How Nature Builds Wetlands

Wetlands are among the most complex ecosystems on earth, where achieving sustainable success in restoration and management requires a systems approach to understand how, and especially why, a given wetland functions as it does. A national program that lays the foundation for understanding how unique wetlands function at specific geographic locations (how they were built by nature) would improve our understanding of the underlying drivers of wetland functions. This article outlines some steps that such a program might embrace and suggests that this approach is needed as a foundation for future wetland restoration programs

Effects of Water Level Regulation on Wetlands of the Great Lakes

The International Joint Commission’s (IJC) Levels Reference Study Board is concluding a multi-faceted study of means to alleviate the adverse consequences of fluctuating water levels in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. Included were studies of the effects of fluctuations on wetlands of the Great Lakes. A summary of the issues, concerns and results of Phase I studies was presented by Dr. Douglas Wilcox in Great Lakes Wetlands Vol. 1, No. 2. In this article, Dr. Wilcox explains some of the results and conclusions of Phase II studies. Dr. Wilcox has been conducting research on wetlands in the Great Lakes region since 1978. He is a wetland ecologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the National Fisheries Research Center-Great Lakes in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has participated in many aspects of the IJC Levels Reference Study. Much of the information summarized here was collected in collaboration with James Meeker and Joan Elias at the University of Wisconsin

Migration and Control of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) along Highway Corridors

The east-west density gradient and the pattern and mode of migration of the wetland exotic, purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.), were assessed in a survey of populations along the New York State Thruway from Albany to Buffalo to determine if the highway corridor contributed to the spread of this species. During the peak flowering season of late July to early August, individual colonies of purple loosestrife were identified and categorized into three size classes in parallel belt transects consisting of the median strip and highway rights-of-way on the north and south sides of the road. Data were also collected on the presence of colonies adjacent to the corridor and on highway drainage patterns. Although a distinct east-west density gradient existed in the corridor, it corresponded to the gradient on adjacent lands and was greatly influenced by a major infestation at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. The disturbed highway corridor served as a migration route for purple loosestrife, but topographic features dictated that this migration was a short distance rather than long-distance process. Ditch and culvert drainage patterns increased the ability of purple loosestrife to migrate to new wetland sites. Management strategies proposed to reduce the spread of this wetland threat include minimizing disturbance, pulling by hand, spraying with glyphosate, risking, and mowing

History and role of the journal Wetlands in developing the field of wetland science

Development of wetland science as a distinct field required consolidation of wetland-related publications in a recognized wetland journal. Growth of the Society of Wetland Scientists was thus tied to developing its own publication outlet. Wetlands debuted as the proceedings of the SWS meeting held in 1981, became a peer-reviewed proceedings in 1982, and was opened to outside submissions in 1983. Major changes in the journal through the years included gaining coverage in important abstracting services, switching to a larger page format, creating key word and author indices, developing an electronic distribution option, converting to an on-line submission process, increasing exposure, and growing larger. Manuscript submissions increased, more papers were published, and more pages were produced. The journal moved to two issues in 1988, three issues in 1989, four issues in 1993, and six issues in 2010. Growth of the journal transformed it into the top journal in wetland science, with submissions coming from around the globe. The journal is multi-disciplinary in scope, exposing readers to a variety of ideas, methods, and applications. Consolidating efforts from many fields of expertise with a focus on wetlands helped to develop a broad, ecosystem-Wbased science that is now globally recognized

Education and Training of Future Wetland Scientists and Managers

Wetland science emerged as a distinct discipline in the 1980s. In response, courses addressing various aspects of wetland science and management were developed by universities, government agencies, and private firms. Professional certification of wetland scientists began in the mid-1990s to provide confirmation of the quality of education and experience of persons involved in regulatory, management, restoration/construction, and research involving wetland resources. The education requirements for certification and the need for persons with specific wetland training to fill an increasing number of wetland-related positions identified a critical need to develop curriculum guidelines for an undergraduate wetland science and management major for potential accreditation by the Society of Wetland Scientists. That proposed major contains options directed toward either wetland science or management. Both options include required basic courses to meet the general education requirements of many universities, required upper-level specialized courses that address critical aspects of physical and biological sciences applicable to wetlands, and a minimum of four additional upper-level specialized courses that can be used to tailor a degree to students’ interests. The program would be administered by an independent review board that would develop guidelines and evaluate university applications for accreditation. Students that complete the required coursework will fulfill the education requirements for professional wetland scientist certification and possess qualifications that make them attractive candidates for graduate school or entry level positions in wetland science or management. Universities that offer this degree program could gain an advantage in recruiting highly qualified students with an interest in natural resources. Alternative means of educating established wetland scientists are likewise important, especially to provide specialized knowledge and experience or updates related to new management discoveries, policies, and regulations

