Presentation Abstracts from the 2026 Annual Meeting
Steve
Anderson
Quantifying Flood Storage in Urban Floodplain Wetlands
Flooding poses a significant risk to agricultural lands, forests, residential areas, infrastructure, and dams across North Carolina. Although interest in enhancing flood storage capacity is increasing, limited information exists on the floodwater storage potential of natural floodplain wetlands in the state. This study seeks to address that gap by analyzing five naturally flooded wetlands along Walnut Creek in Raleigh, NC—an urban watershed where flood mitigation is especially critical. We used two years of in situ water level data, digital elevation models (DEMs), and land based bathymetric surveys to quantify flood storage volume, inundation extent, and flood attenuation during overbank events. The five wetlands exhibited multiple distinct hydrologic responses, influenced by factors such as wetland size, depth, proximity to the creek, and position within the watershed. Notably, multiple wetland sites displayed a unique floodwater retention pattern, with surface water levels returning to pre storm conditions over timescales ranging from several hours to several days. These findings will inform estimates of cumulative flood storage capacity along Walnut Creek and support statewide efforts to develop decision support tools and planning frameworks aimed at enhancing flood resilience across North Carolina’s river basins.
Héctor Aponte
Sustainable Management of Pistia stratiotes Biomass for Carbon Capture and Resource Use: A Case in a South American Coastal Wetland
Invasive plant species are often perceived as major ecological challenges in wetland ecosystems. This study examines a case from the South American coast (Santa Rosa wetland, Lima, Peru), where the rapid and seemingly irreversible expansion of Pistia stratiotes prompted an evaluation of its ecological role and potential sustainable uses. The research aimed to: (a) quantify the species’ contribution to carbon sequestration, and (b) propose a management strategy that enables long-term utilization of its biomass. To
accomplish this, we conducted spatial mapping and biomass modeling across the invaded wetland area, followed by a seasonal assessment of its population dynamics. The case study revealed a standing biomass of approximately 37,000 tons, corresponding to an estimated carbon capture of 1,075 tons. Complementary to these findings, a pilot trial assessing the feasibility of using harvested biomass for compost production demonstrated that up to four extraction cycles per year are viable, generating a nutrient-rich compost suitable for local agricultural or restoration applications. These results highlight that, although Pistia stratiotes represents an invasive presence, its biomass can be transformed into a valuable resource when approached through an ecological and circular-economy lens. Disseminating this evidence to decision makers is crucial to promote informed, sustainable management practices.
Adela Zamora; Kaory Tinoco; Martín Muñoz
Mike Archer
Is the Marsh Keeping Up with Sea Level Rise? Marsh Elevation and Accretion Trends from 2012-2025 at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Coastal marshes provide essential ecological functions, but they are susceptible to a variety of stressors. Sea level rise (SLR) threatens coastal marshes as total marsh extent will decrease if marshes are unable to maintain elevation with the rate of SLR. Since 2012, Surface Elevation Tables and marker horizon plots have been used to measure marsh elevation and accretion, respectively, at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GNDNERR). Measurements have been taken quarterly (2012 – 2016) and biannually (2017 – present) at five sites along a coastal transition transect extending from open water to upland slash pine (Pinus elliottii) forests. Elevation change rates ranged from 1.46 mm/year (95% CI: 0.26 – 2.66) to 6.34 mm/ year (95% CI: 4.14 – 8.53). Accretion rates ranged from 0.99 mm/year (95% CI: 0.59 – 1.39) to 3.79 mm/year (95% CI: 0.57 – 7.01). The highest elevation change and accretion rates were seen at the two southernmost, low elevation marsh sites. Elevation change rates were lowest at a high elevation marsh site and accretion rates were lowest at a mid-elevation marsh site. Only the two southernmost, low elevation sites have elevation change
rates greater than the long-term SLR rate (4.35 mm/ year; 95% CI: 3.83 – 4.87), while all sites are below the 19-year SLR rate (9.31 mm/year; 95% CI: 6.96 –11.66). The Grand Bay estuary is a retrograding delta with no major freshwater inflow and limited sediment delivery possibly hindering the ability of higher elevation marshes at GNDNERR to keep pace with the future rate of SLR. Facilitating marsh migration through prescribed fire could preserve total marsh extent; however, quantification of baseline marsh migration rates, ideally with and without fire restoration, needs to be conducted to optimize conservation efforts.
Jonathan Pitchford, jonathan.pitchford@dmr.ms.gov, Stewardship Coordinator, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center
Lance Ardoin
White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area History, Overview, & Management
Located in Western Vermilion Parish, along the northern edge of the Louisiana Chenier Plain, lies a 71,905 acre property owned and managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (Department) called the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WLWCA). WLWCA primarily consists of both managed freshwater marsh impoundments, and unmanaged freshwater marsh habitats. The property was not always owned by the State of Louisiana, historically the WLWCA was owned and managed by several oil and gas companies, including Standard Oil, AMOCO, and British Petroleum. The primary goal was oil and gas exploration, however the value of the natural resources available was recognized, and in response, conservation efforts were implemented. In 2002, British Petroleum (BP) and the State of Louisiana executed an agreement that incorporated the donation of the surface rights, with stipulations put in place to continue conservation efforts and preserve the natural resources on the property. Considered one of the most important waterfowl wintering areas in coastal Louisiana, there was an emphasis to focus management efforts on creating habitat suitable for wintering waterfowl, which opportunistically provides suitable habitat for other freshwater marsh species, such as the endangered Whooping crane. Since acquiring the
WLWCA, the Department has established a set of goals and objectives, primarily focusing on the conservation and management of the freshwater wetland habitats, the species associated with these habitats, controlled public use of the property, and the continued presence of agriculture when feasible and compatible with waterfowl management. Each year, the Department works to meet these goals through the implementation of various habitat management activities, projects, public outreach, and revenue generating practices. There are several challenges that staff at WLWCA must navigate to meet management goals within the wetland impoundments, including dilapidated levee infrastructure caused by erosion, exposed and neglected oil and gas infrastructure, and negative elevations caused by subsidence. Throughout the years, partnerships have been developed in an effort to address these challenges, and more recently, new partnerships are underway so that solutions can be discussed and projects implemented. These joint efforts are all carried out so that the successful management and conservation practices can be continued at WLWCA for generations to come.
Paige Arsenault
Conservation on Working Lands: Implications for Seasonal Wetlands
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) contains millions of depressional wetlands and supports one of the most productive breeding populations of waterfowl in North America. These wetlands and their surrounding uplands provide essential nesting habitat and invertebraterich foraging areas for hens and broods. However, agricultural intensification on lands adjacent to wetlands can alter nutrient dynamics, degrade water quality, and reduce habitat suitability for waterfowl and other wildlife. To address these challenges, Ducks Unlimited implemented the Cover Crop and Livestock Integration Project (CCLIP) in North Dakota, a working-lands initiative designed to promote regenerative practices such as cover cropping and integrated livestock grazing. CCLIP aims to enhance producer sustainability while improving wetland function and waterfowl habitat. We evaluated the influence of CCLIP on seasonal wetland productivity by comparing wetlands embedded within CCLIP-enrolled fields (n = 38) to those in
conventionally managed fields without cover crops (n = 13). From April through July of 2024 and 2025, we quantified water quality (nitrogen and phosphorus), aquatic macroinvertebrate communities, and waterfowl pair and brood use. Ecological responses exhibited limited differences between land-use types, which may reflect environmental variability or flexibility in CCLIP implementation. These findings provide an assessment of regenerative agriculture within the PPR and will inform future refinement of regenerative agriculture programs.
CATRINA V. TERRY, Ducks Unlimited, Bismarck, ND, 58503, MACAYLA GREIDER, Ducks Unlimited, Bismarck, ND, 58503, KYLE J. KUECHLE, Ducks Unlimited, Bismarck, ND, 58503, KYLE I. MCLEAN, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND, 58401,DAVID P. COULTER, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, MARK A. KAEMINGK, Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, 58202
Risa Askerooth
Stream Daylighting and Changing Hydrology in a Pacific Northwest Wetland Mitigation Site
Stream daylighting is the practice of uncovering streams that have been buried in order to restore hydrologic function. These actions have significant impacts on flood mitigation and water quality improvements for surrounding areas, although long-term effects on surrounding hydrology in urban environments are less well-studied. We examined how wetland hydrology in the Des Moines Nursery Mitigation Site in SeaTac, WA, owned by the Port of Seattle, may have changed due to the adjacent daylighting of Miller Creek and precipitation over time. This stream restoration project, spurred by the failure of a nearby culvert in 2017, involved removing a fish passage barrier, constructing 1.4 acres of floodplain, and relocating a piped stream segment to restore 450 ft of open channel, a portion of which occurred within an existing Port stream and wetland mitigation site. Hydrologic modeling to support design prior to stream restoration concluded that riparian wetland function would not be affected. We analyzed baseline and post-construction data to validate this assumption, including assessment of wetland
hydroperiods from shallow groundwater monitoring wells, qualitative vegetation analysis, and wetland area and rating change. There were changes in baseline condition that indicated the effect of drier summers on streamflow, given observations showing ephemeral stream conditions in Summer 2025. Less than a year after construction completion, preliminary data indicated no significant changes in wetland hydrographs following channel watering, although precipitation declines since the construction of the mitigation site in 2010 may lead to hydrologic changes over a longer period. We also plan to use GIS modeling of hydrology data to show how current depth to groundwater conditions within the site compare to modeled results. Stream daylighting projects such as this one, with access to historical groundwater and vegetation data, provide valuable insights into how wetland succession may be impacted both by stream restoration and altered precipitation regimes in an urban environment.
Diane Hennessey,
Chipper Maney
Dissolved Oxygen May Limit the Suitability of Tidal Salt Marsh as Fish Habitat
Salt marshes of the northern Gulf of Mexico provide a range of ecosystem services, including supporting some of the nation's most productive fisheries. Many species appear to be restricted to the outer few meters of the vegetated marsh even when large areas are flooded for extended periods. We hypothesized that low dissolved oxygen (DO), driven by high rates of respiration, may limit more extensive use of the flooded marsh surface by fishery species. DO may limit the suitability of flooded marsh habitat either directly, by regularly falling to levels that are stressful for fish, shrimp, and crabs, or indirectly, by periodically reaching levels that prevent the persistence of benthic infauna that are important prey for many of these species. To evaluate this, we logged DO at 5 cm above the substrate along transects at 10, 5, and 1 m into open water adjacent to the marsh edge, and at 1, 5, and 10 m into the flooded marsh, for 48+ hour periods at ten sites in Mississippi Sound, AL. We also collected cores at each logging location to quantify benthic infaunal community composition, abundance, and biomass. DO levels 10 and 5 m into the flooded marsh regularly dropped to
Ronald Baker
stressful levels (<4 mg/L), often becoming hypoxic (<2 mg/L) for periods of several hours. Benthic cores showed some evidence of reduced infaunal density at low-DO sites. Future work incorporating DO logging, benthic cores, and nekton sampling will identify relationships of infauna and nekton to DO in the flooded marsh, however the DO data alone indicate that much of the flooded marsh is a physiologically stressful environment for many aquatic species. Increasing temperatures and nutrient loads in our coastal waters will further exacerbate poor DO conditions in this essential fish habitat.
Andrew Clark, William Ellis, Alexandra Rodriguez
Battaglia
Bird Diversity in The Gambia Mangrove Ecosystems
Mangrove forests are globally recognized as critically important to maintaining biodiversity and mitigating impacts of climate change in times of uncertainty. The BLUEMap (Biodiversity, Livelihood, Understanding, Ecosystems) project aims to establish critical baseline information on the biodiversity, ecosystem services, and carbon dynamics of The Gambia's extensive mangrove forests. We assessed acoustic diversity using passive acoustic monitoring. We used a combination of Audio Event Detection analysis and Cluster Analysis to filter recordings to down to those with animal sounds. We found significant differences in acoustic richness between disturbed and pristine sites. Recordings containing bird sounds were run through two types of machine learning models to determine their efficacy in species identification. Current commonly used machinelearning programs were able to correctly identify only a few bird species detected in the recordings. The remainder of sounds were identified by researchers with knowledge of bird vocalizations from the region and validated using curated recordings. We developed training datasets for commonly encountered species in the mangrove sites in order to train machine-learning programs to correctly identify common bird species in mangroves. We also developed workflows and protocols for field work, and data analysis.
The ultimate goal of this work is to provide local communities with effective tools to collect biodiversity data in mangroves and to contribute to the knowledge
base of this important ecosystem. Commonly used machine-earning programs were able to correctly identify only a few bird species detected in the recordings. The remainder of sounds were identified by researchers with knowledge of bird vocalizations from the region and validated using curated recordings. We developed training datasets for commonly encountered species in the mangrove sites in order to train machinelearning programs to correctly identify common bird species in mangroves. We also developed workflows and protocols for field work, and data analysis. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide local communities with effective tools to collect biodiversity data in mangroves and to contribute to the knowledge base of this important ecosystem.
Alison Styring, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington, USA, Maiyai Hocheimy, maiyai@ greatinstitute.org, Director of the GREAT Institute, Banjul, The Gambia, Kam Tang, Chair Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, Emily Letner, M.S. Student, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Jacob Berkowitz
Wetland Delineation in Micronesia: Successful Application of Established Procedures in the Pacific Basin
Wetlands in Yap, a remote Pacific Island in the Federated States of Micronesia, were successfully delineated in support of a large airfield expansion project. To our knowledge, this was the first application of standard United States wetland delineation protocols outside of US territories in the Pacific Basin. Results indicate the wetland delineation procedures proved effective in Micronesia, and can likely be accurately applied throughout the region. The presentation will highlight the unique wetland plants, soils, and hydrology of Yap Island and introduce potential mitigation measures being considered as part of the airfield project. The testing and expansion of other existing wetland delineation and assessment procedures is recommended in other regions to enhance global wetland management.
Krystyna Powell
Loretta
Jacob Berkowitz
Improving Soil Carbon Stock Estimates in Forested Wetlands: A Field and Analytical Framework from Massachusetts
Forested wetlands in Massachusetts represent significant but highly variable soil organic carbon (SOC) reservoirs, yet differences in sampling design and stock calculations limit cross-site comparability and regional carbon accounting. We present a standardized field and analytical framework for quantifying SOC stocks in temperate forested floodplain wetlands. Soil profiles were established along upland–wetland transitions within floodplain systems to capture hydrologic and depositional gradients. At each plot, intact soil cores were collected upto 60 cm depth using fixed-volume coring devices, with concurrent bulk density samples obtained using known-volume cores to preserve structure. Samples were oven-dried, sieved (<2 mm), and finely milled prior to total organic carbon analysis by elemental combustion. Soil carbon stocks were calculated by integrating SOC concentration, bulk density, coarse fragment correction, and horizon thickness across depth increments.
Stratigraphic observation, including changes in soil color, texture, and organic horizon development, were incorporated to interpret depositional history and guide depth integration. Preliminary results indicate substantial spatial variability in SOC stocks associated with microtopography, flood frequency, and sediment inputs, underscoring the importance of hydrologically informed sampling design. Deeper mineral horizons contributed meaningfully to total stocks, reinforcing the need to extend measurements beyond surface, i.e., <30 cm horizons.
This methodological framework improves consistency in SOC stock estimation for forested wetlands and provides a replicable protocol to support regional carbon inventories, restoration planning, and emerging wetland carbon accounting initiatives.
Samantha Downs, Mirriam Gammerman, Jennifer Watts
Jacob
Berkowitz
Rights of Wetlands: The People-Wetlands Relationship Transformed
Nature conservation is a normative and multicultural endeavour, with the goals and objectives evolving alongside changing views, and expressed in different ways across cultures and time. Worldviews that privilege materialistic and anthropocentric values of nature over other non-material dimensions of the human-nature relationship, and seek a dichotomy between humans and nature, have been spotlighted as a major barrier to the success of conservation. The Convention on Wetlands posited the wise use concept as a central tenet of wetland management, recognising human-nature connectedness. Defined as “the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development,” wetland wise use promotes an ethic that situates wetlands within the wider development context for the benefit of people and nature. The Rights of Wetlands, by positing rights as inherent and to be guaranteed ‘irrespective of the human needs,’ could be seen as at odds with humannature connectedness, and potentially also seen as a return to past narrower views of nature conservation. Having an inclusive conceptualisation of wetlands which recognises i) that humans derive essential benefits from wetlands in their natural and altered states; ii) human embeddedness in the trajectory and evolution of wetlands interactions within the description of the natural and evolving regime of wetlands, and iii) the role of human agency in effecting these rights by promoting ecosystem stewardship and the plural values people hold for wetlands can enables the Rights of Wetlands to coexist within the wise use toolkit, as a nature’s rights-based approach for furthering wise use.
Max Finlayson
Jacob Berkowitz
Reconciling National Vegetation Mapping Products with Wetland Delineation Data to Improve Plant Community Characterization
As human land use and infrastructure continue to alter terrestrial and aquatic systems, there is increased importance placed on efficient, defensible approaches to assessing wetlands, vegetation communities, and associated habitats at the landscape scale. Using recent project examples, this presentation highlights applied methods that integrate field collected wetland delineation data with existing geospatial datasets, such as LANDFIRE vegetation products, to map vegetation communities and wetland habitats across a highly managed floodplain landscape.
The presentation will summarize key plant community and habitat characterization findings and promote discussion on how these integrated mapping approaches can support regulatory permitting, inform evaluations of potential effects to wetlands and threatened or endangered species, and improve interpretation of vegetation patterns under ongoing land use pressures and changing hydrologic regimes. By linking on the ground wetland science with remote sensing and geospatial analysis, this work illustrates a practical approach for translating field observations into defensible vegetation and habitat interpretations relevant to wetland science, policy, and people.
Morgan Bettcher
Soil Moisture in Seasonally Drying Depressional Wetlands Varies Independently of Vegetation Community and Structure
Vegetation in southeastern depressional wetlands drives several ecosystem functions, including habitat and water availability. Woody plants may utilize soil water less efficiently and at greater depths than herbaceous cover, and so higher proportions of shrubs and trees in a wetland may reduce overall water availability. We surveyed the vegetation communities of the ecotones of six depressional wetlands and compared community composition and structural characteristics. We measured water levels and conducted repeated electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveys of vegetation transects to infer soil moisture changes through drydown during spring 2023. Plant species assemblages of individual wetlands were well differentiated through
non-parametric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), suggesting distinct communities were present in most wetlands. Structural characteristics like canopy, woody plant, and herbaceous cover differed between wetlands, with greater proportion of woody shrub and tree cover in some wetlands. These vegetation structural characteristic differences were not well correlated with the variation in apparent conductivity (ECa) from EMI surveys except for a small increase in deep soil moisture variability that was associated with tall shrub cover.
Lori
A. Sutter, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Daniel Markewitz, University of Georgia
Wes Bickford
Multi-Year Cut-to-Drown Management Can Control Phragmites Populations in High Water
The cosmopolitan invasive, Phragmites australis, is a significant management challenge across North America. Its unique ventilation physiology, which allows Phragmites to thrive in high or low water environments, coupled with its ability to store carbohydrate resources in rhizomes make it particularly challenging to manage. In the Great Lakes coastal zone, the distribution and abundance of Phragmites have expanded over the past several decades as it takes advantage of fluctuations in lake levels, expanding in low-water years and persisting in high-water years. An increasingly popular management strategy, known as cut-to-drown, takes advantage of elevated water levels to effectively control Phragmites by cutting stems underwater, thereby drowning the plant. Despite its common usage, best management practices have not been established experimentally. We tested the impacts of cut timing and frequency on the effectiveness of the cut-to-drown strategy through a multi-year manipulative field study.
After two seasons of treatments, we saw a 92–99% reduction in stem density, depending on when cuts were made. Rhizome carbohydrate reserves dropped by 75–92%, and rhizome viability decreased by 73–100%. Cutting every 2–3 weeks across both growing seasons was the most effective strategy, but our results suggest that less frequent cutting could still achieve substantial control. Our findings suggest that a crucial component of cut-to-drown is depleting stored carbohydrates
reserves by forcing the plant to expend resources to new stem formation and removing them before they can store the products of photosynthesis, offering practical guidance for managers working with cut to drown. As lake level fluctuations and sea level rise impact coastal wetlands across North America, this strategy may be an increasingly valuable tool for reducing Phragmites’ persistence in high water environments.
