An improved representation of geographically isolated wetlands in a watershed-scale hydrologic model

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (22) ◽  
pp. 4168-4184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grey R. Evenson ◽  
Heather E. Golden ◽  
Charles R. Lane ◽  
Ellen D'Amico
Keyword(s):  
Hydrologic Model ◽  
Watershed Scale ◽  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated

Relative effects of geographically isolated wetlands on streamflow: a watershed-scale analysis

Ecohydrology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E. Golden ◽  
Heather A. Sander ◽  
Charles R. Lane ◽  
Chang Zhao ◽  
Katie Price ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Watershed Scale ◽  
Scale Analysis ◽  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated

scholarly journals Quantifying hydrologic connectivity of wetlands to surface water systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 1791-1808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali A. Ameli ◽  
Irena F. Creed
Keyword(s):  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Prairie Pothole Region ◽  
Wetland Loss ◽  
Hydrologic Model ◽  
Hydrologic Connectivity ◽  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Prairie Pothole ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Isolated Wetland ◽  
Geographically Isolated

Abstract. Hydrologic connectivity among wetlands is poorly characterized and understood. Our inability to quantify this connectivity compromises our understanding of the potential impacts of wetland loss on watershed structure, function and water supplies. We develop a computationally efficient, physically based subsurface–surface hydrologic model to characterize both the subsurface and surface hydrologic connectivity of geographically isolated wetlands and explore the time and length variations in these connections to a river within the Prairie Pothole Region of North America. Despite a high density of geographically isolated wetlands (i.e., wetlands without surface inlets or outlets), modeled connections show that these wetlands are not hydrologically isolated. Subsurface connectivity differs significantly from surface connectivity in terms of timing and length of connections. Slow subsurface connections between wetlands and the downstream river originate from wetlands throughout the watershed, whereas fast surface connections were limited to large events and originate from wetlands located near the river. This modeling approach provides first ever insight on the nature of geographically isolated wetland subsurface and surface hydrologic connections to rivers, and provides valuable information to support watershed-scale decision making for water resource management.

scholarly journals Integrating geographically isolated wetlands into land management decisions

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 319-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E Golden ◽  
Irena F Creed ◽  
Genevieve Ali ◽  
Nandita B Basu ◽  
Brian P Neff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated

scholarly journals Geographically Isolated Wetlands are Important Biogeochemical Reactors on the Landscape

BioScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Marton ◽  
Irena F. Creed ◽  
David B. Lewis ◽  
Charles R. Lane ◽  
Nandita B. Basu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Geographically Isolated

scholarly journals Do geographically isolated wetlands influence landscape functions?

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (8) ◽  
pp. 1978-1986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Cohen ◽  
Irena F. Creed ◽  
Laurie Alexander ◽  
Nandita B. Basu ◽  
Aram J. K. Calhoun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Fraction ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Sediment Retention ◽  
Geographically Isolated Wetlands ◽  
Critical Elements ◽  
Landscape Functions ◽  
Flow Generation ◽  
Geographically Isolated

Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs), those surrounded by uplands, exchange materials, energy, and organisms with other elements in hydrological and habitat networks, contributing to landscape functions, such as flow generation, nutrient and sediment retention, and biodiversity support. GIWs constitute most of the wetlands in many North American landscapes, provide a disproportionately large fraction of wetland edges where many functions are enhanced, and form complexes with other water bodies to create spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the timing, flow paths, and magnitude of network connectivity. These attributes signal a critical role for GIWs in sustaining a portfolio of landscape functions, but legal protections remain weak despite preferential loss from many landscapes. GIWs lack persistent surface water connections, but this condition does not imply the absence of hydrological, biogeochemical, and biological exchanges with nearby and downstream waters. Although hydrological and biogeochemical connectivity is often episodic or slow (e.g., via groundwater), hydrologic continuity and limited evaporative solute enrichment suggest both flow generation and solute and sediment retention. Similarly, whereas biological connectivity usually requires overland dispersal, numerous organisms, including many rare or threatened species, use both GIWs and downstream waters at different times or life stages, suggesting that GIWs are critical elements of landscape habitat mosaics. Indeed, weaker hydrologic connectivity with downstream waters and constrained biological connectivity with other landscape elements are precisely what enhances some GIW functions and enables others. Based on analysis of wetland geography and synthesis of wetland functions, we argue that sustaining landscape functions requires conserving the entire continuum of wetland connectivity, including GIWs.

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