, and SDC), results were expressed as percentage agreement within the sample, correlation (phi coefficient), and RME. Some observations are:
• All methods can produce more or less comparable results with respect to NTCHS (there was 82% or more agreement within the sample).
• Greatest agreement with NTCHS (96%) was for LMFV. LMFV also had the strongest correlation (+0.91) and RME (92%).
• Disagreement between NTCHS and LMFV occurred with only two soils; both were highly disturbed and were marginally hydric for LMFV versus marginally non-hydric for NTCHS. Soils with disturbed profiles or altered hydrology are a challenge regardless of which hydric soil classification is used (Tiner 2017; USACE 2010).
• NTCHS and LMFV are both methods based largely on soil morphology and are most similar in their results. SMRs include vegetation criteria and were intended primarily to address plant-available water and its potential effect on vegetation. SDCs are intended to classify soils with respect to wetness limitations for growing crops.
• RSMR produced the most false positives (nonhydric soils misidentified as hydric soils); LMFV produced the least.
• ASMR produced the most false negatives (hydric soils misidentified as non-hydric soils), followed by soil drainage class. LMFV did not produce any false negatives.
• The authors prefer use of NTCHS or LMFV because it is specifically focused on relatively detailed hydric soil features. We speculate that it should result in less statistical noise compared to SMRs or SDC (all of which require relatively more subjective judgment).
We cannot say which hydric soil identification method is most accurate because there is no absolute standard for comparison. NTCHS is recognized as highly credible and has been used in the Lower MainlandFraser Valley region and other places in British Columbia. Advantages of LMFV method are that it is concise, region-specific, and easily relatable to Canadian pedological soil classification as well as BEC and WREC.
LITERATURE CITED
Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Soil Survey. 1983. The Canada Soil Information System (CanSIS) Manual for Describing Soils in the Field. 1982 Revised. Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. 164 pp.
Boyle, C. A., L. Lavkulich, H. Schrier, and E. Kiss. 1997. Changes in land cover and subsequent effects on Lower Fraser Basin Ecosystems from 1827 to 1990. Environmental Management 2(2): 185-196.
Dawkins, H. C. 1957. Some results of stratified sampling of tropical high forest. Seventh British Commonwealth Forestry Conference Item 7 (iii).
Green, R. N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Burnaby BC. 295 pp.
Husch, B., C. I. Miller, and T. W. Beers. 1972. Forest Mensuration. The Ronald Press Company. 410 pp.
Klinka, K., V. J. Krajina, A. Ceska, and A. M. Scagel. 1989. Indicator Plants of Coastal British Columbia. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver. 288 pp.
Krajina, V. J. 1969. Ecology of forest trees in British Columbia. Ecology of Western North America, 2: 1-146.
Luttermerding, H. A. 1981. Soils of the Langley-Vancouver Map Area. RAB Bulletin 18, Report No. 15, British Columbia Soil Survey. Volume 3, Description of soils. Kelowna. 227 pp.
MacKenzie, W. H. and J. R. Moran. 2004. Wetlands of British Columbia: A Guide to Identification. Research Branch, BC. Ministry of Forests. Victoria, B.C. Land Management Handbook No. 52.
North, M.E.A., M.W. Dunn, and J.M. Teversham. 1979. Vegetation of the southwestern Fraser lowland, 1858-1880. (map) Lands Directorate, Environment Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Pojar, J., K. Klinka, and D. V. Meidinger. 1987. Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification for British Columbia. Forest Ecology and Management 22: 119-154.
Province of B.C. 2010. Field Manual for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems. 2nd ed. Province of British Columbia, B.C. Ministry of Forest and Range & B.C. Ministry of Environment.
RAPA (Riparian Areas Protection Act). 1997. Riparian Areas Protection Act. SBC 1997, Chapter 21. Riparian Areas Protection Act (gov.bc.ca)
SCWG (Soil Classification Working Group). 1998. The Canadian System of Soil Classification. 3rd ed. Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Publication 1646. NRC Research Press, Ottawa. 187 pp.
Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. USDA handbook No. 18. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Soil Survey Staff. 1975. Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 436. 754 pp.
Standish, J. and Alards-Tomalin, J. 2022. Importance of vegetation for identifying wetlands in the Lower Mainland Fraser Valley Region of British Columbia, Canada using prevalence index, hydrophytic cover index, and dominance ratio. Wetland Science & Practice 40: 302-308.
Tiner, R. W. 2017. Wetland Indicators: A Guide to Wetland Formation, Identification, Delineation, Classification, and Mapping. 2nd Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 606 pp.
USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers). 2010. Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region (version 2). Final Report. Prepared for: Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C. 152 pp.
USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers). 1987. Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual. US Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Experiment Station. Wetlands Research Program Technical Report Y-87-1 (on-line edition), Environmental Laboratory Vicksburg, MS. 92 pp. + appendices.
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2018. Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States, Version 8.2. NRCS, in cooperation with the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils. 45 pp.
WSA (Water Sustainability Act). 2016. Water Sustainability Act. SBC 2014, Chapter 15. Assented to May 29, 2014. Water Sustainability Act (gov.bc.ca)
WTI (Wetland Training Institute). 2022. 2022 Pocket Guide to Hydric Soil Field Indicators: based on Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States v. 8.2. Steven’s Point, WI. 176 pp.
Observations from the Summer and Fall of 2024
by Ralph Tiner
This summer and fall, I had the opportunity to visit a few places—Wyoming to attend a friend’s son’s wedding and visit with a wetland colleague (Bob Lichvar); Illinois to teach a wetland delineation course; and New Hampshire to do another round of vegetation
WYOMING/IDAHO: GRAND TETONS AND BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST
sampling focused on documenting plant community changes due to sea level rise. I’ll put together a short report on the latter for a future issue of Wetland Science & Practice. Here are a few images of plants in and around wetlands observed during these outings.
Columbian Monkshood (Aconitum columbiana)
Common Cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum)
Subalpine Fleabane (Erigeron peregrinus)
Brook Saxifrage (Saxifraga odontoloma) flower and leaves
Yellow or Seep Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus)
Arrowleaf Ragwort (
California False Hellebore (Veratrum californicum)
Common Threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens) Prairie Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata)
Salt marsh dominated by Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)
Listed below are some links to some random news articles that may be of interest. Links from past issues can be accessed on the SWS website news page. This section includes links to mostly newspaper articles that may be of interest. Members are encouraged to send links to articles about wetlands in their local area. Please send the links to WSP Editor at ralphtiner83@gmail.com and reference “Wetlands in the News” in the subject box. Thanks for your cooperation.
For another source on the latest news about wetlands and related topics, readers are referred to the National Association of Wetland Managers website (formerly the Association of State Wetland Managers). Their “Wetland News Digest” includes links to government agency public notices and newspaper articles that should be of interest, especially dealing with wetland regulations, court cases, management, and threats: https://www.nawm.org/ publications/wetland-news-digest.
• Scientists lure endangered newts to ancient wetlands
• Groups work to remove invasive plants from California's wetlands
• Danbury orders homeowner who cut down trees, filled in wetlands to make $26K property restoration
• In Hawaii and DC, a growing campaign seeks to restore Lahaina’s precious wetlands
• Devastation as world’s biggest wetland burns: ‘those that cannot run don’t stand a chance’
• Adani’s Queensland coalmine a threat to important wetland, Indigenous groups and scientists say
• Mind the mangroves! Some Kenyans combat the threat of logging with hidden beehives
• Experts stunned by discovery in wetlands 10 years after reintroduction of centuries-extinct beavers: 'Can transform local environments'
• King Charles visits world class Highland peatlands.