Kaira E. Schaeffer, University of Michigan Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Spenser L. Widin, USGS Great Lakes Science Center,Kurt P. Kowalski, USGS Great Lakes Science Center
Scott Binger
Biotic Indicators of Healthy Carolina Bay Wetlands
Geographically isolated wetlands serve as valuable habitats for many wetland species, contributing to landscape biodiversity. Carolina Bays are depression wetlands, often isolated and ephemeral, found extensively throughout the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Many of these wetlands lack legal protection in the United States and have historically faced extensive disturbance, such as drainage and fire suppression. Few studies have assessed the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the biota of Carolina Bays; even fewer have done so on a large spatial scale. The need for data on anthropogenic impacts on Carolina Bays and associated biota underscores the need to meet conservation needs in the near future; tools are also needed to assess the quality of Carolina Bays. Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) are such tools, using data on the taxonomic groups most responsive to disturbance to determine the biological state of sites. Our goal is to develop IBIs that can be used to assess Carolina Bays throughout South Carolina. To achieve this goal, we are quantifying the response of Carolina Bay biotic communities (including anuran, bird, macroinvertebrate, and plant taxa) to a range of abiotic characteristics, including hydrological disturbance, land cover distribution, and habitat connectivity at 35 sites throughout 11 counties in the South Carolina Coastal Plain during 2025. We are using linear mixed models to evaluate the response of a suite of community composition metrics for each taxonomic group to a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance, including distance to anthropogenic features and Land Development Index
(LDI) scores surrounding each wetland. Preliminary results suggest a positive response of avian species richness and a potential negative or null response of anuran species richness to our disturbance gradient. The most responsive bird species to disturbance include white-eyed vireos (Vireo griseus, positive), Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis, positive), and eastern towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus, negative). The most responsive frog species to disturbance include the pine woods tree frog (Dryophytes femoralis, negative) and the southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus, negative). Further analysis will incorporate broader community characteristics and account for more sitelevel effects. Our work contributes to a growing body of understanding of the impacts humans have on wetlands.
James T. Anderson, jta6@clemson.edu, Director and Professor, Baruch Institute of Coastal, Estuarine, and Forest Science, Clemson University
Katie Bowes
Roadblocks to Restoration: Proposing New Special Protection Areas in Orange County, FL
Orange County’s Environmental Protection Division has completed significant efforts since 2021 to update their wetland protection ordinance, streamline wetland permitting processes, and instill greater development protections for the most vulnerable ecosystems. Through this effort, intensive multi-year data collection and stakeholder engagement revealed two basins in Orange County in need of additional environmental regulations – the Shingle Creek and St. Johns River Basins. Two basin-wide environmental studies were conducted to inventory and forecast the condition of basin hydrology, wetlands, rare upland habitats, wildlife support, and more, in the face of future planned developments and climate change. A series of new science-based policies were developed; however, recent legislative changes, legal challenges, jurisdictional matters, and other roadblocks have postponed the adoption of these proposed Special Protection Areas (SPAs). In this presentation, we relay the project history, policy formation process, and how the current roadblocks are being addressed prior to future adoption of the proposed SPAs.
Alan Marshall and Tim Hull, Orange County
Hans Brix
Do Salt Marshes Cool or Warm the Climate? Effects of Grazing, Vegetation, and Hydrology on Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Nordic Coastal Wetlands
Coastal salt marshes are increasingly recognized as nature-based climate solutions because of their high capacity for atmospheric CO2 uptake and long-term carbon storage. However, their net climate impact depends on the balance between CO2 sequestration and methane (CH4) emissions, which can vary with vegetation composition, hydrology, and landuse management. We quantified CO2 and CH4 fluxes throughout the growing season across five plant communities in a temperate salt marsh in the Danish Wadden Sea, including grazed and ungrazed communities dominated by Spartina anglica and Schoenoplectus maritimus, as well as a grazed highmarsh community dominated by Phragmites australis. Greenhouse gas exchange was measured using chamber techniques and combined with measurements of plant biomass and environmental variables. In addition, a mesocosm experiment examined how different water-table levels influence greenhousegas exchange. All plant communities functioned as carbon sinks during the growing season. However, their net climate effects differed markedly due to large differences in CH4 emissions. Spartina- and Schoenoplectus-dominated communities showed strong CO2 uptake and very low CH4 emissions, resulting in a net cooling effect. In contrast, the grazed Phragmites australis community emitted substantially higher CH4 and produced a net warming effect despite remaining a carbon sink. Environmental drivers, particularly air temperature, primarily controlled CO2 exchange, whereas CH4 emissions were strongly linked to plant species. Experimental manipulation further demonstrated that increasing water-table levels enhanced CH4 emissions while reducing photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration. Our findings show that vegetation composition and grazing management strongly influence the greenhouse-gas balance of salt marshes. Incorporating these controls into blue-carbon assessments is essential for evaluating the role of coastal wetlands as integrated climate solutions.
Dan Yang, Asger Burr Jensen, Brian K. Sorrell and Franziska Eller
Zoya Buckmire
Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands –Lessons from a Regional Perspective
For the small islands and coastal nations of the Caribbean, wetlands are especially important. They provide countless ecosystem services and hold deeprooted spiritual and cultural value. In the face of climate change–related threats and other increasing pressures from human activities, the Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands project is supporting government and civil society partners to strengthen the management and monitoring of wetlands across the region. The project aims to addresses the challenges, vulnerabilities, and opportunities identified for these wetlands through improving effective management and supporting the enhancement of national policies and legislation necessary for the long-term protection of wetland ecosystems. This session will present the importance of incorporating the Wise Use Approach, as defined by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands and its technical bodies, into the management of Wetlands of International Importance across the region. Successes and challenges alike of the Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands project will be discussed, as well as future priorities to scale up the wise use of wetlands in the Caribbean and beyond throughout the Americas.
Melesha Gunning-Banhan melesha.gunningbanhan@ iucn.org, Francisco Jimenez francisco.jimenez@iucn.org, Abimbola Haughton abimbola.haughton@iucn.org, Iker Irazabal iker.irazabal@iucn.org Joanne Norville joanne. norville@iucn.org. Affiliation - IUCN-ORMACC, Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands for Climate Change Mitigation and Conservation of their Ecosystem Services project
Sydney Bufkin
Achieving Programmatic BU Placement in Coastal Wetlands Through the Use of Ecological Modeling and Wetland Functional Assessment Metrics
The beneficial use (BU) of dredged sediment is an important strategy for restoring and maintaining coastal wetlands, which are increasingly threatened by sea-level rise, intensifying storms, and development pressures. Sediment placement can support long-term wetland resiliency and ecosystem function, but identifying suitable sites and predicting ecological outcomes remains challenging, particularly in coastal areas where repeated applications may be necessary to sustain desired functions. This work integrates functional assessment metrics relevant to coastal wetlands with predictive ecogeomorphic modeling to guide sediment placement planning and evaluate recovery trajectories. Wetland functional metrics are identified and applied to monitor post-placement recovery and relate ecological function to broader ecosystem services, providing a measurable foundation for linking sediment placement strategies to ecological outcomes. Existing coastal wetland ecogeomorphic models are then adapted to simulate functional metric responses under various environmental and management scenarios to forecast wetland function following sediment placement. Functional metrics will be applied across a chronosequence of BU wetlands, leveraging existing datasets and newly identified sites to examine temporal patterns of recovery, with hindcasting to validate model predictions and identify indicators most sensitive to short- and medium-term functional change. This tool will demonstrate how functional metrics can inform the timing, frequency, and magnitude of future sediment placement events, enabling evidence-based planning to optimize restoration outcomes.
Candice Piercy, USACE ERDC candice.d.piercy@usace. army.mil , Nia Hurst, USACE ERDC nia.r.hurst@usace. army.mil , Thomas Huff, USACE ERDC thomas.p.huff@ usace.army.mil
Mitchell Bundick
Distribution of Calcium in Atlantic White Cedar Swamps: A New Mechanism for Self-Maintenance
Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides, AWC) swamps are valued for carbon sequestration, water quality enhancement, and biodiversity. However, AWC swamps on the Atlantic Coast are becoming increasingly threatened due to anthropogenic activities that shift nutrient dynamics, alter hydrologic regimes, and allow replacement by invasive plant species, ultimately disrupting ecosystem stability. Calcium, the fifth most abundant element in plants, is a metallic secondary nutrient critical to cell walls, playing a structural role in plant tissues. Calcium reinforces plant cell walls, improving resistance to salinity and structural stability, and acts as a barrier against pathogens. It supports various physiological processes, including growth regulation, stress tolerance, and disease resistance, while also buffering pH in the naturally acidic soils of AWC swamps. Storage of calcium in live and buried AWC logs may, along with processes of Sphagnum spp. which lower pH, serve to maintain acidic conditions. Higher calcium concentrations in tree leaves have also been shown to increase litter decomposition, influencing nutrient cycling. The purpose of this study is to examine the distribution of calcium in AWC swamps using handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and to determine the impact buried logs have on belowground calcium storage. Recently live AWC were obtained during salvage logging following Hurricane Isabel in 2003, and buried logs exposed by fire in 2008 were retrieved using a chainsaw. Measurements were supplemented with previously collected soil calcium estimates. Carbon-14 analysis dated logs to 1365 to 1578 CE, a time that preceded drainage, which began in 1805 and intensified in the 1950s. Calcium concentrations in buried log dust (1,279 ppm) was greater than recently live AWC dust (812 ppm). Calcium concentrations in Pungo soils in an undrained AWC reference site (1,200 ppm) were lower than in the Refuge (3,200 ppm). Because the Pungo soil series contains up to 35% buried wood by volume, including buried logs in calcium budgets substantially increases estimates of belowground calcium storage. Additionally, calcium stored in buried logs may contribute to a self-maintaining mechanism
that supports the persistence of favorable oligotrophic conditions for AWC.
Dr. Robert Atkinson (atkinson@cnu.edu); Professor; Christopher Newport University, Dr. Janet Steven (janet. steven@cnu.edu); Professor; Christopher Newport University
Jodie Burns
A Regional Perspective of the Complex Intersection of the Current WOTUS Definition, Karst Features, and Karst Species Protections in NW Arkansas. With the fairly recent clarification of the implementation of the Waters of the U.S. definition in light of the SCOTUS Sackett case ruling, the federal protection on losing streams and related karst ecosystems in Northwest Arkansas has all but disappeared. These karst ecosystems support specialized species adapted to underground cave environments and other subsurface features. Northwest Arkansas has three federally-listed species found in karst ecosystems: Ozark Cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae), Benton County Cave Crayfish (Cambarus aculabrum) and Hell Creek Cave Crayfish (Cambarus zophonastes). The USFWS has recently released a Programmatic Biological Opinion (PBO) in conjunction with a Karst Conservation Strategy (KCS) for the State of Arkansas (Arkansas Field Office, Conway, Arkansas) which provides a mitigation opportunity for potential impacts to karst features that may be providing suitable habitat for these federallylisted species. The PBO and KCS details will be reviewed and specific examples of potential uses of this mitigation opportunity will be shared.
Hydrodynamic Response of Mexican Pacific Coastal Wetlands under Sea-Level Rise Projections
Sea-level rise represents one of the most critical threats to the ecological stability and hydrodynamic functioning of coastal wetlands worldwide.In the Mexican Pacific, several wetland systems recognized as Ramsar sites provide essential ecosystem services including habitat provision, fisheries support, and flood regulation. However, projected increases in sea level may alter circulation patterns, inundation regimes, and sediment transport processes, ultimately affecting
wetland resilience and ecological integrity. This study evaluates the potential hydrodynamic response of five priority coastal wetlands along the Mexican Pacific under future sea-level rise scenarios. A hydrodynamic modeling approach was implemented using the MIKE 21 numerical model. The simulations integrated highresolution LiDAR elevation data, nautical charts, and long-term atmospheric forcing derived from ERA5 wind and wave datasets (1940–2025). Sealevel rise projections were incorporated according to IPCC AR6 climate scenarios (SSP1-1.9, SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) for time horizons 2030, 2050, and 2100. Tidal forcing was represented using the DTU10 global tide model. Hydrodynamic variables such as current velocity, flood extent, and inundation depth were analyzed to assess the response of wetland systems. Model results indicate significant hydrodynamic alterations across the studied wetlands. Mean current velocities in inlet channels increased by up to 75% under high-emission scenarios, while projected flood depths exceeded 1.2 m in some areas. Permanently flooded zones ranged from approximately 700 to 1,668 hectares depending on the scenario. Intermediate scenarios also showed inland migration of floodplains and modifications in internal circulation patterns. Even under mitigation scenarios, detectable changes in hydrodynamic behavior were observed, suggesting that wetland functionality may be affected across multiple climate trajectories. The results highlight the vulnerability of Mexican Pacific coastal wetlands to future sea-level rise and demonstrate how hydrodynamic changes may drive habitat loss and ecosystem transformation. These findings provide scientific support for adaptive wetland management strategies, including the implementation of nature-based solutions, sediment management practices, and planning for inland wetland migration. Such strategies are essential to maintain ecosystem services and enhance wetland resilience under future climate conditions.
Oscar May Tzuc, Mario Jiménez Torres & Roselia Turriza Mena
Roman Canul
Kori Carr
Exploring the Mechanisms of Plant-Environment Feedback Loops in Driving Succession and Establishment in a Freshwater Forested Wetland
In forested wetlands, hydrology and soil physicochemistry are considered the main abiotic drivers of plant species distribution and community structure. Often under-analyzed is the role of light. Despite being understood to play an important role in driving the interactive ecological feedback loops that determine community structure and composition, light is particularly under-characterized in secondary successional freshwater forested wetlands. With forest structure and heterogeneity, niche partitioning, and species richness being so dependent on vertical and horizontal light variation created by canopy gaps, a deeper understanding of light distribution in secondary successional forested wetland environments could provide more insight to predictions on how plant communities change or recover during succession and after disturbance. The goal of this observational study is to attempt to fill that gap by investigating the role of vertical and horizontal light gradients on forest structure heterogeneity in a secondary successional forested wetland (fifteen years post catastrophic fire event) in the Great Dismal Wildlife Refuge (Suffolk, Virginia, USA). Following this disturbance, obligate wetland tree species like Chamaecyparis thyoides and Taxodium distichum that once dominated the swamp have since been replaced by a landscape of freshwater grasses, ferns, and young A. rubrum trees of varying heights and crown widths. Horizontal and vertical light measurements were compared to plot level tree density and biomass forest assays. Preliminary data shows that A. rubrum density has a strong effect on both species abundance and the percentage of available light at various heights. This work is important for informing our understanding of factors controlling forested wetland structure throughout succession and has important implications for informing management actions to restore desired plant communities after disturbance.
Dr. Taylor M. Sloey
Emmett Carstens
Tracking Seasonal Change: Why Phenological Monitoring Matters on the Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast Phenology Trail (GCPT) was established in late 2016, with the support and coordination of the USA- National Phenology Network (USA-NPN), to engage state, federal, and non-governmental organizations in collaboration with trained community scientists for the collection of phenological data on native flora and fauna across the Gulf coast. The goal is to generate a long-term dataset for the region to detect trends in the timing of phenological processes in relation to changing climatic and non-climatic environmental factors. The GCPT currently consists of 28 Local Phenology Programs (LPPs) across coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Through phenology observation, community scientists experience improved mental state while increasing their knowledge of local plants and animals. The data collected by observers can be used to detect phenological shifts between co-dependent species like Eastern Baccharis and Monarchs and track the regional effects of climate variability. Phenological data may also help resource managers make decisions for some habitat management activities like prescribed burns, and herbicide treatments. Of the five focal plant species observed across locations, Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is the earliest tree species to flower in the southeastern United States. Across the GCPT, the flower production of A. rubrum has been found to have varied by several weeks over the last five years of monitoring. Trends in data collected by observers suggest that in years with an earlier first freeze (late December- early January) and increased winter precipitation (>10 inches), red maple would subsequently develop fruit earlier. Additional years of consistently collected data by trained community scientists is critical for a better understanding of the regional phenological trends for observed species.
Dr. Jonathan L. Pitchford
Nicole Castro
Calibration of Visual Estimations of Percent Cover and How it Matters
in Wetland Delineation
Visual estimates of percentages are common for field professionals when conducting wetland delineations. Field professionals estimate percent vegetative cover of each species present within a defined plot size as well as matrix and redoximorphic colors in soil horizons. These estimates directly determine the presence or absence of a wetland and wetland type by their influence on hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soil, and hydrology indicators (FAC-Neutral test, sparsely vegetated concave surface), which in turn, can affect permitting and mitigation requirements.
The objective of this study is to determine if calibration improves the accuracy of visual percent cover estimations.
Images of varying, known herbaceous cover were generated by AI and will be provided to participants in a survey. Calibration is provided by giving the participant the true cover values after each estimate to review before moving on to the next image. A separate survey will be provided to a smaller control group consisting of the same images but will not include the correct answer. Cover estimations for both groups will be compared to the true values of each image. Linear regression will be used to plot accuracy by image. Calibration is expected to improve accuracy.
However, a concept known as the “wisdom of the crowds” asserts that a group average can cancel out the errors of individuals leading to an accurate overall group estimation. A wetland delineation regularly consists of a team of at least two field professionals. If group averages lead to higher accuracy, is calibration truly necessary or can two field professionals simply average their estimates to obtain an accurate estimation? Several practical examples in wetland delineation will be reviewed involving varying percent cover estimations of vegetation and redoximorphic soil features to show how these estimates matter.
Gail Chmura
Climate Impact of Drainage of a Freshwater Marsh Impoundment in Eastern Canada
In Eastern Canada freshwater marsh impoundments have been constructed (by Ducks Unlimited Canada, DUC, and the Canadian Wildlife Service) since the 1970s by building dykes on agricultural lands created by draining salt marshes. While intended to mitigate regional wetland loss and provide waterfowl habitat it is not certain to what extent they can also serve as natural climate solutions. We have been examining carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) of impoundments while flooded but also question what the climate feedback is when impoundments are drained. With the objective to manage invasive species and increase productivity DUC temporarily drained one of these impoundments. We were able to investigate the changes in GHG fluxes and sediment carbon storage from May to October, roughly spanning the initial drainage of the impoundment to the end of growing season before it was to be reflooded. We used static, dark chambers to measure GHG fluxes both from sediments where cattail culms were evident and from areas that had no emergent stems. During the 150-day drainage period, some sites served as sinks of methane (CH4) but the cattail sites were a consistent CH4 source, presumably as dead cattail stems served to transport CH4 from the depths at which is was produced. Some sites served as temporary sources or sinks for nitrous oxide (N2O) but overall fluxes were negligible. We averaged all GHG sites and used a 20 yr Global Warming Potential of N2O and CH4 to calculate the climate impact and find that the wetland emitted a total of 2,640 g CO2-eq m-2. The average loss of sediment carbon stock was ~688 g C m-2 (contributing an additional 2,522 g CO2-eq m-2) and the aboveground biomass at the end of the growing season was 9 g CO2eq m-2 giving a net loss of 5,153 g CO2-eq m-2 over the sample period – a metric that can be used to assess the overall value of impoundment drainage.
Wendy Ampuero-Reyes, wendy.ampueroreyes@mail.mcgill. ca, PhD student, McGill University, Nic R. McLellan,n_ mclellan@ducks.ca, Research Biologist, Ducks Unlimited Canada
Keith Clay
Phragmites australis
: An Enigmatic Species with Extensive Consequences
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., the common reed, is a large clonal grass that has a near world-wide distribution in wetland habitats. The species is quite variable in terms of morphology, ploidy levels, haplotypes, environmental tolerances and ecological impacts. In some areas it has historic, beneficial uses such livestock grazing, production of thatch for construction, biomass production, bioremediation and coastal protection. However, in other areas, Phragmites is considered to be an invasive species that can outcompete native wetland vegetation, reduce overall biodiversity and form extensive monocultures recalcitrant to control. In particular, an invasive European lineage (haplotype M) has become widely distributed in North America and elsewhere where both native and invasive haplotypes frequently co-occur. The species is subject to considerable scientific interest and research as evidenced by over 6,500 publications in 2025 alone (Google Scholar). Much research has focused on wetland management, restoration, phytoremediation, phytochemistry, variation among haplotypes, genomics, microbial interactions, responses to climate change, ecology, physiology and invasive ability. Work in my lab has explored the fungal and bacterial microbiomes of Phragmites and how they might be manipulated to affect plant growth and decomposition. The other speakers in this symposium will explore many of these topics in greater detail. It is very appropriate for this SWS meeting and symposium to be held in New Orleans and Louisiana where many divergent aspects of Phragmites australis co-occur locally with demonstrable impacts.
