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Assessing Natural and Anthropogenic Variability in Wetland Structure for Two Hydrogeomorphic Riverine Wetland Subclasses

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Abstract

The hydrogeomorphic approach (HGM) to wetland classification and functional assessment has been applied regionally throughout the United States, but the ability of HGM functional assessment models to reflect wetland condition has limited verification. Our objective was to determine how variability derived from anthropogenic effects and natural variability impacted site assessment variables within regional wetland subclasses in central Oklahoma. We collected data for nine potential assessment variables including vegetation physiognomy (e.g., tree basal area, herbaceous cover, canopy cover, etc.) and soil organic matter at wetlands of two HGM riverine subclasses (oxbow and riparian) in May and June, 2010. Using Akaike Information Criteria, we identified limited relationships between landscape disturbance metrics and assessment variables within subclasses. The high degree of natural variability from climatic and hydrologic factors within both subclasses may be masking the impact of landscape disturbance on the other measured assessment variables. Precipitation had significant effects on assessment variables within each of the subclasses. To reduce natural climatic variability, the reference domain may need to be further subdivided. The approach used in this study provides fairly rapid and quantitative methods for evaluating the effectiveness of using HGM assessment variables in assessing wetland condition regionally.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by a United States Environmental Protection Agency 104(b) 3 Wetland Program Development Grant. GIS work and field sampling was conducted in part by Jeffrey Tibbits, Cameron Goforth, and Haley Eyer. We thank Loren Smith, Michael Palmer, Brian Carter, and Richard Prather for their input on experimental design and data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA

    Daniel Dvorett & Craig Davis

  2. School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Joseph Bidwell

  3. The Nature Conservancy, 490 Westfield Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA

    Chris DuBois

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  1. Daniel Dvorett
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Correspondence to Daniel Dvorett.

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Dvorett, D., Bidwell, J., Davis, C. et al. Assessing Natural and Anthropogenic Variability in Wetland Structure for Two Hydrogeomorphic Riverine Wetland Subclasses. Environmental Management 52, 1009–1022 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0140-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0140-7

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