• The wonder, beauty, and utility of wetlands
• The Wild Mile: Floating Wetlands Restore Diverse Wildlife to the Chicago River — Healthy Lakes
• Restoring mangroves in Sri Lanka
• Scientists reveal the majesty of North America's 6th Great Lake - The Brighter Side of News.
• This Couple Has Planted Over A Million Mangroves.
• Scientists study mysterious invader in the Chesapeake Bay's largest underwater grass bed.
• Restoration of Australian wetlands even better togetherDCCEEW.
• Floating Wetlands Bring Beauty, Benefits to South Carolina Ponds - Spartanburg.com.
• The vanishing mangroves of El Salvador: ‘All our efforts may only slow the destruction’ | Conservation and indigenous people | The Guardian.
• Salt of the Earth — ‘an impassioned call to protect the world’s precious salt marshes’
• Bringing back ‘bio supermarkets’: Program helps landowners restore vanished wetlands | MPR News
• US government joins forces with local conservation groups to establish new wildlife refuge area: 'Treasured outdoor spaces for current and future generations to enjoy'
• Forever-protected SC property conserves 4,400-acres of land | Hilton Head Island Packet
• New cross-border WWF project launched to restore wetlands and rivers in the Baltic region - WWF Baltic
• Birds Sing Anew After Residents of New Orleans Ninth Ward Restore 40-Acre Wetland to Historic Glory
• Kansas Nature Conservancy turning land back into wetland.
• The flooded forest in Virginia that puts on a magical light show every winter | Live Science
Listed below are some wetland books that have come to our attention over the years. Please help us add new books and major reports to this listing. If your agency, organization, or institution has published new publications on wetlands, please send the information to Editor of Wetland Science & Practice at ralphtiner83@gmail.com Your cooperation is appreciated.
BOOKS
• The Atchafalaya River Basin: History and Ecology of an American Wetland
• Bayou-Diversity: Nature and People in the Louisiana Bayou Country
• Bayou D’Arbonne Swamp: A Naturalist’s Memoir of Place
• Black Swan Lake – Life of a Wetland
• Coastal Wetlands of the World: Geology, Ecology, Distribution and Applications
• Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Development
• Creating and Restoring Wetlands: From Theory to Practice
• Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
• Florida’s Wetlands
• History of Wetland Science: A Perspective from Wetland Leaders
• An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (5th Edition)
• Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Wetlands: Science, Management, Policy, and Practice
• Remote Sensing of Wetlands: Applications and Advances
• Salt Marsh Secrets. Who uncovered them and how?
• Sedges of Maine
• Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota
• Tidal Wetlands Primer: An Introduction to their Ecology, Natural History, Status and Conservation
• Tussock Sedge: A Wetland Superplant
• Wading Right In: Discovering the Nature of Wetlands
• Waubesa Wetlands: New Look at an Old Gem
• Wetland Ecosystems
• Wetland Indicators – A Guide to Wetland Formation, Identification, Delineation, Classification, and Mapping
• Wetland Landscape Characterization: Practical Tools, Methods, and Approaches for Landscape Ecology
• Wetlands (5th Edition)
• Wetland Restoration: A Handbook for New Zealand Freshwater Systems
• Wetland Soils: Genesis, Hydrology, Landscapes, and Classification
• Wetland & Stream Rapid Assessments: Development, Validation, and Application
• Wetland Techniques (3 volumes)
• Wildflowers and Other Plants of Iowa Wetlands
About Wetland Science & Practice (WSP)
Wetland Science and Practice (WSP) is the SWS quarterly publication aimed at providing information on select SWS activities (technical committee summaries, chapter workshop overview/abstracts, and SWS-funded student activities), articles on ongoing or recently completed wetland research, restoration, or management projects, freelance articles on the general ecology and natural history of wetlands, and highlights of current events. The July issue is typically dedicated to publishing the proceedings of our annual conference. WSP also serves as an outlet for commentaries, perspectives and opinions on important developments in wetland science, theory, management and policy. Both invited and unsolicited manuscripts are reviewed by the WSP editor for suitability for publication. When deemed necessary or upon request, some articles are subject to scientific peer review. Student papers are welcomed. Please see publication guidelines herein. Electronic access to Wetland Science and Practice is included in your SWS membership. All issues published, except the current issue, are available via the internet to the general public. The current issue is only available to SWS members; it will be available to the public four months after its publication when the next issue is released (e.g., the January 2022 issue will be an open access issue in April 2022). WSP is an excellent choice to convey the results of your projects or interest in wetlands to others. Also note that as of January 2021, WSP will publish advertisements, contact info@sws.org for details.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you read something you like in WSP, or that you think someone else would find interesting, be sure to share. Share links to your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. Make sure that all your SWS colleagues are checking out our recent issues, and help spread the word about SWS to non-members! Questions? Contact editor Ralph Tiner, PWS Emeritus (ralphtiner83@gmail.com).