Leandra Cleveland
Case Study on How Two States’ (WA / OR) Regulations Have Changed Over Time with Changes
in Definition of Waters of the U.S.
This presentation will be part of the symposium to discuss different aspects and ramifications of the changes in the definition of waters of the U.S., which the USACE and EPA proposed on November 20, 2025, related to implementing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA. A final rule updating the definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) is expected to be finalized in early 2026. As a result of the changes, fewer wetlands will have federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, including many bayous and bogs. Thus, more regulatory authority for wetland protection will need to fall to states that develop a wetland regulatory program."
This case study traces how federal interpretations of WOTUS—from pre-2015 practice through the 2015 Clean Water Rule, the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, the 2023 post-Sackett conforming rule, and the 2025 proposal—have reshaped jurisdictional scope, and examines how Oregon and Washington have adapted through their own authorities. We compare statutory anchors and permitting pathways, showing how state frameworks increasingly backstop aquatic resource protection where federal coverage has contracted.
In Oregon, the Department of State Lands’ Removal-Fill Law regulates “waters of the state,” with permit thresholds, DEQ §401 certifications, mitigation sequencing, and in-lieu fee/banking. Integration with statewide land-use planning—especially Goal 5 and Local Wetlands Inventories—ties wetland/stream regulation to comprehensive plans and zoning. In Washington, Ecology’s no-net-loss policy under the Growth Management Act and local Critical Areas Ordinances, the Shoreline Management Act, and WDFW Hydraulic Project Approvals for work below the ordinary high water mark create a layered system that often exceeds federal jurisdiction; stream typing and watershed-based mitigation are operationalized in local decisions.
Using a side-by-side timeline, we identify practical divergences that matter post-Sackett: (1) greater reliance on “waters of the state” to cover geographically isolated or seasonal wetlands and small headwater features; (2) increased determinative role for local plans in buffer width, mitigation ratios, and permit applicability; and (3) a shift in the permitting critical path from federal to state/local actions, affecting schedule risk, documentation strategy, and mitigation site selection.
Abby Coldwell
Vegetative Drivers of Marsh Accretion in Louisiana Coastal Wetlands
Plant communities in coastal wetlands are vital to preventing erosion and promoting soil accretion. Aboveground plant biomass traps sediment and contributes organic matter to soil, while belowground root biomass stabilizes existing land and reduces sediment loss. Given that marsh accretion rates must be higher than rates of sea livel rise to promote elevational gain, understanding factors that promote accretion has become increasingly important in the era of climate change and dramatic coastal erosion. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between accretion rates and marsh vegetative properties, including dominant plant species, total plant cover, and species diversity. Using the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) long-term dataset, we explored the relationship between biotic factors and accretion rates in Louisiana wetlands over the past eighteen years. Data was analyzed from 391 sites across the state of Louisiana, with sites grouped by marsh type (Swamp, Freshwater, Intermediate, Brackish, and Saline). We hypothesized that accretion rate is affected by total plant cover and species diversity, with higher species diversity and percent cover leading to higher accretion rates.
Our results show a positive relationship between total vegetation cover and accretion rates in freshwater marshes, but no effect in other marsh types. Accretion rates differ significantly between community types, with swamps and freshwater marshes exhibiting higher rates of accretion than intermediate, brackish, and saline marshes. This is potentially due to differences in vegetative community composition, because we found that swamps and freshwater marshes have higher
species richness in all regions and higher total plant cover in the Mississippi River Delta. Overall, our findings indicate that there is an effect of vegetation on accretion rates in Louisiana marshes - however, the strength of this relationship is dependent on marsh type and location. This provides further insight into the complex biotic and abiotic factors affecting land loss and gain in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, with potential implications for conservation and management strategies.
Martha E. Barta, mbarta@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Alanna J. Frick, africk1@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Roseline N. Ewa, rewa@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Nicholas M. Jacobs, njacobs1@tulane.edu, Jacob M. Mills, jmills16@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Eliana Montenegro-Pazmino, emontenegropazmino@ tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Annika E. Nelson, Undergraduate student, Tulane University, Kehinde I. Ologbonjaye, kologbonjaye@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Emma B. Ortega, eortega@ tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University,Meirun Zhang, mzhang17@tulane.edu, Vineesha Digumarthi, ldigumarthi@tulane.edu, Graduate student, Tulane University, Emily C. Farrer, efarrer@tulane.edu, Associate professor, Tulane University
John Conallin
Revisioning Wetlands as Social, Economic and Ecological Resource Centres for Local Communities –Breaking the Ecological Preservation-Based Paradigm
Australia’s largest inland river system, the Murray–Darling Basin, supports one of the world’s largest wetland restoration programs. Yet implementation remains largely dominated by environmental water delivery and infrastructure works, with restoration primarily framed around ecological preservation. This approach often overlooks opportunities to generate broader social and economic benefits for surrounding communities and to embed communities more meaningfully in restoration processes.
We propose a shift from an ecological preservation paradigm toward re-envisioning wetlands as productive social–ecological resource centres that simultaneously support biodiversity, local livelihoods, and community stewardship. In this framing, wetlands are not simply
protected ecological assets but dynamic landscapes that sustain ecological function while also contributing to the cultural, social, and economic wellbeing of the communities who live alongside them.
Using restoration of Koondrok-Perricoota wetland system on the Murray River floodplain as a case study, we examine how integrating local Indigenous and non-Indigenous community perspectives can reshape restoration objectives and outcomes. The project emphasises collaborative planning, community participation in wetland management, and restoration actions that support the recovery of threatened wetland-specialist fish species while also strengthening community connections to place, providing employment and education opportunities. As a result, wetland specialist fish selected by communities are currently being bred and stocked into upper forest wetlands with future aspirations for them to once again inhabit the entire wetland system, with a locally managed approach.
This work contributes to emerging discussions on the “rights of wetlands” by framing wetlands as relational landscapes where ecological recovery and human wellbeing are mutually reinforcing. Rather than separating wetlands from human use, restoration can recognise communities as legitimate partners and beneficiaries of wetland ecosystems. Embedding social, cultural, and livelihood aspirations within restoration planning may therefore provide a pathway toward more durable, inclusive, and resilient wetland governance.
John Conallin, jconallin@csu.edu.au, - Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Edward-Wakool Angling Association, Australia., Dan Hutton - Dan Hutton Consulting, Australia, and Edward-Wakool Angling Association, Australia., Colin Pardoe - Edward-Wakool Angling Association, Australia, Colin Pardoe BioAnthropology & Archaeology, Australia., Latoya Kerr - Moama Local Aboriginal Land Council, Australia., John Kerr - Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation,. Anthony Jones - Edward-Wakool Angling Association, Australia, and Deniliquin Local Aboriginal Land Council., Gordon O’Brien - Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Australia,
Lynn Corliss
The Value of Citizen/Community Science in Wetland Studies
Citizen and community science initiatives engage local residents in the systematic collection of environmental data to support state agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. As environmental change accelerates, significant gaps remain in long-term, evidence-based natural resource datasets—particularly in wetland ecosystems. Community science offers a scalable and cost-effective strategy for addressing these deficiencies while fostering public stewardship. This presentation examines three case studies that demonstrate the impact of community science in wetland and nearshore monitoring within the Salish Sea region. The first case study, the Salish Sea Guillemot Network, partners with the University of Washington, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Audubon Society to monitor pigeon guillemot populations as indicators of marine ecosystem health. Because pigeon guillemots are widespread and opportunistic feeders, shifts in their abundance or reproductive success may signal broader ecological changes. The second example, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team or COASST, mobilizes over 4,500 trained volunteers over four states in the Pacific Northwest to document beached birds along shorelines. Patterns of mass strandings provide insight into oceanographic anomalies, food web disruptions, and extreme climatic events affecting the Salish Sea. A third initiative, the Secretive Wetland Birds Monitoring Project, coordinated by the Puget Sound Bird Observatory, engages more than 800 volunteers across over 200 wetland sites from Padilla Bay to Budd Inlet. This program focuses on six elusive wetland bird species and helps bridge data gaps between agency surveys and community-contributed platforms such as eBird. Collectively, these initiatives illustrate how community science strengthens ecological monitoring, enhances temporal and spatial data coverage, and supports adaptive management in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Nicole Cormier
Unmanaged Tidal Reinstatement Modulates Processes That Influence Surface Elevation Adjustments in Mangrove and Saltmarsh Habitats
Saline coastal wetlands are impacted increasingly by land use and climate change worldwide. The degree to which wetlands are submergent or resilient to these changes is influenced by contemporary wetland morphodynamics and vegetation structure as well as the legacy of human alteration to the landscape. Mangroves and saltmarshes at French Island, Western Port Bay, Victoria, Australia have been influenced by early settler resource extraction and industrial land use. Berms associated with salt extraction cut off tidal flow historically to saltmarshes at the site; these salt ponds were subsequently abandoned in the early 1900s and left to degrade naturally. A 20-year record of tidal inundation, vegetation cover, surface elevation change and vertical accretion was analysed to investigate processes influencing surface elevation adjustment in a saltmarsh recovering from more than a century of land use reclamation in Western Port Bay and its natural counterparts. Vegetation cover was relatively stable over the 20-year measurement period, with limited recruitment of mangrove and saltbush into saltmarsh plots. Results show unremarkable differences between the amount of vertical accretion and organic material among sites and little to no increase in surface elevation except the French Island saltmarsh, which is tracking increases in sea-level rise at ~3 mm yr-1. Despite the high rate of sedimentation in the area, mangroves at these sites appear to be lowering in the tidal frame and in declining health during this study. Other natural sites in the area also experienced high sedimentation rates, but unlike French Island, have a significant gap between vertical accretion and surface elevation change, suggesting higher rates of autocompaction at these sites. Increases in the inundation frequency attributable to almost 100 years of unmanaged berm breaching and passive reintroduction of tidal flow in the historic salt works site are likely driving the differences in surface elevation among sites. These results highlight the importance of surface and sub-surface processes for surface elevation adjustment and indicate a high adaptive capacity for wetlands experiencing passive tidal reinstatement. These data highlight the lasting
impacts of berm construction and small-scale industrial land use on wetland development at the site and landscape level and call attention to the management implications of these and other occurrences of unmanaged realignment.
Kerrylee Rogers, Jeffrey Kelleway, and Neil Saintilan
Terri Courtemarche
Project Branding: Increasing Visibility by Putting a Face on Your Initiative.
You are ready to launch your initiative. You named it. You have a mission and a message to share. And, you have a core audience to attract. But how can you reach them? Just like designing a business's brand, we can use design to develop a visual identity that builds brand recognition and puts more eyes on your work for your Initiative.
What is a visual identity? It is a collection of designed tools and templates that are visually similar and are designed solely with the mission of your project and its core audience in mind. The toolkit can include a logo, color palette, icons, illustrations, templates, and specific design style. When used consistently, your visual identity will make it easy for people to recognize, follow, and learn from you.
Scouter Design collaborated with the BSC Group and supporting teams to build a visual identity for the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Initiative. The key message was to educate people on soil health and how we can learn, respect, and preserve soil as we build more infrastructure. As a team, we discussed the Initiatives' goals, mission, and audience and designed a custom toolkit centered around soil health to promote their mission. The toolkit includes a logo, color palette, report template, infographics, and icons that represent the four types of ecosystems (wetlands, agriculture, developed, and forest) that soil supports. These assets can be used on any social platform, presentation, outreach collateral, and reports.
The success of any Initiative relies on reaching your core audience. We can use design to give a face to the Initiative to increase its visibility and to help grow your audience.
Erin Dascher
News From The Scablands: Investigating Impacts of Non-Native Brook Stickleback (Culaea inconstans) on Managed Lentic Systems During the 2015 Drought
The Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge consists of more than 18,000 acres of Channeled Scablands in eastern Washington. The refuge lies within the Pacific Flyway and provides essential habitat for 29 waterfowl species and up to 100,000 birds annually. The Channeled Scablands are growing in importance as freshwater habitat for regional and migratory bird species, even as these ecosystems continue to contend with past disturbances, including invasive species. Non-native Brook Stickleback (Culaea inconstans) were first documented on the refuge in 1999. As the refuge is managed for nesting waterfowl, we evaluated whether fish presence was associated with alterations in factors related to waterfowl success. In 2015, Washington State experienced a severe drought, and half of the classified perennial systems sampled experienced decreased surface water to the extent that sampling stopped. We surveyed twelve lentic systems, eight with Brook Stickleback and four without, but due to the severe drought, categories were further subdivided into dry or wet to reflect water availability. Fish-free, wet systems had more benthic macroinvertebrate taxa than wet systems that contain Brook Stickleback; they also contained more abundant macroinvertebrates than dry systems that contain Brook Stickleback. As the region transitions to a warmer and drier climate, one in which the 2015 drought represents an average year, wetland coverage is expected to decrease, and invasive species removal may become a priority to protect increasingly vital and scarce wetland habitats. Determining if Brook Stickleback presence may lead to a regime shift in these historically fishless habitats, justifying more intensive management strategies, will require a better understanding of fish dispersal, fish impact on waterfowl success, and the interaction between Brook Stickleback and hydrology.
Jenae Yri*, Erin D. Dascher (edascher@ewu.edu)**, Chantilly Higbee*, Chelsea Brown*, Jariel DeWitt*, Liam Johnston*, Whitney Stevens*, Michael Rule (mike_rule@ fws.gov)+, Krisztian Magori (kmagori@ewu.edu)*, Joanna Joyner-Matos ( jmatos@ewu.edu)*
*Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA
**Department of Geosciences, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA; ORCID iD 0000-0002-63147777
+Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, 26010 S. Smith Rd., Cheney, WA, USA
Maheshi Dassanayake
Genomic Resources and Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Genetic Drivers of Invasiveness and Potential Control Targets in Phragmites australis
Phragmites australis, a cosmopolitan reed with both invasive and native subspecies co-occurring in North America, has become one of the most aggressive wetland invaders, transforming habitats, reducing biodiversity, and altering ecosystem processes across the world. Current management strategies, including mechanical removal, herbicides, and flooding, often provide only temporary suppression and are rarely specific to the target species. Developing genetic and genomic approaches to target traits that enable invasive growth offers a promising path toward more effective and sustainable control. However, the genomic mechanisms underlying key invasive traits such as rapid growth, efficient resource use, and resilience to disturbance remain poorly understood. We generated chromosome-level reference genomes for invasive P. australis ssp. australis and native P. australis ssp. americanus and integrated comparative genomics and transcriptomics analyses to identify lineage-specific adaptations associated with an invasive lifestyle. Comparisons across monocot genomes, including other invasive and non-invasive grasses, revealed convergent enrichment of gene families related to abiotic stress tolerance and developmental pathways in invasive lineages. Transcriptome profiling of undisturbed tissues and regrowth following aboveground biomass removal (cutback) showed that invasive P. australis rhizomes maintain elevated basal expression for stress-preparedness and energy-metabolism genes, likely enabling rapid recovery after disturbance. Postcutback responses further revealed strong activation of defense and nutrient acquisition pathways in invasive genotypes. At the genomic level, the invasive lineage also showed enrichment of highly expressed stress-
related single-copy orthologs. Together, these results link genomic architecture and gene expression patterns with traits that facilitate plant invasion and provide genomic resources for developing targeted strategies to manage invasive Phragmites populations.
Samadhi Wimalagunasekara1, Pramod Pantha1, Richard Garcia1, Thu Nguyen1, Guannan Wang2, Dong-Ha Oh1, Keith Clay3, Wesley Bickford4, and Kurt P. Kowalski4
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
2 Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
3 Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
4 U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Gillian Davies
Rights of Wetlands
Advances Around the World: A Global Update
The idea for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands (RoW Declaration) was introduced at the 2019 SWS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, and the RoW Declaration was published in 2020 (Davies et al. 2020). Over the past seven years, SWS has formed the Rights of Wetlands Section and members are key participants in the Rights of Wetlands Initiative, a wider coalition of people working to advance RoW including wetland scientists, a climate scientist, ecological restorationists, attorneys, a Rights of Nature leader, policy specialists, and representatives from Wetlands International and the International Water Management Institute. The RoW Initiative has collaborated with the Kichwa Original Peoples of Sarayaku, Ecuador. Row has found support amongst Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Contracting Parties and drawn the attention of Rights of Wetlands academics and journalists. The group has published seven journal articles, with five more in the works, as well as a wide range of outreach materials including quick guides, a longer guide, online trainings, policy briefs, toolkits for communities and for governments, most of which are available on the RoW website www. rightsofwetlands.org. Many of these materials were developed in a 3-year project to implement RoW
in five countries (Boliva, Ecuador, Guyana, Kenya, and Sri Lanka) funded by the U.K. government. This presentation will share key insights and information with regard to RoW achievements over the past seven years, will explore why RoW is resonating with so many diverse groups around the world, how it is reframing the people-wetlands relationship, and now that a solid foundation has been laid, will explore next steps for advancing RoW in the coming years, such as further advancing RoW in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands context, connecting with people, communities, and governments who wish to implement RoW, and building on emerging collaborations with the broader Rights of Nature movement.
Gillian Davies
Special Session: Letters to Wetlands Write-Shop
If you are attending the SWS Annual Meeting in New Orleans in June 2026 we would like to invite you to participate in a special session, a Letters to Wetlands “Write-Shop.”
What do we mean by that? This is an opportunity to let your creative energies flow and to write a letter to a wetland! The mechanical side is that a letter should be no longer than 500 words (including the address and salutation etc). It can be typed or even handwritten (neatly, meaning legibly). We will share a couple of examples at the beginning of the Write Shop to help you get started, but we are sure you will quickly engage and share your thoughts.
It can reflect your feelings for the wetland – sitting on a grassy bank and watching the sun go down, or rise, over the water and the reeds. Listening to the migratory birds. Walking through the trees or across the grassy plain. It could be a letter of support in the face of another attempt to drain the water or add pollutants. It could be a congratulatory letter when the flows have been restored, or when the local dignitaries cut the ribbon on a restored channel. Or watching a beaver go about its business in peace and quiet. Or asking the wetland for permission to take your samples.
This special session is being organised by the Rights of Wetlands Section to enable you to quickly write your letter. You just need to be there and to start writing. You
don’t need to have a plan when you start – just start and through your writing talk to the wetland. The trick is more when to stop once you have started – 500 words is not a lot when you are talking to a friend.
After people have had a chance to draft their letters, those who wish can read their letters aloud, and we will have a discussion – did the letter writing change how you think about wetlands? Did you enjoy it? Did it tap into a different way of knowing who the wetland is?
We have made arrangements with the editor of Wetland Science & Practice to publish the letters. If you hand us the letters we will handle the rest. Make sure it’s clear which wetland you are writing to, add your name. No need to purchase a postage stamp.
Max Finlayson, Ritesh Kumar, Gavin Parisien, and Matthew Simpson
Gillian Davies
Wetlands and the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Initiative: An Overview of the Upland and Wetland Forest Carbon Data and Analysis Project
The Massachusetts, USA government published a Healthy Soils Action Plan in 2023 and is now in the process of funding projects to implement the plan through their Healthy Soils Initiative, a statewide initiative aiming to, “promote soil health, sustainable land management, community engagement, and refine tools for municipal soil mapping, assessment and planning”. The goals of the Healthy Soils Initiative include expanding the understanding of the role of healthy soil as an effective natural carbon sink with the understanding that preserving and enhancing soil health contributes to greater climate adaptation and resilience. This presentation introduces two projects that developed a protocol for assessing soil and vegetation carbon in forested wetlands and uplands and then conducted wetland and upland forest carbon data collection, sampling, and analysis. Following this project overview, the next four speakers will provide detailed accounts of the development of the field protocol, vegetation and soil field methods and modifications in the field, laboratory methods, and results.
