Wetlands Test 2

Factors that influence tree response to flooding

species flood tolerance

time of flooding (dormant season vs growing season)

temperature/ oxygen content of water

velocity/ oxygen content of water

duration of flooding

tree age

mature trees

can tolerate more flooding

very flood tolerant trees

bald cypress

black mangrove

water tupelo

black willow

button bush

flood tolerant trees

willow oak

moderately flood tolerant trees

water oak

sweet gum

flood intolerant trees

loblolly pine

American sycamore

cottonwood

why plants must adapt to flooding

limited gas exchange when flooded

must be able to selectively acquire nutrients

must be able to avoid toxic effects of flooding

Physiological processes for flood response

Non-woody plants

alter end products of glycolysis

substitute NO3- for O2 in cellular reactions

Morphological Adaptations to flooding

Trees

Carbon allocation patterns

rapid early shoot growth

stem and lenticel hypertrophy

buttress stems

cypress knees

pneumatophores

adventitious root systems

Carbon allocation patterns

root wads

can use rhizotrons to test carbon root allocation

hypertrophy

slow and uniform around the stem

for gas exchange

cypress knees

uncertain of true purpose

most likely for gas exchange

high knees = high water table

pneumataphores

mangroves

gas exchange

air roots

adventitious roots

roots grow out into water to get oxygen

anatomical adaptations to flooding

aerenchymas root systems

leaking oxygen

Regeneration adaptations for flood tolerance

seed germination

seed longevity

seed floating dispersal

sprouting/ rapid growth

vivipary

seed germination

button bush

black willow

underwater

seed banks

seed longevity

ability to survive in buried state

oxbows

bald cypress

viviparity

mangroves

produces embryonic tree on the tree

drops when ripe → instant tree

sharpened end

falls straight into mud

management considerations to plant adaptations

species flood tolerance

genetic variability

some species may require beds or mounds

green tree reservoirs may require drought yews

fertilization (particularly P)

large or containerized planting stock

green tree resevior

levee around bottomland sites

allow to flood in winter

can create beaver pond

fire

some species require this for regeneration or must be adapted to this for survival

cross sectional area of a tree

0.005454(DBH)²

trees per acre

Basal area/ cross sectional area

basin

broadest scale of hydrology

watershed level

4, 5, 6th order streams typically

even 0 order/ ephemeral streams

sinuoisity

based on how wide and long the stream is

measures meandering

ratio of measnder distance and straight line distance

larger meander

lower energy

greater distance for same change in elavation

hydrology affects

elevation/gradients

topography

soils

vegetation

wildlife

transformation

imports and exports

fluvial geomorphology

watersheds

floodplains

stream reach

stream habitat

stream microhabitat

factors that influence stream geomorphology

climate

geology

organisms

relief

time

humans

human influence of geomorphology

land use

manipulation of vegetation

channelization/dams

greater hill

faster gradient

stream reach

pools

riffles

thalweg

erosion

depositing

river continuum concept (headwater vs lower reach)

water velocity

bedload

carbon input and size class

macroinvertebrate population

fish communities

river quality rating 4-10

poor water quality

river quality rating 11-18

mid to good water quality

river quality rating 19-30

good to excellent water quality

top urban pollutants

hot water (removes O2)

oil

fertilizer

construction sediment

reasons why water quality increases as Strouble’s Creek flows away from the Duck Pond

the water is shaded

riparian buffers are present

rocky bottom increases turbulence (increases O2)

larger watershed allows cooler ground water to enter creek

Bioindicies

fish

macroinvertebrates

algae

salamanders

aquatic vegetation

canary in coal mine

why use bioindicies?

they have a range of sensitivity

they are cheaper and faster than lab sampling

they are in our foodchain

perennial streams

doesn’t flow all the time, but at least 90% of the year

solid blue line

intermittent stream

flows during wet times of year

dashed line

ephemeral stream

only flows immediately after rainfall

stream order

two first order streams make a second order when they connect

two second order streams make a third order when they connect

ect…

bedloads

can be measured from pebble count

sediments traveling along the stream bed

dendritic river

rectangular (trellis)

braided

anastomosis (deranged)

karst (sinkhole)

annular (radial)