WSP Manuscript – General Guidelines
AUTHOR ETHICS AND DECLARATION:
The work is original and has not been published elsewhere. Data reported in submission must be author’s own and/or data that the author has permission to use. Inclusion of results from previously published studies must be appropriately credited. It is vital that all contributing authors review the initial submission and subsequent versions. Upon submission of the final manuscript, the lead author must submit a declaration stating that all contributing authors have reviewed and approve the final manuscript. Failure to do this will lead to rejection of the manuscript.
LENGTH:
Approximately 5,000 words; can be longer if necessary.
STYLE:
See existing articles from 2014 to more recent years available online at: https://members.sws.org/wetland-science-and-practice Standard format/outline for articles: Title, authors (include affiliations and correspondence author email in footnotes), followed by Abstract, then Text (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion), and ending with References. All articles must have an abstract. Keywords are optional.
TEXT:
Word document, 12 font, Times New Roman, single-spaced; keep tables and figures separate, although captions can be included in text. For reference citations in text use this format: (Smith 2016; Jones and Whithead 2014; Peterson et al. 2010). Do not perform formatting (e.g., capitalization of headings and subheadings). For example, do not indent paragraphs…just separate paragraphs by lines.
FIGURES:
Please include color images and photos of subject wetland(s) as WSP is a full-color e-publication. Image size should be less than 1MB; 500KB may work best for this e-publication. Figures should be original (not published elsewhere) or in the public domain. If figure was published elsewhere (copyrighted), it is the responsibility of the author to secure permission for use. Be sure to provide proper credit in the caption.
Reference Citation Examples:
• Clements, F.E. 1916. Plant Succession: An Analysis of the Development of Vegetation. Carnegie Institution of Washington. Washington D.C. Publication 242.
• Colburn, E.A. 2004. Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation. McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Blacksburg, VA.
• Cole, C.A. and R.P. Brooks. 2000. Patterns of wetland hydrology in the Ridge and Valley Province, Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands 20: 438-447. https://doi.org/10.1672/02775212(2000)020<0438:POWHIT>2.0.CO;2
• Cook, E.R., R. Seager, M.A. Cane, and D.W. Stahle. 2007. North American drought: reconstructions, causes, and consequences. Earth-Science Reviews 81: 93-134. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2006.12.002Get rights and content
• Cooper, D.J. and D.M. Merritt. 2012. Assessing the water needs of riparian and wetland vegetation in the western United States U.S.D.A., Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ft. Collins, CO. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-282.
• van der Valk, A. 2023. The beginnings of wetland science in Britain: Agnes Arber and William H. Pearsall. Wetland Science and Practice 41(1): 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1672/ucrt083-01
Please be sure to add the doi link to citations where possible.
If you have questions, please contact the editor, Ralph Tiner at ralphtiner83@gmail.com.
2024 Advertising Prospectus
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Coastal Wetlands of the Wilderness Lakes System, South Africa, Photographed by Douglas Macfarlane.