Forested wetlands are the most common type of wetland in Massachusetts and are the wetland type that
holds the largest total amount of carbon. Hence, it is particularly important to conserve and restore forested wetland carbon, and to increase our understanding of this temperate wetland type’s role in the carbon cycle. To better understand the carbon storage differences between temperate wetland and upland forests in Massachusetts, a multidisciplinary team collected soil and vegetation data and samples along wetland-toupland transects at six different forested wetlands in different regions of Massachusetts. The team engaged in a thoughtful site selection process and developed a field protocol that would yield soil and vegetation carbon data at each site from four data plots along the upland-to-wetland transect. Data plots were established well into the wetland (far wetland plot), on the wetland side of the wetland boundary very close to the boundary (transition wetland plot), on the upland side of the wetland boundary very close to the boundary (transition upland plot), and well into the upland (far upland plot). Samples were sent to the Woodwell Climate Research Center soil laboratory for analysis, and a project report prepared.
Gillian Davies
An Overview of the Wetland Soils BMPs Online Guide Project and the Multimedia Wetland Soils Outreach Materials Project
As part of the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Initiative (a statewide initiative aims to, “promote soil health, sustainable land management, community engagement, and refine tools for municipal soil mapping, assessment and planning”), we conducted a project to develop a guide for healthy wetland soils Best Management Practices geared towards professionals in a range of disciplines who interact with wetland soils in a wide variety of contexts and roles. The information is presented on a website in an easily accessible format and is integrated into a broader Massachusetts Healthy Soils website that covers a wide range of topics related to protecting and restoring healthy soils. In researching and gathering content for the guide, the project team conducted surveys, workshops, and interviews with wetlands and soils experts and professionals who interact with wetland soils and also conducted a traditional literature search. This presentation will share project results, useful content from the guide, and links to the website.
This presentation also will share project process and results from a Healthy Soils Initiative project to develop communications products geared towards a general audience with the goal of increasing public awareness and understanding of the importance of healthy wetland soils. To implement this project, our team of scientific and technical experts enlisted a videographer and a graphic designer as our expert creatives. The combination of scientific/technical knowledge and talented creative communicators led to production of engaging healthy wetland soils videos, infographics, and a Healthy Wetland Soils Initiative logo. To produce the videos, we identified people who have deep relationships with and knowledge about a variety of Massachusetts wetlands and wetland types, and under the videographer’s direction, interviewed them on location in wetlands across the state. Our videographer then led video production, which entailed several rounds of edits to distill hours of film into a few short minutes at each wetland. To produce infographics, we developed written content and collaborated with our graphic designer, who led infographic development layout and visual presentation of information. In the following presentation, our graphic designer will provide a detailed presentation on project branding and the process for developing the logo in collaboration with the project client, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Catarina Martinez, Senior Climate Resilience Planner, BSC Group, Inc.
Gillian Davies
Healthy
Wetland
Soils Short Films: Introduction & A Visit to a New England Peat Bog
This presentation will introduce and show two short Healthy Wetland Soils films, followed by a short discussion. The Massachusetts Healthy Soils Initiative (a statewide initiative aims to, “promote soil health, sustainable land management, community engagement, and refine tools for municipal soil mapping, assessment and planning”) funded creation of several short healthy wetland soils films as part of a broader healthy soils public outreach and engagement, with the aim of increasing the general public’s awareness and knowledge of wetlands, their soils, and the critical role they play in supporting resilient communities and
reversing climate change. Discussion that follows the showing of the films will solicit feedback on the films as vehicles for communicating wetlands and soils knowledge to a general audience and will share lessons learned from the filmmaking process.
Costa Boutsikaris, Videographer, Inhabit Films
John Day
Do Watershed Nutrient Input to Coastal Wetlands Lead to Negative Impacts?
Over the past two decades there has been considerable controversy over the impacts of nutrients to coastal wetlands. Often fertilization experiments are used to show negative impacts on belowground productivity, decomposition, and soil strength. However nutrient loading rates of fertilization experiments are often much higher (50 to >1000 g N/m2/yr) than watershed inputs. A recent analysis of 44 fertilization experiments found that medium watershed loading was about 15 g N/m2/yr. Studies in the Mississippi Delta reported that N loading rates for wetland assimilation systems (WAS) and river diversions were about 15 and 10 g/m2/yr, respectively. At the Caernarvon river diversion, measurement showed high belowground biomass, not difference in soil strength and soil organic matter decomposition. WAS are limited to 15 g N/m2/yr. Belowground biomass was not lower, soil organic matter decomposition was not higher and soil strength was higher than compared to reference areas.
Doug DeBerry
Outwitting Invasives without Herbicide: Efficacy of “Cultural” Methods for Invasive Plant Control in Wetland and Stream Mitigation
Since initiating a research program on invasive plants in wetland and stream mitigation nearly a decade ago, we have studied a half dozen of the most onerous invaders on over fifty research sites throughout Virginia, USA, culminating in two large-scale field experiments. Here, I review key findings from this program, including the primary drivers of plant invasion in wetland and stream mitigation in our region, the ways in which stress and disturbance interact to “open the door” to invaders, and what can be done about it. I’ll also explain how the stress-disturbance dynamic can be leveraged to promote
native plants to the exclusion of invasive species, and I’ll provide empirical evidence for the use of “cultural” (non-chemical) invasive control methods in these systems. The latter topic will cover the results of field trials using cost-effective techniques that are scalable to the level of an entire mitigation site, all of which are designed to create environmental stress for the invaders while simultaneously privileging native species acclimated to compete in those conditions. Examples include soil amendments (nutrient limitation), shade induction (light limitation), and strategic plantings (native competition). I’ll also explain how cultural methods compared to herbicide treatments in our field trials. Finally, I’ll summarize best practices that could be implemented at the start of a wetland or stream mitigation project to reduce invasion risk.
Trevor DeGroote
Assessing Wetland Plant Responses to Variable Hydrology
Using a Trait-Based Approach
Wetlands regulate water quality by intercepting nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich runoff from urban and agricultural landscapes before it reaches lakes and rivers, thereby limiting harmful algal blooms. Much of this ecosystem service is mediated by wetland vegetation and the traits that govern nutrient capture, storage, and growth. However, the specific traits driving nutrient-related ecosystem functions, and how hydrological variability alters these traits, remain poorly understood. This study examines how plant traits influence wetland productivity and nutrient function under contrasting hydrological conditions. We studied 12 common wetland plant species native to Ohio and quantified variation in traits, nutrient concentrations, and productivity across xeric, mesic, and hydric conditions using experimental mesocosms. Measured traits included specific leaf area, chlorophyll concentration index, biomass allocation, root distribution and architecture, photosynthetic rate, plant size metrics, aerenchyma production, and tissue C:N:P ratios. Plant nutrient concentrations linked traits to nutrient function, while aboveground biomass served as a proxy for productivity. Plant species showed distinct responses to hydrological conditions, with general patterns of greater productivity in mesic or hydric treatments or
little difference among treatments. Nutrient function also varied with hydrology, with strong relationships between plant biomass accumulation and soil bioavailable phosphorus. Greater aboveground biomass and higher chlorophyll concentration index were associated with lower soil phosphorus concentrations, suggesting greater plant nutrient uptake. Contrary to expectations, these relationships were strongest in xeric and hydric conditions and weaker in mesic conditions. These findings provide a foundation for identifying mechanistic links among hydrology, plant traits, productivity, and nutrient-related ecosystem functions in wetlands and may help inform species selection and design strategies for wetland restoration and nutrient mitigation.
Dr Steve Hovick, Dr. Lauren Brown, Ethan Glassman, Jacob Patterson, Dr. Helen Michaels, Dr. Kevin McCluney
Steven Deverel
Interdisciplinary Assessment of Implementation of Alternate Land Uses on Subsided Islands, Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta
Consequences of the current land- and water management practices on farmed Delta subsided organic soils include decreased arability, increased threat to levee stability which threatens California’s water supply, significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and ecosystem degradation. The State calls for acceleration of subsidence reversal and additional effort is needed to support California’s 2050 carbon emission reduction goals through implementing land uses that will reverse subsidence and reduce emissions. Implementing areas for subsidence reversal has been limited by resistance to long-term commitments by landowners, and available incentives. Our overall objective was to employ a transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to explore alternate landuse mosaics on subsided farmed lands. We provide an in-depth exploration of land-use changes to illustrate the GHG, subsidence, economic, and ecosystem and wildlife effects.
To estimate the potential effects of alternative land-use scenarios that include mosaics of rice and impounded wetlands, we used multiple data sets for GHG emissions and removals, hydrology, land-surface elevation changes, and soil chemistry; modeling;
analyses; and mapping to assess and quantify ecological, infrastructural, and agricultural economic metrics. Our results provide insights into alternate land-use implementation on subsided Delta islands that represent the range of soils and agricultural practices. Replacement of crops that require a drained root zone with rice and managed impounded wetlands on subsiding organic soils can provide a GHG emissions reductions benefit and stop and reverse soil loss. We demonstrated the profitability of mosaics that include rice and managed impounded wetlands. Biological data and geospatial modeling demonstrate wildlife and overall ecosystem benefits. The results of this study provides guidance and insight for expanding alternate land-use practices throughout the Delta.
Savannah Haas, Nicholas Christen, Marc Olds, Sabina Dore, Robert Walsh, Gregory Golet, Allison Whipple, Josue Medellin-Azuara, Jennifer W. Burt, Don Hankins, Brett Milligan, Alejo Kraus-Polk, Dan Ohlson, Elan Failing, Thomas Miller, Russell Ryan
Rodrigo Diaz
An Integrated Field–Remote Sensing Monitoring Program for Measuring Phragmites australis Dieback in the Bird’s Foot Delta Widespread dieback of Phragmites australis in the Bird’s Foot Delta (BFD) threaten wetland stability, ecosystem services, and coastal resilience. Since 2016, diebacks have been associated with multiple interacting stressors, including salinity intrusion, inundation periods, and outbreaks of the invasive Roseau cane scale (Nipponaclerda biwakoensis). To understand the dieback, we established a long-term monitoring program integrating plant health metrics, insect scale densities, environmental variables, and satellite imagery across the BFD. Quarterly surveys conducted from 2017 to 2025 quantified stem density, height, proportion of living stems, insect scale abundance, and was complemented with Landsat-based assessments of vegetation cover. Data from this long-term monitoring program were used to test the hypothesis that declining stands can recover from dieback events. Sites were classified as “Good” or “Bad” based on field observations and vegetation cover from satellite imagery. Declining sites exhibited consistently lower stem densities, reduced plant vigor, and progressive conversion of marsh to open water, with several stands
failing to recover and ultimately disappearing. Although scale insects were present across all sites, similar scale densities in both healthy and declining stands suggest that insect outbreaks could have greater impact on the latter. Satellite imagery revealed greater losses of Phragmites cover than gains over time, reinforcing field-based indicators of stand condition. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of long-term monitoring for detecting early Phragmites decline. Using plant health measurements, insect densities, and satellite imagery helps identify declining stands, and inform restoration efforts and changes in ecosystem services in the BFD.
Logan Herbert, Veronica Manrique, Josh Snook, Cecelia Dolaz, Karina Nolasco, James Cronin, Tracy Quirk, Andy Nyman
Xigui Ding
Contribution of Plant Derived Carbon in Coastal Wetlands to Offshore Sediment Carbon Pools: Evidence from N-Alkanes
Coastal wetlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, yet the quantitative contribution of their plantderived organic carbon (OC) to offshore sediment carbon pools remains poorly constrained. In this study, we used n-alkanes as biogeochemical biomarkers to trace the sources and contributions of OC in surface sediments from the nearshore area of Liaodong Bay. n-Alkanes are relatively stable compounds with degradation rates approximately one-quarter that of bulk OC, making them effective proxies for source identification among terrestrial plants, aquatic macrophytes, and marine phytoplankton.Sediment samples were collected and analyzed using Soxhlet extraction, rotary evaporation, nitrogen blowing, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The distribution of n-alkanes exhibited a bimodal pattern, indicating mixed OC sources: (1) a front peak group with even-carbon-number predominance (C15–C21), suggesting contributions from marine planktonic algae and bacteria; (2) a rear peak group with oddcarbon-number predominance (C27–C35), indicating input from terrestrial higher plants, including coastal wetlands; and (3) medium-chain n-alkanes (C21–C25), primarily derived from aquatic macrophytes. Quantitative source apportionment revealed that terrestrial plants contributed 66.4% of the sedimentary
OC, followed by marine phytoplankton (18.8%) and aquatic macrophytes (14.8%). The ratios ∑T/∑M and TAR, both greater than 1, further confirmed the dominance of terrestrial organic matter over marine sources in the study area.These findings provide strong evidence that coastal wetlands significantly contribute to the offshore sediment carbon pool, highlighting their importance in regional and global carbon budgets. This study underscores the need for conservation and restoration of coastal wetlands to maintain their carbon sequestration function and mitigate climate change impacts.
marshes to sea-level rise and decreasing the carbon density of the peat. Our work also showed that, through allelopathy, water primrose can reduce carbon storage by outcompeting native plants that intrinsically store more carbon. Overall, these studies provide critical lessons on how to regain or increase carbon storage in blue carbon ecosystems subject to a range of natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
Frank Driscoll
High-Frequency Tidal Creek CO2 Flux in Two Mississippi Coastal Marshes with Contrasting Hydrology
Judith Drexler
Environmental and Anthropogenic Controls Over Carbon Accumulation in Blue Carbon Ecosystems
Blue carbon restoration at the land-ocean interface is being used increasingly as a nature-based climate solution. Here I summarize three research projects conducted along the U.S. Pacific coast and Hawaiʻi that provide lessons on the range of environmental and anthropogenic factors that control carbon storage in blue carbon ecosystems. In the first study conducted along the south shore of Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi, we showed that water diversion and drought have resulted in surface desiccation and hyper-saline conditions in coastal wetlands. These conditions have resulted in low native vegetative cover and infestation of invasive vegetation, which limit carbon accumulation and reduce the habitat value of wetlands for biodiversity. In the second study conducted at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in Olympia, WA, we compared carbon accumulation in a subsided, restoring brackish marsh to that of a historical marsh. Although the initial measurements showed little effect on carbon accumulation due to subsidies from neighboring marshes, future carbon durability will likely be reduced due to greater erosion of mudflats than marshes. In the third project, we studied carbon storage in tidal freshwater marshes infested with invasive Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa) and water primrose (Ludwigia hexapetala) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California. Our results demonstrated that Brazilian waterweed is a novel carbon and sediment sink that blocks sediment delivery to the marsh, reducing the resilience of Delta
Coastal marshes are biogeochemical hotspots and play a central role in carbon cycling through vertical exchange, lateral flux, and long-term storage. The balance between these carbon sinks and fluxes determines a marsh’s influence on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and acidification in surrounding waters. Often considered blue carbon ecosystems due to their high capacity for long-term carbon storage, a portion of the carbon sequestered by marsh vegetation is remineralized to carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) by microbes in the marsh sediment. These potent greenhouse gases can leave the system through two primary pathways: vertical release to the atmosphere and lateral exchange with surrounding waters via tidal pumping. While vertical CO2 exchange from marsh platforms has been extensively studied, air-water CO2 exchange in these systems is less understood. This study uses high-frequency pCO2 measurements from winter 2025 to summer 2026 to estimate air-water CO2 fluxes at two hydrologically distinct sites in coastal Mississippi – the Pascagoula River Coastal Preserve and the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Preliminary results suggest a strong marsh influence on pCO2 in surrounding waters, with the potential to drive meaningful carbon dioxide release from the marsh creek to the atmosphere. Given the limited existing work on air-water CO2 flux in coastal marshes in the Gulf region, this study provides insight into an understudied component of carbon cycling in these systems and further informs our understanding of their role in regional carbon cycling and greenhouse gas dynamics.
Songjie He, Vivian Tidd, Wei Wu, Kevin Dillon
Xigui Ding, Siyuan Ye, Hongming Yuan, Guangming Zhao
Laura Duffie
Insights from Applying National Park Service (NPS) Procedural Manual #77-1 to a NPS Delineation in Southeast Texas –Big Thicket Edition
The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Big Thicket National Preserve (Preserve) in southeast Texas to protect 113,114 acres of high ecosystem biodiversity comprised of hundreds of miles of waterways and many significant wetland community types. Between 2010 to 2020, over 1.9 million people visited the Preserve, with almost 310,000 visiting in 2020 alone. In recent years, the 30+ miles of hiking trails were repeatedly subjected to hurricanes and flood damage that undermined the safety and integrity of Preserve infrastructure. As such, the NPS obtained funds for the repair of two compromised pedestrian bridges located along Preserve nature trails.
To support these efforts, HDR conducted a delineation of potential Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), including wetlands, for the Preserve in 2022. HDR’s delineation was performed in accordance with the 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wetlands Delineation Manual as well as the USACE Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Regional Supplement. However, since all federal agencies managing natural lands must comply with Executive Order 11990 (no net loss of wetlands), the delineation also followed NPS Procedural Manual #77-1: Wetland Protection, which is subject to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Wetlands Classification Standard. The FGDC Wetlands Classification Standard generally encompasses more aquatic habitat types than the USACE definition and guidance (except for atypical situations and problem areas). Without detailed communication, these different wetland interpretations have the potential to complicate compliance, permitting, and management when multiple agencies have unique needs. This presentation will differentiate between these specific agency requirements and strategies to help facilitate successful project collaborations.
Sam Dutilly
Efficacy of Habitat Enhancement Techniques for the Federally Threatened
Sensitive Joint-vetch
(Aeschynomene virginica)
Aeschynomene virginica (sensitive joint-vetch) is a federally threatened annual plant of freshwater tidal marshes along the Atlantic Coastal Plain from New Jersey to North Carolina. The species has been extirpated from several northern states but persists in Virginia, particularly along sections of the Rappahannock River. In 2024 and 2025, ca. 40,000 individuals were documented within a one-kilometer reach of the river, primarily within a narrow ideal elevation band (0.25–0.75 meters above sea level) and near active agricultural fields. We hypothesized that herbicide overspray from adjacent cropland, in tandem with agricultural disturbance, indirectly benefited A. virginica by reducing competing vegetation before germination. To test the roles of competition and disturbance in supporting unusually high densities of this species near farm fields, we conducted a field experiment in 2025 at two sites using a randomized block study design sited near extant populations. Each block contained six plots: control (no treatment) with and without A. virginica seeds added, mechanical removal with and without seeds, and herbicide treatment with and without seeds. A. virginica abundance data were analyzed with generalized linear mixed models and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) for community response to environmental variables (light, soil physiochemical conditions, hydrology). Seed addition strongly enhanced establishment, increasing density nearly ninefold relative to unseeded plots. Greater canopy cover significantly reduced abundance, consistent with prior studies. Although mechanical and herbicide treatments were not statistically significant, mechanical removal showed a consistent trend toward higher plant abundance, suggesting potential value for facilitating increased establishment. These results highlight the importance of open, low-competition zones and adequate seed dispersal within our suggested ideal elevation range. We recommend increased seed collection and dispersal in declining populations with the use of targeted mechanical disturbance to create suitable establishment microsites for this federally threatened plant.
