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Spatial Distribution of Small Water Body Types in Indiana Ecoregions
Citation:
Christensen, J., M. Nash, D. Chaloud, AND A. Pitchford. Spatial Distribution of Small Water Body Types in Indiana Ecoregions. Presented at Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Portland, OR, May 18 - 23, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
Slide Presentation for Joint Aquatic Sciences
Description:
Due to their large numbers and biogeochemical activity, small water bodies (SWBs), such as ponds and wetlands, can have substantial cumulative effects on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes. Using updated National Wetland Inventory data, we describe the spatial distribution of SWBs types among various ecoregions and dominant land uses within the state of Indiana. Of 204,322 total SWBs, 75% contain a permanent water feature and 80% of those SWBs are classified as excavated or impounded ponds. Seventy-one percent of SWBs are located in agricultural watersheds, while 25% and 4% are located in forested and urban watersheds, respectively. Across ecoregions, only 11.8 to 22.8% of SWBs are located within 30 m of stream/river networks. Density-log area plots show maximum SWB size at 0.10 ha in the southern forested region, while northern agricultural areas have lower densities that peak at 0.17-0.29 ha in size. All ecoregions show declines in number of SWBs below 0.10 ha despite a detection limit of 0.04 ha. The analysis of these SWB distributions is the first step in understanding cumulative SWB influences on various processes in agricultural settings.