stream channel classification system

evaluate relative stream health

evaluate recovery potential

rank areas for restoration potential

recommend stream improvements

use geomorphology characteristics to predict water yeild

development’s impact on stream shape

stream gets deeper and wider

Rosgen classification system

looks at stream stability

channel type: single or multiple

entrenchment ratio: floodplain/channel width

sinuosity

stream slope

bed material

Rosgen system type A

many mountain and Piedmont intermittents

4-10% slope

steep

entrenched

confined

Rosgen system type B

Mountain large intermittents, small perennials

2-4% slope

moderately entrenched

relatively stable

Rosgen system type C

Many riparian areas

less than 2% slope

slightly entrenched

meandering with well developed floodplain

stable

Rosgen system type D

multiple channel

less than 4% slope

typically does not have bedrock or boulder bed load

maybe deltaic

Rosgen system type E

Marsh streams

less than 2% slope

low width/depth ratio

Why are soils important?

support vegetation/water/support/air

store groundwater

store carbon

habitat

food/fiber

construction

mining

why is hydrology important?

supply of water for habitat and us

shapes landscapes/soils

soil water

nutrient cycles/pollution

energy supply

recreation

components of hydrology

water quantity

water quality

biological

why are forests important?

influence air

influence water quality

source of shade

carbon storage

habitat

timber

recreation

climate control

soil stability

food/fiber/medicine

primary source of pollution in stroubles

non-point source pollution

Rosgen system type F

degraded C/failing C

less than 2% slope

entrenched

boulder and bedrock systems are stable

sand and gravel channels are deeply incised

high bank erosion rates

primary source of pollution in stroubles

non-point source pollution

water chemistry

toxins

salts

nutrients/chemicals

sediments

physiography

drainage patterns

sheet flow

subsurface flow

vegetation feedback

peat building

sediment trapping

nutrient retention

water shading

transpiration

effects on channel morphology

Rosgen system type G

2-4% slope

deeply entrenched

often failing system or erosion gully

major effects of hydrology on wetlands

species composition and diversity

primary productivity

organic accumulation and exports

nutrient cycling

hydrology effects on wetland species and diversity

flooding water tolerant species

flooding reduces diversity

flooding increases number or rare species

highest net primary productivity is neither wettest or driest sites

flooding may result in an abbreviated successional pattern

flooding favors large trees over sapplings

pebble counts

choose representative riffle

count and size class 100 pebbles

use to evaluate stream energy, sedimentation, habitat relative to other streams in area

size of material can be used to evaluate habitat

bigger grain size in river

higher energy

hydrology modifies:

substrate (soil)

vegetation

flowing water

favors export

microfauna access

increased nutrients

aerobic and anaerobic populations

increased leaching

drainage

round ditches

agriculture

fire control by altering hydrology

for silviculture

causes of net primary productivity patterns

nutrient inputs

oxygen replenishment

toxin removals

species adapted to consistent environment

pulses

favor decomposition

stillwater

favors accumulation

limits production

why do society and landowners often disagree regarding management

what is profitable for society may not be best for landowner

landowners need economic return on land

Wetland policies usually target these

exploitation (swamplands act)

conservation (permits)

preservation (refuges)

(Siegal and Haines, Downing et al.)

rivers and harbors act of 1899

made navigable waters authority of COE

prohibited discharge into water

shovel logging and structures in LA

federal water pollution control act of 1948

first federal legislation to protect water quality

lacked funding and water quality standards

skidders

common for harvesting

pulls wood

how to measure site recovery

wildlife population

nutrient transportation

succession

soil compaction

vegetation controls

mechanical

fire

chemical

national environmental policy act of 1969

required environmental impacts statements

federal water pollution control act of 1972 (clean water act)

first federal program designed to improve water quality

permits for point source pollution

“restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of water”

was reinterpreted to include waters connected to navigable waters

Thorton vs US

animal crossing state lines are interstate commerce

overturned

federal water pollution control act 1972 (1977 amendment)

wetlands are included

federal water pollution control act of 1972 (1987 amendment)

addressed non point source pollution

section 208

required states manage non point source pollution

silvicultural activities must be addresses

made BMP’s

flowing water

favors export

microfauna access

increased nutrients

aerobic and anaerobic populations

increased leaching

silvicultural manipulations of water

drainage

irrigation

species

harvest

site preparation

vegetative controls

litter layers

SMZ’s

BMP’s

Bailey vs US and Swanson vs US

artificial created wetlands are also subject to COE jurisdiction

Avoyelles sportsmen’s league vs Marsh

bottomland hardwoods are wetlands

3 criteria for wetlands

Bayou Marcus vs US

must show evidence of on-going operations and planning