Dr. Doug DeBerry - dadeberry@wm.edu, 757-903-7310Advisor and Co-author
Samrat Dutta
Greenhouse Gases from Wetlands Surrounding Southern Shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain
Many wetlands exist along the highly urbanized southern shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain. Wetlands in this area are a complex mix of ecosystems ranging from brackish to freshwater marshes. Many wetlands are also being created along this shoreline as part of restoration projects in this region. Greenhouse gas emissions from these diverse wetlands are relatively unknown. Depending on the wetland characteristics, greenhouse gas emissions can vary drastically. Thus, our overarching objective was to study greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon fluxes, along this complex ecosystem, and to correlate emission trends with the tea bag index. The latter is an alternative to a standardized litter decomposition method. Our study explored soil gas flux from Wetland Watchers Park at the western end of Lake Pontchartrain to Irish Bayou at the eastern end, encompassing almost the entire southern shoreline of the lake. We measured soil gas flux using the chamber method using an infrared analyzer. Our preliminary results show no significant differences in CH4 and CO2 fluxes across ~25 miles of marshes along the banks of Lake Pontchartrain. We estimate CO2 flux to be ~300 mg·m−2·h−1 and CH4 emissions to be ~2 mg·m−2·h−1, on average, across the diverse wetlands that span almost the entire southern shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain. We note that our studies of created wetlands along the shoreline do not show significant differences in soil carbon emissions relative to natural wetlands in this region. We found a moderate positive correlation between the tea bag index and CO2 flux. Other greenhouse gases, such as N2O or NH3, were either low or undetectable. No fugitive gases were detected in our studies. Further studies are underway, including the development of autonomous systems to measure high-resolution time-dense carbon fluxes in wetlands, to better understand greenhouse gas emissions in this region, and to use the tea bag index as an alternative for assessing carbon fluxes.
Susana Ferrufino Amador, Research Associate, Xavier University of Louisiana, email sferrufi@xula.edu., Iraca
Eliza Dione Jackson, Undergraduate Student Researcher, Xavier University of Louisiana, email ijacks15@xula.edu, Kamryn Bree Hall, Undergraduate Student Researcher, Xavier University of Louisiana, email: khall19@xula.edu, Hawa Khan, Undergraduate Student Researcher, Xavier University of Louisiana, email: hkhan2@xula.edu
Aaron Ellig
Keeping Tabs on Mitigation: Sound Transit’s Approach to Long-term Monitoring
This session provides an overview of Sound Transit’s long-term mitigation monitoring program that tracks the development of restoration and compensatory mitigation sites and supports ongoing management decisions. Permittee-responsible mitigation is widely used to compensate for unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources associated with major infrastructure projects. The development of compensatory mitigation sites is often complex, requiring coordination among Tribal partners and compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory requirements. Sound Transit currently monitors four restoration corridors and 12 individual mitigation sites across the 130+ mile system, with ongoing system expansions planned for a 252-mile regional network. Monitoring long linear corridors presents unique challenges including site access, traffic safety, and maintaining habitat continuity. Currently, mitigation sites are primarily associated with two Link light rail lines spanning 51 miles through multiple jurisdictions in King and Snohomish counties. Collectively, these restoration corridors and individual mitigation sites encompass approximately 60 acres.
Monitoring activities include periodic assessment of vegetation communities, hydrologic conditions, invasive species presence, stream channel and bank conditions, culvert function, wildlife observations, and general site conditions. These data support regulatory compliance while also providing foresight into the success of different mitigation types within riparian corridors, floodplains, wetlands, and stream systems.
Long-term monitoring programs serve a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness of mitigation efforts by supporting regulatory compliance and informing adaptive management strategies. While most mitigation projects undergo a limited 5-10 years monitoring
period following construction, broader programmatic monitoring programs can identify trends that can help improve future project implementation, data management practices, and long-term stewardship across a larger transportation network.
Marti Louther, marti.louther@soundtransit.org, Ecosystems Manager, Sound Transit
Summer Elmore
Designing the Marl Place Wetland Mitigation Site
The proposed wetland restoration site located in Steuben County, Indiana was designed using a variety of data sources including referencing a nearby protected fen. Understanding the comparable and contrasting characteristics was essential to develop the proposed grading and planting plan to achieve our goal for credit generation for the In Lieu Fee Mitigation program.
Molly Baughman, PWS, mbaughman@chasolutions.com, Senior Scientist, CHA Consulting, Inc.
Nicholas Enwright
Incorporating Wetland Drowning Thresholds to Assess the Spatiotemporal Variability in Potential Wetland Migration and Submergence from Sea-Level Rise
There is growing concern that sea-level rise (SLR) rates could exceed the upper bounds of coastal wetland vertical movement leading to eventual wetland submergence in the coming decades. Consequently, natural resource managers are pressed to understand where and when wetlands will change with SLR, especially at regional and national scales. To support resource management, researchers are beginning to elucidate when SLR rates will outpace the vertical movement of wetlands by using paleo-stratigraphic and contemporary accretion measurements. These rates can be considered coastal wetland drowning thresholds and can be used to develop a model that can be rapidly applied at large scales. Our model represents a compromise between simple elevationbased models with constant accretion and sophisticated biogeomorphic process-based models. This approach addresses error in digital elevation models for wetlands, incorporates uncertainty in current and future water levels, and uses recent literature on coastal wetland drowning thresholds. Our approach, named Simulation
of Wetland Impacts from Future Flooding and Topography (SWIFFT), was used to predict wetland change with sea-level rise along the middle and upper Texas coast (USA). SWIFFT delineates wetlands based on the frequency of exposure to oceanic flooding (i.e., regularly oceanic-flooded wetlands [wetlands exposed to oceanic water daily] and irregularly oceanic-flooded wetlands [wetlands exposed to oceanic water less frequently than daily]). We found that contemporary wetland maps from SWIFFT had a high level of agreement (>87%) with existing national wetland maps. For the intermediate relative sea-level rise scenario, extensive change is predicted within the study area by 2100, including a net decrease in coverage of irregularly oceanic-flooded wetlands (-37%) and regularly oceanicflooded wetlands (-23%). The wetland migration space is largely made up of existing wetlands (>70%). However, upland areas will also be impacted, such as pasture/hay and grassland, which make up 14% and 16% of the migration space, respectively. This presentation will highlight the spatiotemporal variability of wetland submergence, wetland migration, and impacts from wetland migration for watersheds with differing topography. Overall, SWIFFT provides natural resource managers with the information to develop location-specific strategies that balance trade-offs associated with wetland change from SLR.
Michael J. Osland (mosland@usgs.gov; U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center), Jena A. Moon (Jena_Moon@fws.gov; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Bethanie M. Simons (bsimons@contractor.usgs. gov; Cherokee Nation System Solutions, Contracted to the U.S. Geological Survey), Joseph D. Lancaster (jlancaster@ ducks.org; Gulf Coast Joint Venture; Ducks Unlimited, Inc.), Sarah E. Lehnen (sarah_lehnen@fws.gov; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System), Colt R. Sanspree (colt_sanspree@fws.gov; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Camille L. Stagg (staggc@usgs.gov; U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center), Barry C. Wilson (barry_wilson@fws.gov; Gulf Coast Joint Venture; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and Davina L. Passeri (dpasseri@usgs.gov; U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center)
Emily Farrer
Plant-Microbe Interactions in Phragmites australis:
Implications for Invasion Dynamics with Environmental Change
Many invasive species rely on microbial symbionts in the soil to enhance their invasive growth and spread. However, plant-microbe interactions and their effectiveness at promoting invasion may differ across environmental conditions. Here we explore how plant-microbe interactions in Phragmites australis (common reed) and native plants change with salinity, an environmental variable that varies across space and is expected to change in the future with sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. We use surveys and greenhouse experiments manipulating microbes and salinity to test their effects on plant performance. We hypothesize that 1) salinity affects Phragmites’s and native plants’ soil microbiomes differently, 2) salinity alters plant-soil feedbacks of Phragmites and native plants in different ways, and 3) increases in salinity due to environmental change influence Phragmites and native plants via alteration of microbial communities. We found that salinity affects soil fungal and bacterial communities differently in Phragmites vs. native plants. One example of this is that Phragmites retains high fungal pathogen abundance in all salinity levels, whereas native plants experience a decrease in fungal pathogens from fresh to brackish areas. We found that Phragmites produces positive plant-soil feedbacks in fresh and brackish conditions, whereas natives produce positive feedbacks in fresh conditions and negative feedbacks in brackish conditions. Furthermore, while elevated salinity per se did not directly affect Phragmites or native plant growth, high salinity microbes promoted Phragmites growth and hindered native plant growth. Overall, our results suggest that salinity has very different effects on Phragmites’s vs. native plants’ interactions with microbes, with higher salinity levels generally favoring Phragmites growth. Thus, as saltwater intrusion increases in the future, Phragmites may benefit, at least over the short term, as communities transition and reassemble.
Christina Birnbaum, University of Southern Queensland, Susannah Halbrook, UC Davis, Nicholas Jacobs, Tulane University, Nelle Kulick, Tulane University, Carolyn Schroeder, Environmental Protection Agency, Pawel Waryszak, University of Southern Queensland, William Wilber, University of Notre Dame
Jennifer Favela
Workflow and Approaches for Jurisdictional Determination Requests
Jurisdictional Determinations (JDs) continue to play an essential role in land development, regulatory compliance, and environmental permitting. This presentation will provide an overview of the workflow and strategic decision-making involved in submitting and processing JD requests to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE).
Attendees will gain insight into evolving considerations for Approved JDs (AJDs) and Preliminary JDs (PJDs), including when site visits are likely necessary, when desktop documentation may suffice, and how staffing limitations and agency prioritization of permit actions over stand-alone JDs affect review timelines. We will compare stand-alone JD submittals versus permitintegrated approaches and discuss implications for delineation confirmation limits and future project phases.
The session will also address state-level considerations in Virginia, including Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) State Surface Water Determinations (SSWDs) in wetland delineation confirmations. Through practical examples, we will explore what data is most effective for straightforward requests versus more complex jurisdictional evaluations.
As stand-alone JDs become less predictable in timing and priority, thinking several steps ahead is increasingly critical. Whether your project goal is feasibility analysis, permit strategy, or minimizing federal coordination triggers, this session will equip consultants, developers, and regulators with tools to evaluate the best path forward in a changing regulatory environment.
Kevin Fistanic
Analysis of Environmental Factors Affecting Pacific Cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) in Southern California Salt Marshes
In southern California salt marshes, Spartina foliosa (Pacific cordgrass) is a foundational low marsh species that provides nesting habitat for the endangered Light-footed Ridgway’s Rail and enhances sediment accretion that buffers erosion and sea level rise. Taller and denser patches improve habitat structure and sediment trapping. Therefore, identifying environmental drivers of these traits is critical for understanding resilience of these systems as well as for planning restoration projects. This study examined variation in stem height, patch density, and photosynthetic rate across four southern California estuaries with variable physical and biological conditions. Stem height and density were measured within 1m2 quadrats at each site. Photosynthetic rate was measured on a subset of stems in each plot using a LI-6400/XT Portable Photosynthesis System. Water quality metrics were measured in nearby tidal channels, and elevation at plot edges was recorded with a Trimble RTK GPS. The presence of scale insects on stems was recorded.
Stem height was greater at Huntington Beach Wetlands than at other sites. At Bolsa Chica, stem height increased at higher elevation and decreased when total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water column were higher. Higher TDS values reflect decreased water clarity, suggesting reduced plant height when turbidity is higher. In contrast, patches at Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge were shorter and less dense, with few significant correlations to abiotic parameters or temperature and dissolved oxygen gradients.
Stem density did not differ significantly across estuaries. Density was the only trait significantly associated with scale insect presence, with infested patches exhibiting reduced density relative to uninfested patches. Height and density were negatively correlated at all estuaries, suggesting potential structural trade-offs between growth and patch expansion.
There was no significant difference for photosynthetic rate among estuaries. Photosynthetic rate was not correlated with any environmental parameters. We hypothesize that morphology may respond more
readily to site conditions than short-term physiological dynamics. These findings suggest restoration strategies aimed at enhancing rail habitat and sediment stability should prioritize conditions that promote patch density and vertical growth, particularly elevation and water clarity, while accounting for scale insect infestation.
Christine Whitcraft, Ph.D. Professor of Biological Sciences at California State University, Long Beach. christine. whitcraft@csulb.edu
Dangelei Fox
A Primer on Sound Transit and Washington State Ecosystems
Sound Transit is currently building the largest transit expansion in the U.S. to serve growing communities in the Seattle metropolitan area. Sound Transit’s mission is to provide affordable, convenient, and sustainable transit as an alternative to driving; to build and operate a comprehensive regional system, with extensive voter-approved expansion projects underway; and to connect people to jobs, education, and recreation across the region. In addition to commuter trains and express buses, Sound Transit is expanding its light rail system from its current 22 miles to a 62-mile core network in the Puget Sound region, with a longterm goal of a 252-mile regional system.
Impacts to wetlands and streams are unavoidable as our transit system expands through the highly urbanized Seattle region. To lay the groundwork for the symposium, this first session will provide an overview of Sound Transit’s mission and goals, our projects and where they are located, the ecology of western Washington, and the wetland systems in the Puget Sound region.
Shelby Petro, Senior Scientist, PWS, SPetro@parametrix. com, Parametrix
Emily Fromenthal
Impacts of Containment Diking in Louisiana Marshes Restored with Dredged Material
The marshes of Louisiana’s Upper Barataria Basin are critical habitat for ecologically important species, including crustaceans, fishes, and marine mammals, and serve as a barrier to hurricane storm surge. To help remedy wetland ecosystem injuries resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the Large-Scale Marsh Creation – Upper Barataria Component Marsh Restoration Project was completed in April 2023, creating 1,170 acres of intertidal brackish marsh. Five marsh creation areas (MCAs) were constructed with varying levels of containment diking resulting in one fully confined MCA, three partially confined MCAs, and one completely unconfined MCA. Because containment dikes can influence flooding frequency and depth, they can affect a wide range of wetland ecosystem functions.
The overarching objective of this presentation is to assess impacts of restoration activity and specific construction features (e.g., dike gapping, unconfined fill) on land area change, wetland primary productivity, soil properties, and secondary productivity over the next twenty years. Here, we identify initial conditions of wetland primary productivity and soil characteristics and highlight early effects of containment diking on vegetation succession. Within one year postconstruction, vegetation cover by species, soil bulk properties, and elevation were assessed by establishing survey plots within each discrete habitat type across each MCA and reference site (N = 6 sites). Plot selection was informed by geo-rectified satellite imagery, elevation data, and dominant vegetation species, resulting in 137 vegetation plots and 107 soil core subsamples. We present data for primary productivity (Vegetation Volume Index) and community composition (Floristic Quality Index) across restored and reference sites and across different levels of containment diking. We expect significant differences in community composition and vegetation productivity between confined and unconfined areas. We further anticipate that marsh surface elevation and soil characteristics in unconfined sites will more closely resemble reference conditions than those in confined sites. Collectively, these baseline data establish
a foundation for long-term restoration assessment, and initial findings on containment diking can inform adaptive management decisions to improve restoration outcomes.
Camille L. Stagg, staggc@usgs.gov, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Brett A. Patton, pattonb@usgs. gov, Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Erin Kiskaddon, ekiskaddon@thewaterinstitute.org, Coastal Ecologist, The Water Institute
Daniella Gavriel
Effects of Oyster Bed Morphology on Wave Abatement and Sedimentation in a Southern California Embayment
California’s coastal wetland habitats have drastically declined due to anthropogenic activities. These valuable ecosystems provide vital ecosystem services such as sequestering carbon, supporting animals, and minimizing the effects of erosion, storm damage, and pollution. Therefore, efforts to restore these wetland habitats are increasingly essential and require a greater understanding of restoration methods and their trajectories. This research focuses on an ongoing Living Shorelines restoration project using native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) with adjacent eelgrass (Zostera marina) to determine if these ecosystem engineers can effectively protect shorelines while supporting increased habitat provision. Oyster beds were constructed at four sites PCH, West Cliff (WC), De Anza (DA), and Shellmaker (SM) in Newport Bay, CA in 2017; changes in bed morphology (height, volume, elevation range) were monitored for three years using small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). In addition, we measured metrics of habitat provision including point contacts for oyster population density and recruitment, and metrics for physical parameters, including wave loggers for quantifying wave abatement. From 20202022, oyster bed morphology (area, height, and volume) shifted in relation to site-specific characteristics, including wave energy and human disturbance. Bed area increased most at the sites with the most extensive human activity (PCH, WC, DA). Oyster density decreased on the lower vertical relief beds, while oyster density on the entire bed scaled with the total bed area. Oyster recruitment did not vary with bed morphology. Finally, the sediment accretion was predictive based on bed morphology and creation method. This project
increases understanding of how oyster bed morphology changes through time and with site conditions, as well as the role of bed morphology in supporting native biodiversity and shoreline resilience. Data from this study inform restoration design and links structural elements of oyster beds to functional characteristics that are the target of many living shoreline projects.
Danielle C. Zacherl Ph.D., Christine R. Whitcraft Ph.D.
Ping Gong
Development of RNAi-Mediated Gene Silencing Technology for Invasive Phragmites control: Challenges, Progress, and Perspectives
RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing has shown promising applications in pest and pathogen management, evidenced by the success of Calantha, the first RNAi-based biopesticide in the market for targetspecific Colorado potato beetle control. However, the application of RNAi to the control of invasive plants (weeds included) has been lagging, owing to several challenges. They include (1) the lack of genomic/ genetic information of target species, (2) insufficient characterization and mechanistic understanding of target genes and pathways, and (3) technical difficulties in intracellular delivery, stability and efficacy of gene silencing agents (nucleic acids). The past decade has witnessed increasing interests in applying the RNAibased approaches to silencing endogenous genes to alter plant traits, albeit most work being conducted on model plant species (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana). Such work laid the foundation and established technical feasibility for developing RNAibased bioherbicides for weed/invasive plant species control. In this talk, we will introduce our endeavor to develop an RNAi-based biopesticide to manage Phragmites australis and implement a strategy that could be adapted for other weeds and invasive plants. Specifically, the talk will cover the following topics: (1) genome sequencing and annotation, (2) target gene identification and resequencing, (3) design, synthesis and screening of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) and hairpin RNA (hpRNA)-expressing chassis, (4) selection and testing of nanocarriers as delivery vehicle for the nucleic acid (dsRNA/hpRNA chassis) payload, (5) scale-up of dsRNA and hpRNA plasmid production for field application, and (6) other latest
progress (e.g., loop-ended dsRNA), remaining gaps and future directions. This exciting new species-specific technology is just one of several innovative approaches in development to provide additional tools for invasive plant managers.
Kurt Kowalski, kkowalski@usgs.gov, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey - Great Lakes Science Center., Seung Ho Chung, Seung.H.Chung@usace.army.mil, Research Biologist, Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research Center., Maheshi Dassanayake, Maheshid@lsu.edu, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University., Kumaran Nagalingam, kumaran.nagalingam@csiro.au, Senior Research Scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia
Ian Grosfelt
NAWM and SWS MARSH Mentorship Program and the Future of Early Career Support in Wetland Fields
In 2022, NAWM and the Society of Wetland Scientists came together to build a programmatic solution to ease the transition of new professionals into the field. Many state and tribal wetland programs were seeing their veterans retire, taking with them troves of institutional knowledge. Universities can teach the science and offer field basics, but the early career intangibles and small skills need continued support. Tasks like filling out and evaluating permits, making wetland determinations, and even building relationships with clients, landowners, and communities, often exist in gray areas that cannot be taught from a textbook. Mentorship is the key that provides continuing support for new wetlanders to navigate these challenges and integrate themselves into a wider community of practice. NAWM and SWS, along with the SWS Professional Certification Program (SWSPCP), leveraged feedback from their memberships to build the basics of what would become the MARSH program (Mentorship Assisted Resource and Support Hub). Launching in 2023, the program connects mentee applicants to a one-year one-on-one mentorship with an experienced professional with similar disciplinary interests.
This session will discuss the lessons learned from facilitating four years of the MARSH program and present future growth opportunities including a partnership with the newly established SWS Early
Career Working Group to develop continued support for “graduated” mentees beyond the program. Time will be built in for a group discussion for session attendees to voice the knowledge gaps they see in their workplaces and how mentorship and other resources can address them.
