Wetlands: Importance of Data Collection and Geographic Information Systems

GIS can significantly increase results and reduce costs by providing a means for the collection, visualization, analysis and manipulation of geospatial data to create powerful maps. GIS is a powerful tool for educating decision makers and the public.Visualizing information about water depth, soil type, amount of sunlight, distance from inflows or outflows, position in relation to other bodies of water, boundaries, city zoning regulations, underground pipes and more helps:• Identify where wetlands could be beneficial for specific purposes such as reducing nitrates.• Estimate the cost of establishing and maintaining wetlands.• Choose what to plant and where within wetlands including grasses, shrubs, and trees.• Decide where wetlands could best help with wildlife restoration projects.• Develope wetland maintenance plans to deter invasive species and prevent errosion and fill in.• Evaluate the health and effectiveness of wetlands.

Using GIS to Make Decisions

Steps for Collecting Data Using Quadrats

Wetlands Are VitalWetlands are areas where “the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is covered by shallow water”(1) and are split into two major categories – tidal wetlands and non-tidal wetlands. Tidal wetlands lie on coasts and are often part of estuaries where freshwater from rivers meets saline sea water. Non-tidal wetlands are exclusively freshwater and often exist in floodplains, swamps, and isolated depressions.Even though some do not see the ecological beauty of wetlands, but view them as big water puddles that need to be drained, the advantages of wetlands far outweigh the disadvantages. Wetlands are vital because they:• Are necessary for migration and life cycles for over a third of bird species in the United States (2).

• Provide habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals, some of which, like the whooping crane, fatmucket mussel, and red wolf, are endangered (2).

• Absorb major amounts of flood water, which slows erosion and reduces the impact of floods.• Recharge aquifers(1)

• Absorb nutrients from agricultural and suburban runoff that degrade water quality as a result of a variety of microorganisms and flora that live there(1).

• Can reduce mosquito populations, depending on the biodiversity of wetland, by providing a habitat for frogs, fish, birds, bats and other mosquito predators.

1.Mitsch, William J., and James G. Gosselink. Wetlands. 2nd ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1993. Print.

2.USDA. "Living in Harmony with Wetlands - Plant Life, Wildlife, and Endangered Species." Natural Resources Conservation

Service. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 20 July 2016.

Donald Gee, Intern in the Wetlands Research Lab of Dr. William Crumpton, Ecology Evolution and Organismal Biology Department

Basic equipment needed to collect vegetation, aquatic life, and other types of data about wetlands includes a GPS, Quadrat, measuring pole, and safety measures. The general steps for data collection are:1: Have a plan that defines objectives, what data needs to be collected, how and why.2: Carefully paddle or wade into the wetland with needed safety equipment and a team member.3: Place the end of meter pole gently on the bottom of the wetland and record the depth within the data sheet in the GPS4: Mark the location with the GPS.5: Center the quadrat over the meter stick so the quadrat sits on the water surface.6: Only looking within the quadrat, observe carefully to correctly identify the data that needs to be collected then record the designated information with the GPS.7: Double check your data and measurements then move the designated distance and repeat the procedure.8: Upload GPS Data and incorporate into a GIS software.9: Analyze data.10: Make decisions, evaluate results and improve the procedure.

Young Engineers and Scientists CBiRC, July 2016

Data about wetlands is mainly needed by scientists for research, wildlife managers for conservation, and policy makers for decisions. There is also a significant need for up-to-date information because many processes in wetlands are not well understood and wetlands can change rapidly as they are affected by: inflows and outflows that vary depending on many different hydrology factors(1);Evaporation of water from wetlands; Temperature of the surrounding area. People onsite collecting data is essential due to the dynamic nature of wetlands. Typical data collected includes flow measurements, water samples, soil samples, depth measurements, amount of vegetation per unit area, aquatic life, photos and more. Equipment can also be set up to automatically record data and transmit it remotely. Satellite images and aerial photos are also important sources of information.

Need for Data About WetlandsSource: CREP Wetland, ISU 2015

Quadrat and GPS

Taking data in the field

Importance of Accurate DataResearch can have major impacts on society by influencing policy, management practices, and public opinion. For example, because of research, wetlands are now being restored on a larger scale to improve water quality especially in agricultural areas. Wetlands need to be effectively monitored in order to evaluate their performance.It is vital that data be as accurate as possible because of the consequences of bad information. There are many sources for the introduction of error into data collection and analysis, especially in wetlands, because of their ephemeral characteristics. Common sources of error while gathering data about wetlands include: • Measurement error. For example, tools being unable to accurately measure minute, but important, changes in concentrations of pollutants.• Limited number of wetlands studied and number of trials. Because of limited resources, some wetlands are studied and others are not but the

variability between wetlands can be significant. What is effective at one wetland may not work at another.• Data aggregation from sources with different standards. When data from multiple sources is combined, errors can be introduced and compounded.

For example, as wetlands are constructed contractors typically are required to provide an “As-Built” survey that includes specific depths of the wetland in relation to the full pool of water. However, sometimes the data in these surveys does not align with data taken by researchers.

Geographic Information Systems MapThis GIS map (left) overlain on color infrared aerial photography, displays quadrat data points concerning percent cover for several species and wetland depth data from the contractor’s survey. The map also shows the change in the border of the wetland from the contractor’s “As-Built Surface Area” data (date-unspecified) to the “Delineated Surface Area” extracted from the aerial photography in 2013. The difference between the two borders suggests change in shape due to erosion or data collection errors.

In the graph above, data was collected using quadrats to determine the percent cover of the invasive species PhalarisArundinacea (Reed Canary Grass) then uploaded to GIS and incorporated into the map (left). The percent cover was then plotted vs depth in an attempt to determine how deep this invasive species needs to be underwater so it won’t grow.

Thank You: CBiRC for making this possible; Ms. Jennifer Lillo for the helpful conversations; Dr. Adah Leshem for administering internships; Dr. Crumpton for allowing me to be an intern; Jana Stenback for

her advice and help; Sam McDeid and David Green for the daily conversations and helping learn GIS; and Jacob Eelings, Blake, Hannah Hogland and Casey Judge for taking me into the field.