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Abundance and Distribution of Geographically Isolated Wetlands across the Conterminous United States
Citation:
Lane, C., A. Hall, E. D'Amico, N. Sangwan, AND V. Merwade. Abundance and Distribution of Geographically Isolated Wetlands across the Conterminous United States. INTECOL, Changshu, CHINA, September 18 - 24, 2016.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation at INTECOL International Wetlands Conference (Changshu, China; Sept. 2016)
Description:
Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWS) are important landscape elements involved in hydrologic, biogeochemical, and biological functioning. Their influence, under certain circumstances, can significantly affect other waters of the Unites States. However, there have been no data-based estimates of the abundance of GIWs at national scales in the US, frustrating efforts to properly manage the resource. We applied a distance-based floodplain and riparian zone proxy to existing data layers from the National Hydrography Dataset (1:24,000k) and applied a geospatial buffering process to National Wetlands Inventory data to quantify the abundance of connected wetlands at significant and relevant scales. Our analyses suggest GIWs are prevalent throughout the conterminous United States, with exceptional densities in portions of the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains, the Prairie Pothole Region of the Upper Midwest, and significant densities elsewhere. Indeed, over 65,000 km2 of GIWs may exist. We provide further analyses of the types, distributions, and regional extent of these systems. Lastly, we also explore additional connectivity measures associated with adjacency and relative geographic isolation to floodplains and other elements of the hydrologic landscape.