Summer Slama, summer.slama@state.co.us, Environmental Project Manager, Colorado Department of Transportation., Whitney Kroschel, whitney_kroschel@fws.gov, Wildlife Refuge Manager, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Tom Groves
Field Implementation and Modifications of a Rapid Above-Ground Vegetation Carbon Data Collection Protocol
The vegetative carbon sampling portion of this study used a standardized field-based sampling framework to quantify vegetation structure, composition, and biomass across upland–wetland gradients. At each study site, a four-plot design was implemented consisting of a combined Transition Upland (Tran Up) and Transition Wetland (Tran Wet), and separate Far Upland (Far Up), and Far Wetland (Far Wet) plots. Transition plots were established along delineated wetland boundaries, with center points georeferenced using a sub-meter accuracy GNSS receiver. Vegetation sampling areas (18 m radius) were established along the upland–wetland interface and subdivided along fixed azimuth transects (45°/225° and 135°/315°). Far plots (Wet and Up) were located ≥18 m from transition center points within the according habitat types (Far Wet/Up) to prevent sampling overlap between transition and homogenous vegetative sampling plots.
Vegetation structure measurements were collected using Robel pole visual obstruction readings at standardized distances (2 m and 7 m) along transects. Fine and coarse downed woody debris were quantified using line-intersect methods, including size-class categorization, decay classification, and diameter and length measurements for any debris over greater than 3 inches dbh. Duff depth was calculated at two locations at each of the four plots.
Destructive biomass sampling was conducted within 50 cm × 50 cm quadrats positioned along designated transects. Vegetation was harvested and sorted into woody, herbaceous, and litter components, bagged,
and transported for laboratory drying and mass determination. Tree (>5 in dbh), sapling (1–5 in dbh), and seedling (<1 in dbh; >6 in height) inventories were conducted using fixed-radius plot and subplot methods. All sampling activities were documented through standardized data sheets, geospatial coordinates, field diagrams, and site photography to ensure quality assurance and reproducibility.
This design enabled consistent comparison of structural attributes, species composition, woody debris distribution, and biomass allocation across upland–wetland transition gradients.
Matthew
Duveneck, Post Doctoral Fellow, Harvard Forest, Harvard University
Sebastian Gutwein
Developing Standardized Protocols for Ecosystem Carbon Assessment Across Massachusetts
This presentation describes the development of a field and laboratory protocol to support consistent assessment of soil and vegetation carbon across a range of ecosystem types in Massachusetts. The protocol provides standardized procedures for plot establishment, soil sampling and sample handling, vegetation measurements, and field documentation, enabling coordinated data collection by multiple teams and supporting reproducible carbon assessments. While methods were developed and tested along wetland–upland forest gradients, the framework is meant to be broadly applicable across diverse landscapes. A key feature is its integration with a database that captures standardized, detailed data, allowing samples and observations to be consistently recorded, analyzed, and compared both across sites and over time.
Protocol development involved synthesizing existing soil science, wetland monitoring, and forest inventory methods and adapting them for integrated soil and vegetation carbon assessment. The team collaborated to identify approaches that balance scientific rigor with the practical realities of fieldwork and refined procedures through pilot testing and iterative review. By linking standardized field and laboratory methods with a structured database, the framework generates highquality, comparable datasets across ecosystem types and
supports consistent monitoring of soil and vegetation carbon over time. Subsequent presentations in this session describe the associated field sampling methods, laboratory analysis, and results generated using the protocol.
Nate Card, natec@rdg.coop, resilience planner, Regenerative Design Group; Rafter Ferguson, rafterf@ rdg.coop, senior researcher, Regenerative Design Group; Gillian Davies, gdavies@bscgroup.com, Senior Ecologist/ Natural Climate Solutions Specialist, BSC Group; Jenny Watts, jwatts@woodwellclimate.org, Associate Scientist, Woodwell Climate Research Center; Taniya RoyChowdhury, troychowdhury@woodwellclimate.org, research scientist, Woodwell Climate Research Center; Matthew Duveneck, mduveneck@gmail.com, independent researcher
Ryan Hammons
Colorado Regulation 87: Implications for State Dredge/Fill Programs
Beginning in January 2023, in anticipation of a ruling to limit the extent of waters of the U.S. (Sackett v. EPA), Colorado drafted the Clean Water Implementation Policy 17 (CW-17). The policy was signed 30 days after the ruling in Sackett v. EPA on June 26, 2023 to protect "gap waters", waters no longer protected under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act due to the Sackett ruling. This policy directed development in Colorado to obtain review of any dredge/fill activities within gap waters, but did not provide clear enforcement actions or terms and conditions suitable for a state program. Approximately 11 months after CW-17, House Bill (HB) 24-1379 was signed which directed the state to create a program that regulated dredge/fill activities within state waters. HB 24-1379 provided stakeholders helpful information regarding the upcoming program, including types of authorizations (general and individual), regulated and exempt state waters and activities, and an avenue for temporary authorization in the interim.
Alexandria
Hancock
Improving Spatial Prediction of Coastal Wetland Loss through Wind Pattern and Coastal Wetland Patch Analysis
Coastal wetlands provide a wide range of ecosystem services and play a critical role in protecting coastal environments where large populations and key infrastructure are concentrated. Predicting coastal wetland change under sea-level rise is an important tool for identifying hotspots of wetland loss and informing effective restoration and conservation strategies. However, current coastal wetland change models often struggle to accurately predict both the magnitude and the spatial location of change. In general, predicting the location of change is more challenging than predicting the overall amount. In this study, we aim to improve the accuracy of spatial predictions by examining the relationship between wind patterns and wetland loss, as it is heavily driven by wind generated waves that cause edge erosion. Our objectives are to (1) identify the dominant wind directions across different seasons and assess whether they have shifted over the past 30 years, and (2) examine where wetland loss occurs and how it relates to dominant wind directions. The study focuses on a coastal wetland area in Louisiana near the Pointau-Chien Indian Tribe, which is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surge due to its low elevation and extensive anthropogenic impacts from oil and gas exploration, such as dredged canals. Using GIS analysis, we find that wetland loss in this region primarily occurs on the northern edges of wetland patches, which aligns with the dominant northerly winds in winter. This pattern suggests that winter winddriven wave activity plays a major role in long-term coastal wetland erosion in the area.
Wei Wu, Ph.D. Professor, Landscape Ecology, Division of Coastal Sciences, School of Ocean Sciences and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Wei. wu@usm.edu., Matthew Bethel, Ph.D.,Associate Executive Director for Research Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, Louisiana State University, mbethe3@lsu.edu
Emily
Hartdegen
Science Driven Policy: Protecting Orange County’s Wetlands
In recent years, the Orange County Environmental Protection Division has undergone significant efforts to update their wetland protection ordinance (Article X) and associated wetland permitting processes. The State of the Wetlands (SOTW) Study was completed in 2023 by Drummond Carpenter to provide a scientific basis that directed how Article X should be updated. The primary goal of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the County’s current wetland ordinance, which was originally adopted in 1987, at preserving both the quantity (i.e., spatial coverage) and quality (i.e., function and health) of the County’s wetlands. To accomplish this, a comprehensive scientific evaluation within the County was completed that compares the historic inventory of the County’s wetlands with present day conditions and provides an analysis of the ecosystem services and hydrologic responses associated with changes to wetland area and function. Following this effort, the County’s wetland permitting processes were updated to better protect remaining wetland resources and promote sustainable growth within Orange County. The updated code was approved unanimously by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in December 2023 and took effect on June 1, 2024. This project received the 2025 Excellence in Conservation and Countryside Diamond Award from the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) and the 2025 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties for its protection of valuable wetlands.
Songjie He
Blue Carbon and Nutrient Cycling in Subtropical Seagrass Ecosystems of the Mississippi Barrier Islands
Seagrass ecosystems play a fundamental role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon in their sediments and biomass, effectively limiting carbon exchange with the atmosphere over millennial timescales. Seagrasses are typically net sources of alkalinity and can therefore buffer ocean acidification, reducing detrimental effects on calcifying marine organisms. Despite their high efficiency in carbon storage and alkalinity generation, a research gap remains regarding how subtropical seagrass meadows
perform these ecosystem functions in the Gulf of Mexico. Incorporating multiple components of the carbon and nutrient cycles, including dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), carbon dioxide (pCO2), methane (CH4), nitrate + nitrite (NO3 - + NO2-), ammonium (NH4+), and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), provides a more comprehensive understanding of the carbon and nutrient budgets of the Mississippi Sound. We analyzed samples from more than 80 locations across four barrier islands - Cat Island, Ship Island, Horn Island, and Petit Bois Island - during the 2025 growing season. Preliminary DIC and TA results indicate that the sampled seagrass meadows were net sources of TA, with TA/DIC ratios greater than 1 across all four islands. Concentrations of DIC, TA, DOC, pCO2, CH4, and nutrients will be evaluated alongside environmental parameters such as salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH, as well as meadow characteristics including percent cover and species composition, to identify the environmental drivers of carbon and nutrient dynamics. This study contributes to the limited body of research on subtropical seagrass blue carbon dynamics and provides the first known dataset for this region. The findings highlight carbon sequestration, transport, and transformation along with nutrient retention and cycling as critical ecosystem services of seagrass meadows, offering valuable insights to inform restoration and conservation efforts in the Mississippi Sound.
Songjie He, Vivian Tidd, Francis Driscoll, Caitlin M. Young, Kelly M. Darnell, Zachary Darnell, Kevin Dillon
Jon Hebert
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge History, Overview, & Management
Located in southwestern Louisiana, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge borders the Gulf of Mexico for 26.5 miles and extends inland toward the Grand Chenier ridge, a stranded beach ridge, 6 miles from the Gulf. When the Rockefeller Foundation donated the property to the state in 1919, the refuge encompassed approximately 86,000 acres. However, beach erosion has taken a heavy toll on the refuge, and the most recent surveys indicate only 71,000 acres remain. Consisting of intermediate, brackish, and saline marshes, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge provides a rich but fragile
marsh complex that is home to an array of wildlife and fish species. Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge is not only a refuge for wildlife and fish species but also serves as an outdoor laboratory for collaborative research on marsh management and wildlife and fisheries resources, provides educational opportunities for groups of all ages, and is a top destination for outdoor recreation, including wildlife watching and fishing. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has conserved the wildlife and habitat on Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge through biological management for more than 100 years. Today, the refuge serves as a test site for marsh management strategies to limit saltwater intrusion, reverse marsh deterioration, and provide productive wildlife habitat for years to come.
Andy Herb
Digging Deeper Into Wetland Restoration: Does Active Revegetation Buy More Than Just Plant Cover?
Many wetlands around the globe have been severely degraded by anthropogenic activities and require earthwork-intensive remedies to restore lost or impaired wetland functions. These remedies often leave the newly restored ground surface devoid of living plants and in need of revegetation. A common, and sometimes costly, revegetation approach is the manual installation of live plant material or "active revegetation." While the addition of live plants is frequently focused on increasing vegetation cover as quickly as possible (often to meet regulatory requirements), it can also kickstart the development of specific vegetation communities and expedite the return of processes that support healthy wetlands. But, could practitioners meet desired outcomes by revegetating these sites through seeding or natural recruitment only? I’ll dig into this topic by sharing various revegetation techniques that I have employed on dozens of wetland restoration projects in the Rocky Mountain Region, USA; summarizing post-intervention, long-term, quantitative monitoring results from a subset of these sites that were actively revegetated; and discussing the variables that are important to consider when planning the revegetation approach for freshwater wetland restoration projects.
Matthew Hiatt
Phragmites australis and Hydrodynamics in the Mississippi River Delta
Vegetation exerts significant influence on hydrodynamics in river delta channels and wetlands, which has implications for sediment deposition and erosion, deltaic evolution, and wetland management. In the Mississippi River Delta (MRD), Phragmites australis is an abundant species that lines channel banks and wetland fringes, but is experiencing widespread dieback that exacerbates the MRD’s vulnerability to myriad environmental and anthropogenic pressures. Quantifying hydrodynamics, channel-wetland connectivity, and sediment transport modulated by Phragmites at various densities, life stages, spatial scales and seasonal trends increases our ability to forecast the fate of the deltaic systems. Seasonal acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) surveys along South Pass indicate that discharge decreases seaward as water is routed into smaller distributary channels and overbank flow through the marsh platform. Comparisons with satellite imagery suggest that the rate of discharge loss through major channels depends on the presence of channel bank vegetation near the distributary channel mouth. In concert with discharge observations, measurements of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) show a generally decreasing mass flux of sand and mud moving downstream, with relative concentrations indicating in-channel deposition of sand then mud. Qualitative observations suggest higher vegetation densities along channel banks lead to higher values of channel SSC, which may limit delivery to wetlands but increase the potential for channel extension and progradation. To directly observe flow modulation from Phragmites at the patch spatial scale, a small unoccupied aerial system (sUAS) collected multi-spectral aerial photos of dye propagation near and through patches of Phragmites at varying densities. Using band ratios to distinguish between water, vegetation, and dye, the change in water velocity caused by vegetation was observed and analyzed. The less dense patches had velocity magnitude reductions, while at higher densities, the flow was completely rerouted.
Sarah Brannum, Kory M. Konsoer
David Hicks
Ducks Unlimited and Coastal Impoundments in Louisiana: Enhancement, Management, Research, and the Louisiana Mottled Duck Project
The Gulf Coast provides critical wintering habitat for millions of waterfowl. Since 2020 Ducks Unlimited (DU) and partners have invested approximately $80 million in conservation efforts in south Louisiana, benefiting 250,000 acres. DU enhances coastal impoundments consisting of brackish, intermediate, and freshwater marsh, rice fields, and moist-soil units. Enhancement activities include the installation, repair, or replacement of impoundment infrastructure (e.g. water control structures, levees, marsh terraces) to manage hydroperiod, regulate salinity levels, minimize erosion, and stimulate the growth of food resources for wintering waterfowl. The Louisiana Mottled Duck Project (LMP) also enhances coastal impoundments through active management for mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula). Mottled Duck populations have declined by more than 60% in Louisiana since 2011, and recruitment is considered the major limiting factor to population growth. In 2022, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and DU established LMP to manage brood rearing habitat on private lands. LMP enhances or creates shallow wetlands for brood rearing mottled ducks by providing incentive payments to private landowners to maintain shallow water in impoundments from February 1 – July 31. LMP also provides incentive payments for landowners that manage vegetation in impoundments to approximate hemi-marsh conditions (50% open water, 50% vegetation), which provides both open water foraging areas and escape cover in emergent vegetation. To date we have enhanced 5,176 acres through LMP in southwest Louisiana. We monitor brood usage monthly from April – July on LMP sites using a drone mounted thermal camera. Brood surveys over the past two years have observed 55 mottled duck broods and 988 total mottled ducks using project sites. We have also observed 45 distinct waterbird species, including 17 species using project sites as breeding habitat (nesting, brood rearing, or juvenile foraging activities). Upcoming research conducted by the Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit will formally investigate the efficacy of LMP to provide
beneficial habitat for mottled ducks that otherwise may not be available on the landscape. This study will provide a better understanding of LMP’s influence on seasonal habitat quality and corresponding use by mottled ducks and other waterbirds, as well as potential implications on overwintering habitat quality for migratory waterfowl.
Owen Best; obest@wlf.la.gov; North American Waterfowl Management Plan Coordinator; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Lafayette, LA, USA, 70506., Jason Olszak; jolszak@wlf.la.gov; Waterfowl Program Leader; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Lafayette, LA, USA, 70506., Drew Fowler; dfowler@agcenter.lsu. edu; Acting Unit Leader; Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Baton Rouge, LA, USA, 70803; Louisiana State University; School of Renewable Natural Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, USA, 70803., Aaron Pierce; apierce@ducks.org; Director, Conservation Science and Planning, Southern Region; Ducks Unlimited, Lafayette, LA, USA, 70508
Eva Hillmann
Long-Term Development of a Constructed Intermediate Marsh on an Urban Shoreline
Urban shorelines increasingly incorporate created wetlands to restore ecological function, yet long-term datasets documenting how these systems develop and persist under disturbance remain limited. Bucktown Marsh, a 1.42 ha constructed intermediate marsh along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, LA, was created in the early 2000s to mitigate harbor dredging and land reclamation activities. The site has been monitored intermittently since 2005 and annually since 2018, providing a rare multi-decadal record of ecological development for a small marsh embedded within a highly engineered urban shoreline. Here we synthesize results from recent monitoring seasons within the context of this longer observational record to evaluate ecological trajectory and disturbance response. Twentyfive permanent vegetation plots distributed across five marsh habitat zones were surveyed for vegetation composition, percent cover, species richness, and Floristic Quality Index, alongside measurements of soil salinity, soil properties, and surface elevation. Soil salinity ranged from 1.2–3.5 ppt and marsh elevation remained stable across the monitoring network, indicating persistence of intermediate marsh conditions.
Vegetation cover ranged from 54–80%, and 24 plant species were recorded across plots. Floristic Quality Index values increased from 26.3 to 28.4, reflecting a gradual shift from opportunistic assemblages toward higher-value native wetland vegetation including Spartina patens and Polygonum hydroperoides. These trajectories persisted despite exposure to multiple recent disturbances, including Hurricane Francine in 2024 and an unprecedented regional snow and freeze event in January 2025. Marsh elevation, vegetation cover, and soil characteristics remained broadly consistent with prior monitoring years, suggesting the system has progressed beyond an initial establishment phase toward a more stable intermediate marsh assemblage. However, localized expansion of invasive species, particularly Colocasia esculenta, continues to pose a management challenge where dense monocultures suppress native vegetation. This multi-decadal record demonstrates that even small, constructed marshes embedded within urban shorelines can sustain ecological function and continue successional development under repeated climatic disturbance, while highlighting the importance of long-term monitoring and targeted invasive species management to support durable coastal restoration outcomes.
community composition differed significantly between reference and altered sites. Notably, the altered site within the Lake DeCade setting in particular exhibited significantly elevated levels of pore water sulfides, a potent phytotoxin associated with saline influence. This may indicate a synergy between salinity level and additional stressors that acts to reduce floating marsh health. Interestingly, species composition at Lake DeCade differed significantly from species composition at either Lac des Allemands or Lake Boeuf; however, vegetation species composition did not differ between Lac des Allemands and Lake Boeuf. These differences likely reflect differences in salinity level, with Lake DeCade experiencing a greater degree of saline influence than the remaining sites. Although data collection is ongoing, these initial findings reinforce the clear impact of salinity on floating marsh health and sustainability.
Ivy Norton, Noah Wurtzel, Gary LaFleur, Christopher Bonvillain, and Jonathan Willis
Audra Hinson
Assessing the Natural and Future Resiliency of Key Wetland Ecosystem Services in the Face of Natural Changes, Disturbances, and Growing Populations
Floating marsh, colloquially known as flotant in Louisiana, is a unique and valuable habitat type that supports crucial ecosystem functions, including nutrient regulation and habitat provision. Despite the importance of floating marshes, scientific understanding of its sustainability under stressors, such as eutrophication and salinization, are poorly understood. To address these data gaps, a field investigation was initiated to elucidate how floating marsh substrate integrity, vegetation community composition, and pore water biogeochemical status differed between geographic setting (Lac des Allemands, Lake Boeuf. Lake DeCade) and visual status (reference, altered) in southern Louisiana. Preliminary findings indicate that vegetation
Ecosystem services are an integral and vital aspect of the resiliency and sustainability of human-natural landscapes. These services can cover a range of benefits, including nutrient mitigation, soil health, sediment retention, floodwater capacity, and essential species habitat. Of all the terrestrial ecosystems, wetlands are one of the greatest providers of ecosystem services on a per capita basis. However, there are continuous stressors (agriculture, population increases, urban development, etc.) as well as intermittent disturbances and hazards that threaten and alter the functionality of wetlands to provide these services. In conjunction with the rising uncertainty of the frequency and intensity of these stressors, there is increasing uncertainty on the feedbacks and interactions within the landscape, and how in turn this affects the reliability of vital ecosystem services. This study uses a combination of 30-year long term monitoring field data, remote sensing, and geospatial modeling to quantify and assess the trends for the vulnerability and quality of different ecosystem services from wetland ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic
David Baker, Jack Connelly, Nicole Cormier, Grace Townsend
Alexandra Himel
Role of Geographic Setting on Louisiana Floating Marsh Vegetation Community Composition and Porewater Characteristics
region of the United States. We incorporate multiple wetland types, management styles, vegetation types, and hydrological morphologies to gain a robust understanding of potential future scenarios and factors on both a local wetland scale and regional landscape scale. Specifically, we focus on nutrient mitigation, soil health, sediment retention, floodwater capacity, and essential species habitat as vital ecosystem services. We analyze 60 individual stressor indicators, categorized within 11 overarching natural and anthropogenic categories such as eutrophication, contamination, sedimentation, and hydrological modification with field data taken over 30 years. We aim to gain insights into how wetlands adapt to multiple stressors of varying intensity, and how this dynamic affects the quality and risk to different ecosystem services, which can be pivotal for the future health of these ecosystem services in the face of changing environmental and anthropogenic factors.