Lake Michigan Wetlands: Classification, Concerns, and Management Opportunities

The wetlands that border Lake Michigan are an extremely important component of the lake ecosystem. Wetlands are considered to be among the most productive and ecologically diverse habitats on earth, with attributes of both upland and aquatic ecosystems. Although wetlands comprise only a small fraction of the total area of Lake Michigan, they provide habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals and perform environmental functions that affect the whole lake (Wilcox, 1995; Environment Canada, 2002). However, unlike open waters of the lake that have been studied for nearly a century, wetlands have been studied for only a few decades. The numerous forms of degradation and assault on wetland resources have been documented, but few are understood thoroughly. Management of wetlands and the problems they face has thus not progressed quickly, and debates still occur regarding descriptions of wetlands. In this paper, I will review the status of wetland classifications used for Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes, as well as the major management concerns and opportunities presented by Lake Michigan wetlands

The Effects of Deicing Salts on Water Chemistry in Pinhook Bog, Indiana.

A five-year study was conducted to identify the effects of road salt intrusion on the water chemistry of Pinhook Bog following operation of an uncovered salt storage pile adjacent to the bog for ten years. A distinct pattern of elevated salt concentrations was observed in the interstitial waters of the surface peat that corresponded to observed alterations in the bog vegetation. Yearly mean salt concentrations as high as 468 mg/1 sodium and 1215 mg/1 chloride were recorded in the plant root zone .of the peat mat. The salt concentrations decreased significantly each year from 1979 to 1981 throughout the impacted area. Some increases of a lesser magnitude occurred in 1982 and 1983. Analysis of salt movements suggested that vertical transport by water movement was responsible for concentration changes. The major declines in salt levels occurred in the spring following snowmelt and heavy precipitation events. Evapotranspiration during periods of drought resulted in the gradual increases in surface peat salt concentrations. Diverted highway runoff was shown to be the major continuing source of sodium chloride contamination and was the likely source of the elevated calcium, magnesium, potassium, bicarbonate, and pH levels also observed in the impacted area

A Model For Assessing Interdisciplinary Approaches to Wetland Research

An interdisciplinary approach to research in wetlands is necessary to avoid incorrect extrapolations and projections about broad wetland functions based on limited knowledge. The values of several lesser-used disciplines or fields of study are often overlooked and therefore not incorporated into study designs. To address this problem, a model was developed that relates ten ecological and environmental science disciplines to each other (geohydrology, surface water hydrology, water chemistry, soil/sediment chemistry, stratigraphy/sedimentology, paleoecology, plant ecology, animal ecology, remote sensing, and seedbank studies). A matrix and compartmentalized model cross-identify each discipline as a research tool and as a type of study for which a given tool can be used in data collection. Use of the model is demonstrated by assessing the research approach utilized in the study of three wetland systems (shallow dune ponds, bog, fen) at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the study of the pocosin wetlands as presented in a comprehensive volume on that subject

History and Role of the Journal Wetlands in Developing the Field of Wetland Science

Development of wetland science as a distinct field required consolidation of wetland-related publications in a recognized wetland journal. Growth of the Society of Wetland Scientists was thus tied to developing its own publication outlet. Wetlands debuted as the proceedings of the SWS meeting held in 1981, became a peer-reviewed proceedings in 1982, and was opened to outside submissions in 1983. Major changes in the journal through the years included gaining coverage in important abstracting services, switching to a larger page format, creating keyword and author indices, developing an electronic distribution option, converting to an online submission process, increasing exposure, and growing larger. Manuscript submissions increased, more papers were published, and more pages were produced. The journal moved to two issues in 1988, three issues in 1989, four issues in 1993, and six issues in 2010. Growth of the journal transformed it into the top journal in wetland science, with submissions coming from around the globe. The journal is multi-disciplinary in scope, exposing readers to a variety of ideas, methods, and applications. Consolidating efforts from many fields of expertise with a focus on wetlands helped to develop a broad, ecosystem-based science that is now globally recognized