Cathleen Hapeman, cathleen.hapeman@usda.gov, Research Chemist, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)., Gregory McCarty, Retired Research Soil Scientist, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)., Xuesong Zhang, xuesong.zhang@usda.gov, Research Physical Scientist, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)., George Ogilvie-Russell, george.ogilvie-russell@usda. gov, ORISE intern, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)., Ling Du, lingdu@umd.gov, post-doc, University of Maryland (UMD)., Martin Rabenhorst, mrabenho@umd. edu, Professor, University of Maryland (UMD)., Kimberly Van Meter, vanmeterKVM@psu.edu, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University
David Hobbie
Society of Wetlands Scientist 2026 Conference Implementation of the Revised Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Definition and Updated NEPA Procedures
This presentation will be part of the symposium to discuss different aspects and ramifications of the changes in the definition of waters of the U.S., which the USACE and EPA proposed on November 20, 2025, related to implementing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA. As a result of the changes, fewer wetlands will have federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, including many bayous and bogs. Thus, more regulatory authority for wetland protection will fall to states that develop a wetland regulatory
program. Concurrently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implemented new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures in July 2025 (codified at 33 CFR Part 333) specifically for the Regulatory Program and Section 408 permissions. These procedures emphasize efficiency through statutory deadlines (one year for Environmental Assessments and two years for Environmental Impact Statements, with limited extensions).
Drawing on 34 years of direct experience implementing the USACE regulatory program in a diverse arena across the U.S., this presentation will detail how the Corps is operationalizing the narrowed WOTUS definition alongside these streamlined NEPA processes. Topics include updated approaches to jurisdictional determinations and permitting, practical challenges and strategies in the field, opportunities for state assumption or complementary programs, and implications for wetland scientists, regulators, and conservation. Case examples from varied geographic and hydrologic settings will highlight how fewer federal jurisdictional wetlands (such as isolated or non-abutting features) shift protection responsibilities to states, while expedited reviews benefit qualifying projects.
Seasonal Variability in Potential Iron Reduction Rates in Tidal Marsh Soils with Contrasting Salinity in the Mississippi River Delta Plain
Intertidal marshes are biogeochemical hotspots with unique porewater chemistries influenced by a suite of aerobic and anaerobic microbial respiration pathways that remineralize organic carbon (OC) in marsh soils. Microbial iron reduction can contribute substantially to anaerobic mineralization of organic matter but is rarely quantified in marsh soil compared to sulfate reduction or denitrification. This research focuses on understanding how microbial iron reduction rates change across marshes with contrasting salinity. Marsh soil cores were collected during February, June, and September from a freshwater marsh and March, May, and August from a salt marsh in 2025 in the Barataria Basin, located in the Mississippi River Delta Plain in Louisiana. Sediment slurries were created and incubated under anoxic conditions to determine potential iron reduction rates. Potential iron reduction
Gage Hunter
rates for the freshwater marsh ranged from 4.45 ± 0.13 to 6374.67 ± 385.91 mmol m-2 d-1; while rates in the salt marsh ranged from 0 to 2118.98 ± 77.56 mmol m-2 d-1. Potential iron reduction rates peaked in summer (June) in the freshwater marsh, whereas rates in the salt marsh peaked in fall (August). Potential iron reduction rates showed significant spatial heterogeneity within each marsh throughout the course of the year but overall showed that iron reduction can respire up to 1593.5 ± 96.48 mmol m-2 d-1 of OC in soil, exceeding anaerobic respiration pathways like denitrification. Sea level rise is causing saltwater intrusion further inland, which significantly alters the porewater chemistry of tidal marshes and subsequently changes the dominant microbial respiration pathways. Studies like this will help to better predict the effects of sea level rise on wetland soil biogeochemistry and the long-term fate of soil blue carbon in these coastal systems.
Kanchan Maiti, kmaiti@lsu.edu, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University
Nia Hurst
Mississippi River Reintroduction into the Maurepas Swamp: Reunited After 100+ Years
The Maurepas Swamp is the second largest coastal forested wetland in Louisiana, occupying approximately 140,000 acres. Comprised of baldcypress and water tupelo trees, the freshwater swamp has been largely disconnected from riverine influence since the early 1900s. An extensive levee system, closure of distributaries, and channelization of the adjacent Mississippi River has significantly minimized riverine exchange that would historically deliver adequate freshwater, oxygen, sediment, and nutrient inputs to support forested wetland habitat. The lack of freshwater flow and its associated benefits have severely altered swamp hydrology and created poor conditions for cypress-tupelo growth, seed germination, and regeneration. Increased inundation, low dissolved oxygen, nitrogen limitation, and high salinities during storm surge and drought events have, in combination, reduced tree growth and productivity. A reintroduction of Mississippi River water into the Maurepas Swamp via a freshwater diversion has the potential to improve hydrologic conditions in support of remaining critical
and limited cypress-tupelo dominated wetlands. Though a novel technique for a cypress-tupelo swamp, river water reintroduction has the capacity to enhance rates of forest productivity through nutrient delivery, salinity reduction, and increases in dissolved oxygen, while increasing rates of soil surface elevation. This talk will highlight the ability of freshwater diversions in south Louisiana to improve cypress-tupelo productivity and increase forest integrity.
Connecting Hydrologic Patterns and Vegetation Composition to Wetland Carbon Storage Across Spatial and Temporal Scales
Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems for long-term carbon storage, yet the environmental controls on soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution vary across spatial scales, wetland types, and soil depths. This research investigates the drivers of SOC storage across wetlands using a combination of national-scale datasets, field measurements, and modeling approaches. First, we examined SOC patterns across wetlands in the conterminous United States using the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) dataset and machine learning models. Random forest analyses identified soil depth, climate variables, and soil properties as the most influential predictors of SOC across wetlands, with climate and geographic gradients representing broad-scale environmental controls. However, the models exhibited relatively low predictive performance, suggesting that additional environmental variables and finer-scale hydrologic information may be needed to better explain SOC variability on a national scale.
To understand finer-scale controls, we used field measurements along upland-to-deep transects to evaluate how hydrologic gradients and vegetation patterns influence SOC distribution within northcentral Florida depressional wetlands. Preliminary results indicate that SOC concentrations decrease with depth but vary substantially across landscape position and vegetation type, with wetter positions generally containing higher SOC in surface soils but exhibiting greater variability. Finally, modeling analyses suggest that hydrologic conditions and soil depth influence patterns in SOC storage and accumulation, while sitelevel differences contribute substantially to variability in deeper soils.
Alexis Jackson
Together, these results demonstrate that SOC storage in wetlands is governed by interacting processes operating across spatial and temporal scales, where broad climatic gradients shape regional patterns, but local hydrologic conditions and landscape position control SOC variability within wetlands. These findings improve our understanding of wetland carbon dynamics and provide a framework for predicting SOC distribution under changing environmental conditions and management practices.
David Kaplan (University of Florida), Kelly Chinners Reiss (American Military University), Matthew Cohen (University of Florida)
Nicholas Jacobs
Elevated Salinity Influences Invasion by Phragmites australis via Changes in Microbially-Mediated Stabilization and Fitness Differences
Plant-soil feedbacks significantly shape patterns of plant species coexistence, dominance, and invasion. These interactions occur within a context of heterogeneous abiotic conditions, yet there is limited understanding of how the abiotic environment affects plant-soil feedbacks and, in turn, community dynamics. We investigated the effects of salinity and microbes adapted to high salinity conditions (inoculum) on plant-soil feedbacks in coastal Louisiana marshes invaded by Phragmites australis. Specifically, we examined how salinity, conditioning species and inoculum influence stabilization and fitness differences in native-native and native-invasive species pairs. Our findings revealed that salinity and inoculum acted synergistically to stabilize coexistence among native species. In contrast, for invasive-native interactions, salinity increased stabilization but also created substantial fitness differences that favored the exclusion of native species by Phragmites. These results suggest that plant-microbe interactions may support coexistence among native species under elevated salinity conditions while potentially facilitating invasion in invaded communities. This study highlights the importance of considering both stabilization and fitness differences when assessing the implications of plant-soil feedbacks for species coexistence.
Carolyn Schroeder, Nelle Kulick, Emily Farrer
Ranjit Jadhav
Mississippi River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp
The Maurepas Swamp is a large, forested wetland located along the east bank of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and hydraulically connected to Lake Pontchartrain through Lake Maurepas. Construction of Mississippi River levees has largely eliminated seasonal overbank flooding, resulting in long term reductions in freshwater, sediment, and nutrient inputs. These hydrologic alterations have contributed to widespread wetland stress, forest degradation, and conversion of swamp to marsh and open water.
To address these impacts, a river reintroduction project is being constructed to convey up to 2,000 cubic feet per second of Mississippi River water into the Maurepas Swamp. Project objectives include restoring natural swamp hydrology, increasing sediment and nutrient delivery, enhancing substrate accretion, maintaining and expanding forested wetland vegetation, and reducing salinity intrusion—particularly following storm surge events.
A two dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was developed using Delft3D to evaluate project performance. The model was calibrated and validated under both typical tidal conditions and tropical storm conditions. Simulations were conducted to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of diverted river water throughout the swamp, as well as the fate and transport of total nitrogen and total phosphorus. Additional scenarios evaluated the project’s ability to freshen the swamp following saline conditions associated with tropical storm surge.
Model results indicate that the proposed diversion can provide substantial hydrologic and water quality benefits by maintaining a controlled supply of freshwater and nutrients across large portions of the swamp. Operational flexibility allows the structure to be used strategically to reduce salinity following storm events, supporting forest resilience and long term wetland sustainability. Model outputs were further incorporated into a Wetland Valuation Assessment Model to quantify anticipated ecosystem benefits. Overall, results demonstrate that Mississippi River
reintroduction represents a viable and effective restoration strategy for sustaining the ecological integrity of the Maurepas Swamp system.
Bradford Miller, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jhang JHE WEI
Microbiome-Based Suppression of Methane Emissions in Agricultural Wetlands (Rice Paddies)
Rice paddies are among the most extensive human-managed wetlands. Continuous flooding creates anaerobic soil conditions that stimulate methanogenesis, making rice cultivation an important contributor to atmospheric methane. Conventional mitigation strategies largely focus on water or nutrient management but rarely address the microbial pathways responsible for methane production. This study evaluated a microbiome-based strategy to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by modifying paddy soil microbial communities. A functional microbial consortium isolated from pristine forest soils in the Baishihu region of northern Taiwan was used as a probiotic inoculant. Amplicon sequencing indicated that the consortium was dominated by members of the family Lactobacillaceae. Field experiments were conducted on the Guandu Plain in Taipei, Taiwan, where the consortium was applied weekly over a ten-week period while greenhouse gas fluxes, soil conditions, and microbial dynamics were monitored. Methane emissions in treated plots were approximately 0.26 times those of the control, indicating strong suppression following microbial inoculation. However, when expressed as total seasonal greenhouse gas equivalents (CO2e), no statistically significant difference was detected between treatments (p = 0.388), suggesting that the overall climate mitigation effect requires further long-term observation. Microbial community analyses showed that untreated soils contained a higher relative abundance of methanogenic microorganisms, while treated soils exhibited reduced methanogen prevalence. Soil measurements also indicated higher redox potential in treated plots, suggesting a more oxidized soil environment that is less favorable for anaerobic methanogenesis. The microbial intervention also improved productivity, increasing rice yield by 27.75% and producing significantly greater
aboveground biomass (dry weight) in treated plots (p = 0.025). Overall, these findings demonstrate that targeted manipulation of soil microbiomes can reshape microbial processes in rice paddies, suppress methane emissions, and enhance crop performance. Microbiomebased management therefore represents a promising biologically informed strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural wetlands while supporting sustainable rice production.
Chi-Tsang, Wang,Hew Der, Wu, Jung-Chen Huang, YuSyuan, Lin, Jian-Cheng, Lin
Ming Jiang
Evolutionary Patterns and Stability Maintenance of Carbon Pools in Peatlands in China
Although peatlands cover only about 3% of the global land surface, they store approximately one-third of the world's soil carbon, functioning as critical long-term carbon sinks. However, under the intensifying pressures of climate change and human activities, a systematic understanding of the evolutionary trajectory and stability maintenance mechanisms of China's peatland carbon pool remains lacking. This study, based on multi-scale observations from peatlands across different latitudes in China, aims to elucidate the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and stability mechanisms of regional peatland carbon pools.
Our findings reveal significant regional heterogeneity in the evolution of China's peatland carbon pool. During the early Holocene, the net carbon balance of peatlands across the country generally declined, driven by enhanced decomposition resulting from rapid warming. Since the mid-Holocene, regional differentiation has intensified: alpine peatlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, driven by persistent warm and dry climates, experienced a long-term decline in carbon accumulation. In contrast, peatlands in Northeast China, due to climate warming and areal expansion since the 1950s, saw their carbon accumulation rate increase accompanied by a higher proportion of aromatic carbon, which paradoxically enhanced carbon stability. In subtropical peatlands, soil erosion induced by human activities increased sedimentation rates but introduced a "dilution effect," leading to a decline in the net carbon balance.
Regarding stability maintenance mechanisms, the traditional "enzymic latch" theory, which primarily emphasizes anaerobic conditions and phenolic restrictions, requires extension. The "intricate lock" framework elucidates the phenol-quinone redox transformation driven by water table fluctuations: under aerobic conditions, phenols are oxidized to quinones, forming complex organic "gates" through mineral association (iron gate) and microbial assimilation; under anaerobic conditions, quinones are reduced back to phenols, reactivating the "enzymic latch" that inhibits decomposition. The coupling of these two processes constitutes a "dual-lock" mechanism maintaining carbon pool stability. Furthermore, freeze-thaw cycles significantly regulate greenhouse gas fluxes by altering microbial community structure and metabolic pathways, emerging as a key disturbance factor affecting carbon stability in northern peatlands.
Yuxiang Yuan
Wang Jifeng
Propagation Strategies of Deyeuxia angustifolia in Heterogeneous Habitats
We wanted to explore the reproductive strategy transformation of D. angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats, as well as the environmental factors driving and affecting its reproductive characteristics. To do this we measured the reproductive characteristics of D. angustifolia, as well as the soil physical and chemical properties of these heterogeneous habitats. The density, biomass per unit area, and proportion of aboveground biomass in swampy meadows were significantly higher compared to other habitats. The proportion of rhizome node buds gradually increased from swampy to typical to miscellaneous grass meadows, while the proportion of tillering node buds decreased. The allocation of sexual reproduction within D. angustifolia populations was significantly and positively correlated with plant rhizome biomass and negatively correlated with the number of tillering node buds. The propagation strategies of D. angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats were consistent with CSR theory (Competitor, Stresstolerator, and Ruderal).
The proportions of inflorescence (2.07 ± 0.52%; 1.01 ± 0.15%) and root (23.8 ± 1.5%; 19.6 ± 1.4%)
biomass in miscellaneous and typical meadows were high, which tended toward the “Ruderal” adaptation trategy. In swampy meadow, D. angustifolia invested mostly in vegetative growth to produce tiller node buds (14426.67 buds/m2; 46%) and ramets (1327.11 ± 102.10 plants/m2), which is characteristic of the “Competitor” strategy. Swamp D. angustifolia resisted flooding by maintaining a resource balance in its body, and was therefore biased toward the “Stress-tolerator” strategy. Environmental factors accounted for 74.63% of eproductive characteristic variation, in which the interpretative proportions of soil water content, dissolved organic carbon, ammonia nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen were significant (p < 0.01). When soil water ontent, dissolved organic carbon, and nitrate nitrogen increased, D. angustifolia tended toward the C strategy; in contrast, when soil water content decreased, amine nitrogen and available phosphorus increased, and D. angustifolia tended toward the R strategy.
Shaelynn Kaufman Optimizing the Capacity for Phosphorus Storage in a Watershed Wetland
Across the Great Lakes Basin, substantial investments are being made in establishing nutrient retention wetlands to sequester nonpoint source phosphorus (P) pollution. Understanding how long nutrient retention wetlands remain effective P sinks and how soil P storage capacity (SPSC) evolves through time is essential for implementing effective adaptive management strategies. However, this approach has been limited by the availability of studies that combine long-duration soil biogeochemical analysis with the high-frequency sampling of event-driven hydrology. To address these questions, a five-year study at the 10-acre P-Optimal R&D Demonstration Wetland evaluated P retention and characterized the spatiotemporal evolution of the soil P sorption following construction. Continuous hydrologic monitoring paired with semiannual soil and vegetation sampling captured the system’s response to site operations and adaptive management decisions. System performance has remained consistently high, with annual influentto-effluent P retention efficiencies of 45-65% and event-driven efficiencies regularly reaching 50-85%. Longitudinal soil analyses indicate continued total P
accumulation (up to 30%) within the wetland soils, while SPSC declined moderately (<12%) over the study period. This decline in SPSC was concurrent with increases in organic matter and depth dependent shifts in the Al/Fe pools, suggesting that as the wetland matures, ongoing soil development can create a more resilient, long-term P sink by incorporating P into stable mineral- or organo-mineral soil pools. These insights demonstrate that the long-term return on investment in nutrient retention wetlands may not be fully captured by short-term performance metrics, underscoring the importance of adaptive monitoring and management to sustain P retention over time.
Sydney Bufkin (Research Soil Scientist, USACE-ERDC, sydney.d.bufkin@usace.army.mil), Jacob Berkowitz (Research Soil Scientist, USACE - ERDC and LSU, Jacob.F.Berkowitz@usace.army.mil)., Derek Schlea (Senior Agricultural & Ecological Engineer, Limnotech, dschlea@limno.com)., Chad Toussant (Physical Scientist, USGS OO-KY-IN Water Science Center, ctoussant@usgs. gov)., Nikki Cardwell (Science Technician, Bowhead UIC, Linda.N.Cardwell@usace.army.mil)
Bob Kerr
Evolving Interpretation of “Continuous Surface Connection” in WOTUS Rules
This presentation will provide attendees with an understanding of how the US EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers are interpreting concepts from the Supreme Court decision on Sackett. It will begin with an overview of what types of waters were reconfirmed in the Sackett decision, and what classifications of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) were under the Rule promulgated during the Biden Administration, and what classifications of WOTUS were changed with the pending Trump Administration WOTUS rule. The two major changes will be summarized as:
1. Interpretation and implementation of the two-step test for adjacent wetlands, including application of the term “continuous surface connection”
2. Interpretation and implementation of the “indistinguishable” standard for adjacent wetlands as they relate to relatively permanent waters or Traditional Navigable Waters.
The discussion will provide direct quotes from the Sackett Supreme Court decision on “continuous surface connection” and the reference to “indistinguishable” so participants have an objective understanding of the wording as a starting point for further discussion.
It will then quickly summarize the chronology of publications by the USEPA and USACE since Sackett including the Final Regulatory Rule of September 8, 2023, and resulting nine (9) “policy memorandums” published under the Biden Administration by the headquarters of the agencies concerning actual decisionmaking on field conditions to resolve draft Approved Jurisdictional Determinations (AJDs). Participants will view exhibits prepared by Wetland Studies and Solutions that objectively illustrated those decisions logistics. The discussion will then turn to the Draft Rule published November 20, 2025, and any Final Rule published before the presentation date to compare the two Administration’s WOTUS rules as they relate to the major topics noted above.
What will arise from this discussion is how the agencies have altered the interpretation of “continuous surface connection” and “indistinguishable” and thus clear and less clear “the rules of the road” for field work.
1. How Waters satisfy the “continuous surface connection” under the 2025 Draft and perhaps the 2026 Final (if published) WOTUS Rule, when compared to the 2023 Rule.
2. Conditions considered insufficient by USEPA/ USACE for a water to have a “continuous surface connection” to, and be indistinguishable from, wetlands.
Amr Keshta
Habitat-Driven Oxygen–Temperature Interactions in Jabez tributary III: a Recently Restored Coastal Plain Stream System
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a central indicator of ecological function in restored stream systems, yet its response to habitat heterogeneity and temperature remains poorly quantified. This year-1 assessment of the Jabez III process-based restoration (Severn River watershed, Maryland) evaluates DO variation across recent restored microhabitats (riffles, pools, moats, ponds, and springs) and quantifies its relationship with stream water temperature. Weekly water quality
monitoring (discrete YSI samples) demonstrated clear spatial differentiation. Riffles maintained the highest and most stable DO, consistently exceeding ≥ 5 mg/L, while pools showed broader temporal variability but converged toward confluence-level DO downstream. Moreover, DO in riffles exhibited pronounced seasonal variability, with concentrations peaking during winter and early spring and declining during the summer months, reflecting the combined influence of cooler temperatures and enhanced turbulence during high flow periods. A one-way ANOVA confirmed significant among-location differences (F = 30.22, p < 0.0001), with Tukey’s HSD indicating downstream channel habitats were statistically like the confluence but elevated relative to top stream sites. Moats showed extreme variability (~ 2.5–12 mg/L), reflecting hydrologic isolation and limited reaeration. Ponds frequently recorded the lowest DO (<1–2 mg/L), while springs presented intermediate but site-specific values, influenced by groundwater and riverine seepage sources. Across all microhabitat types, DO declined systematically with increasing temperature. Simple linear regression revealed a strong negative DO–temperature relationship within the stream channel (r = –0.64, p < 0.0001) and a weaker but significant relationship in springs (r = –0.27, p < 0.0001). DO exceeded 10 mg/L at winter temperatures (~2 °C) but approached ~5 mg/L near 23 °C, with temperature-driven DO loss most pronounced in low-turbulence habitats (ponds, moats). These year-1 results demonstrate that process-based restoration generates a mosaic of distinct thermal–oxygen niches. Riffle–pool sequences provide sustained oxygenation, while off-channel features introduce ecologically diverse yet seasonally lower DO conditions. Habitat-specific DO–temperature dynamics underscore the importance of continued monitoring to guide adaptive management and long-term functional performance for restored streams.
Camille Calure
William Kleindl
Rapid Assessment Wetland Ecosystem Services – Symposium Introduction and History of Wetland Ecosystem Services Language
Federal and state wetland programs have called for consideration of ecosystem services for over three decades. However, systematic evaluation of ecosystem services at the individual project level has remained in the shadows. There is a long history of examining ES across a variety of contexts by ecologists, economists, and social scientists, yet there has been little effort to develop rapid tools for assessing wetland ES to meet regulatory needs. The first talk of our symposium will address the purpose and need for a rapid ES assessment tool. It will provide context through the history of the often-confusing language around ES developed by separate disciplines over the last several decades. This symposium will address a programmatic approach for the rapid assessment of wetland ecosystem services (ES) tools to meet US federal, state, and tribal regulatory needs and international applications. US Federal policy requiring no overall net loss of wetland functions and values led to several rapid assessment approaches for assessing wetland functions to meet compensatory mitigation requirements under the US Clean Water Act (CWA) §404 and reporting requirements under CWA §305. Recent ES literature recognizes that wetland ecosystems provide essential services that maintain our social, economic, and environmental welfare. For example, a wetland system can reduce flooding, sequester carbon, protect wildlife, and provide recreational opportunities. Specific attention will be paid to how it has been applied to address the avoidance, minimization, and mitigation requirements. This first talk concludes with a list of working definitions applicable to rapid ES assessment tools. This will be followed by a series of talks that will: 1) summarize efforts by the USEPA to classify ES; 2) map ecosystem functions commonly assessed by rapid functional assessment (FA) to categories of ES provided by wetlands; 3) provide a conceptual framework for applying rapid ES assessment to FA tools in Montana; and 4) demonstrate the sensitivity of this approach for ambient monitoring and mitigation assessment link using FA tools in California.
Sarah Church, sarah.church@montana.edu, Associate
Professor, Montana State University; Kai Rains, krains@ usf.edu, Research Professor, University of South Florida; Mark C. Rains, mrains@usf.edu, Professor, University of South Florida; Eric Stein, erics@sccwrp.org, Department Head, Southern California Coastal Water Reseach Program
Becki Kniveton
Balancing Critical Public Transit Infrastructure Needs with Wetland Regulations in WA State
This session provides a summary of environmental permitting requirements in Washington State and discusses the challenges faced during the design phase of Sound Transit projects.
Washington State has some of the most complicated environmental permitting in the United States, including wetland regulations at the local, state, and federal levels. It is vital to understand how these regulations interact to keep projects moving forward while maintaining environmental compliance. Presenters will summarize the permits that are required for work in and adjacent to wetlands in Washington State, including local critical areas ordinances, shoreline regulations, state water quality and stream requirements, and federal regulatory permits. They will also discuss environmental permitting challenges that Sound Transit has faced, including evolving regulatory authority, lengthy permit review timelines, and layers of overlapping regulations pertaining to wetlands, streams, and buffers.
Successful public transit projects depend on collaborative problem solving. A key focus of this presentation will be highlighting real-world examples of Sound Transit biologists working with the project teams to find creative solutions to avoid and minimize wetland impacts, improve project delivery, and streamline project permitting. Attendees will gain insight into the challenges Sound Transit regularly encounters when designing large public transit projects that cross multiple jurisdictions in a largely urban environment.
Per Johnson, per.johnson@shanwil.com, Senior Associate, Senior Ecologist, Shannon & Wilson, Inc.
John Kominoski
A Decade of Freshwater Rehydration in Degraded Marsh Ecosystems of Everglades National Park: Quantifying Trends and Identifying
Needs
Everglades freshwater marshes are undergoing rapid rehydration, with sustained increases in water depth and hydroperiod. How increased freshwater delivery is altering indicators of trophic state in wetlands degraded by more than five decades of chronic dehydration remains uncertain. We measured long-term (20162025) changes in hydrology (hydroperiod and water depth), plant, soil, and water chemistry, and plant biomass from 40 sites distributed along eight 1-km transects downstream of Tamiami Trail in Shark River Slough, Everglades National Park (Florida, USA). We assessed changes in water depth, hydroperiod, wetland biogeochemistry, and biomass of Cladium jamaicense (sawgrass), the dominant freshwater marsh species and a key indicator of ecological change under restoration. Median hydroperiods increased from <300 d y-1 pre-hydration (2006-2015) to >300 d y-1 during rehydration (2016-2025), and mean annual water depths increased across the region. Despite these hydrologic gains, episodic spikes in surface water total phosphorus (TP; >50 μg L-1) were detected during the dry season. Surface (0-2 cm) soil TP concentrations remain elevated, frequently exceeding the 500 μg g-1 threshold associated with eutrophic conditions that promote invasion by cattail (Typha spp.). Aboveground biomass of sawgrass (median: 125-600 g m-2) and total emergent vegetation (median: 300-1200 g m-2), and sawgrass foliar TP concentrations (median: 250 to >480 µg g-1), were consistently higher than values typical of oligotrophic Everglades marshes. Near-canal wetlands with well-documented disturbance legacies had multiple indicators of persistent eutrophic conditions, suggesting rehydration alone may be insufficient to reverse legacy nutrient enrichment. Our findings highlight critical needs for restoration and management: 1) targeted mechanical removal of invasive vegetation and phosphorus-enriched soils, 2) evaluation of fire as a tool for managing phosphorus stocks and invasive species, 3) expanded spatiotemporal measurements of above- and belowground biomass of sawgrass and other indicator species across gradients of hydroperiod and water depth, and 4) improved characterization of
how altered hydrology is influencing soil accretion and porewater chemistry. These actions should be evaluated within the context of restored soil accretion processes, which function as long-term phosphorus sinks that can gradually reduce soil nutrient concentrations over decadal-to-centennial timescales.
Veronica Restrepo, Andrea Nocentini, Evelyn Gaiser, Daniel Gann, Jed Redwine, Jay Sah, Tiffany Troxler
Kurt Kowalski
Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative
Phragmites australis (common reed) has a global distribution, but Phragmites australis ssp. australis is among the top ten most unwanted aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes basin and is a growing concern in many other regions of the United States and Canada. This sub-species of Phragmites (and particularly haplotype M) grows quickly in a wide range of habitats, produces extensive above- and belowground biomass, and outcompetes native plants as it invades wetland ecosystems and degrades fish and wildlife habitat. Invasion of the Great Lakes landscape increased significantly in the 1990s and ultimately prompted a multifaceted response by resource managers and the scientific community.
In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Commission, and other regional partners formed the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC) that now maintains an online central resource hub (www. greatlakesphragmites.net/), hosts a research- and management-focused webinar series (~60 presentations to date), distributes a quarterly newsletters, maintains a 900+ member listserv, and supports research and advisory teams. Through time, members of the GLPC recognized that data-driven best management practices were not readily available and uncertainties around optimal treatment options continued to exist. Therefore, the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF; www.greatlakesphragmites.net/pamf) was initiated in 2017 as a participatory science program designed to reduce uncertainty about which Phragmites treatments are most effective given individual site conditions. Each year, PAMF participants voluntarily monitor their Phragmites-impacted site(s) and upload data to a centralized web hub. These data are used to
update a state-and-transition model, which generates site-specific management guidance for the upcoming year for each participant.
Participants in PAMF coproduce the data needed to reduce uncertainty about treatment efficacy for 16 commonly implemented management combinations identified by a technical working group of Phragmites experts. However, 5 of the 16 treatment combinations within the program have never been implemented. Therefore, competitive grants are being awarded to incentivize utilization of these less used treatments to advance model learning. Ultimately, a robust datadriven PAMF model will guide resource managers as they treat non-native Phragmites growing under a variety of site conditions.
Sam Tank, sam@glc.org, Program Manager, Great Lakes Commission., Taaja Tucker-Silva, taaja@glc.org, Senior Data Analyst, Great Lakes Commission., Theresa Gruninger, tgruninger@glc.org, Aquatic Invasive Species Project Manager, Great Lakes Commission., Autumn McGowan, autumn@glc.org, Program Specialist, Great Lakes Commission., Nicole Angell, nangell@glc.org, Program Specialist, Great Lakes Commission., McKenzie Smith, mksmith@usgs.gov, Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Investigation of the Occurrence and Distribution of Harmful Algal Blooms in and near Maurepas Swamp, pre-and post- Mississippi River Diversion
The Maurepas Swamp (MS) has experienced a long history of alterations that have resulted in degradation to its swamp environment. The first alteration to the MS was the construction of levees which slowly reduced its connection to the Mississippi River (MR) (including floods in 1717) until their completion in 1927 which left the two completely disconnected. Today, MS experiences a permanent to semi-permanent hydroperiod due to the loss of surficial elevation and sea level rise, common to many coastal Louisiana swamps. This extended hydroperiod prevents tree regeneration and, in conjunction with decreased nutrient availability, inhibits the growth and survival of existing trees. In 2012 and 2017, the River Reintroduction to Maurepas Swamp Project was included in the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s Coastal
Daniel Kroes
Master Plan, to reintroduce nutrients and sediments to restore MS habitat. This will be the first long-term MR diversion to a forested swamp in Louisiana. The timing of high discharge, sediment, and nitrate/nitrite (NO2-) concentrations of the MR are substantially different than the rivers of the Pontchartrain Basin. Similar releases of MR water have shown temporary effects in water chemistry, especially concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, that may stimulate algal community growth and macrophyte production in the Lake Pontchartrain estuary. In 2026, we will begin monitoring background flow distribution and source, nutrient and sediment loads, algal species, and phycotoxins within the receiving areas of MS, Lake Maurepas, and surrounding water sources to determine possible effects and aid in the assessment of the diversion, and operational effects beginning in 2029.
Tom Byl, USGS; Scott Mize, USGS; Ryder Myers, USGS
Katarzyna Kuczyńska
From Bugs to Bogs: What Aquatic Beetles Can Tell Us About Peat Bog Health
Peatlands possess unique environmental conditions among aquatic habitats. These factors foster specialized communities of aquatic invertebrates. Among them, water beetles are of particular interest because they can serve as useful bioindicators of peatland ecosystems. To identify potential bioindicator taxa and determine which biotic and abiotic factors influence aquatic beetle communities in peatlands, a study was conducted in the “Wielkie Bagno” peatland complex in northern Poland. The entire peatland was historically used for peat extraction. However, part of the area was later protected within the Słowiński National Park. Peat extraction in the protected area ended in the 1970s, while the nearby unprotected post-extraction area has not been exploited for about twenty years. Hydrologically, the sites are disturbed, mainly due to significant water loss through drainage ditches and channels.
Fieldwork was carried out in 2023 and 2024 at 7 sampling sites. 4 sites were located in the protected area and 3 in the unprotected post-extraction part of the peatland. Sampling was conducted in May, August, and October each year. Aquatic beetles were collected using a hydrobiological net and submerged
traps, and physicochemical parameters of the water were measured during each sampling event using a multiparameter probe.
Species accumulation curves indicated that the sampling effort captured most of the local species pool. Multivariate analyses showed clear differences in beetle assemblages between sites with different habitat characteristics. Both the protected and unprotected areas had relatively high beetle diversity, but the species composition differed between them. Peatland-associated beetles most often occurred in habitats dominated by peatland vegetation or in sites with a mixture of peatland and lake-type vegetation. The unprotected post-extraction area was characterized by species more typical of lake habitats, whereas sites in the National Park contained a higher proportion of peatland species. In the unprotected area, species of the genus Ilybius were good indicators, while in the protected sites indicator taxa were mainly species of the genus Hydroporus.
These results suggest that habitat structure, vegetation composition, and successional processes play an important role in shaping aquatic beetle communities in disturbed peatlands and highlight the potential of water beetles as indicators of habitat conditions and peatland recovery.
Environmental Drivers of Methane Emissions in Restored Wetlands of the Glaciated Interior Plains
Widespread wetland drainage in the United States has prompted large-scale restoration efforts aimed at recovering natural ecosystem functions and their associated services. Although restoration can enhance carbon storage, it may also increase methane emissions. This tradeoff introduces uncertainty in the net climate benefits of restored wetlands, particularly given the high variability in methane fluxes. To address this uncertainty, we investigated biotic and abiotic drivers of methane emissions in twelve restored wetlands enrolled in the USDA Conservation Reserve Program across three Major Land Resource Areas in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Sites spanned 3-26 years since restoration
Tomasz Krepski
Annika Kuleba
and varied in enrollment status and surrounding land use. We measured methane fluxes and dissolved methane concentrations in surface and pore water monthly during the peak growing season (June-August) concurrently with air, soil, and water temperature, water depth, and vegetation cover. Samples were collected at six plots in each wetland distributed along two perpendicular transects that spanned from the wetland edge to center. Mean methane fluxes were 4.91 ± 1.75 mg CH4 m-2 hr-1, with the highest fluxes observed midseason and substantially lower fluxes by late summer. Pore water methane concentrations were two orders of magnitude greater than surface water concentrations and differed among vegetation functional types, with submerged-aquatic and floating vegetation exhibiting the highest values. Mixed-effects regression indicated that restoration age had a small but significant positive effect on methane fluxes, corresponding to approximately a 20% increase in predicted summertime midday emissions over 20 years, about 0.9% annually. Across the observed water depths (0 to 30 cm), short emergent vegetation (~ 64 cm) minimally affected fluxes, whereas tall emergent vegetation (~ 139 cm) resulted in a several-fold increase. These findings demonstrate that methane fluxes in restored wetlands are strongly mediated by vegetation structure and hydrologic context, and that emissions may gradually increase over restoration timeframes. Identifying these controls improves the prediction of methane variability and clarifies the conditions under which restored wetlands are most likely to function as effective Naturebased Climate Solutions.
Siobhan Fennessy, Professor of Biology, Kenyon College Department of Biology, fennessym@kenyon.edu ., Rachael Tomasko, Research Technician, Cornell University Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, rt542@ cornell.edu ., Sheel Bansal, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, sbansal@usgs.gov ., Ellen Herbert, Director of Sustainability and Ecosystem Services, Ducks Unlimited, eherbert@ducks.org ., Jessica O’Connell, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University, jessica.oconnell@ colostate.edu ., Megan Podolinsky, Graduate Research Assistant, Colorado State University, megan.podolinsky@ colostate.edu., Thomas L. O’Halloran, Associate Professor, Clemson University Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology & Forest Science, tohallo@clemson.edu
Gary LaFleur
A Comparison of Community Responses to Coastal Land Loss in South Louisiana
Coastal land loss has been documented to be occurring in SE Louisiana at one of the highest rates on Earth. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana created the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) which has combined intensive studies with restoration projects to begin reversing this coastal land loss. CPRA has published the “Coastal Master Plan” every five years since 2007, and wetlands are being successfully restored, preventing coastal communities from experiencing collapse of their social networks has been more difficult to achieve. Several scenarios have resulted from communities responding to the threat of environmental change. Many of the residents of Isle de Jean Charles participated in a $48 million program to relocate to higher ground near Thibodaux in a community named “New Isle.” Yet some people remained living on the island, and the Isle de Jean Charles Marina is still in use as a popular gateway to fishing in the area. The communities of Chauvin and Cocodrie on nearby Bayou Petit Caillou are still showing the effects of Hurricane Ida. While the storm led to the closure of several schools, many residents remained in Chauvin. A surge of new construction and development has occurred in Cocodrie, though some of the more authentic local businesses have had to close. Grand Isle is still the only Louisiana community that exists on a barrier island. Although a wave of migration occurred after the Hurricane of 1893 struck nearby Cheniere Caminada, the town of Grand Isle continued to attract Louisiana vacationers who sought out its beaches as a Cajun alternative to the more conventional destinations in Florida. The number of children attending the Grand Isle Independent School District has continued to drop following Hurricanes Katrina and Ida. The Bayou Culture Collaborative (BCC) was created by a multidisciplinary group of colleagues that sought to address the knowledge gap that exists for aiding residents that are considering their options as they continue to experience coastal land loss. By creating dialogs among residents and documenting the results of different efforts we seek to develop a guide that may ease the process as hard decisions are being navigated. A position statement by the BCC
has received 137 signatures from individuals and organizations, and we have had four working groups established as a way to expand some of our more complex issues.
Marriah Hebert, Maida Owens, Shana Walton, Jonathan Foret
Lukas Lamb-Wotton
Mangrove Carbon Vertical Flux Responses to a Historic Snow and Freeze Event on a Coastal Louisiana Barrier Island
In recent decades, the frequency of severe winter freeze events in coastal Louisiana has declined, allowing for the expansion of Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) into herbaceous salt marsh, which is predicted to continue with future climate change in this range-limit location. However, significant freeze events do still occur, which can cause mortality and reduce mangrove coverage. As mangroves have been shown to take up more atmospheric carbon than they release via respiration, leaf mortality and defoliation driven by a hard freeze event could create an ecosystem-scale “carbon debt”. A carbon debt temporarily switches recovering mangroves from a carbon sink to a source due to lost carbon uptake capacity during the recovery period.
In this study, we asked two questions. (1) How do mangrove ecosystem-scale vertical carbon fluxes vary across a mangrove-dominated barrier island, and (2) did a historic winter storm affect vertical carbon fluxes and create a carbon debt? To answer these questions, we established one freeze-affected (FA) and one nonaffected (NA) mangrove plot on a Louisiana barrier island that showed differential leaf mortality from a historic winter storm in January 2025. We quantified plant and soil chamber CO2/CH4 fluxes monthly from March 2024 – December 2024 in both dark and light conditions across both plots (n = 4 trees per plot). We additionally measured hydrologic and edaphic conditions and tracked changes in greenness using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
Our results show seasonal variability in CO2 and CH4 fluxes across both FA and NA mangroves, with ecosystem and soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes peaking in the growing season. FA mangroves had relatively
greater CH4 fluxes than NA mangroves across seasons, likely driven by plot-level differences in soil surface elevation, hydroperiod, and porewater salinity. FA mangroves began to recover during the measurement period, with 40 cm mean shoot regrowth, an increasing NDVI signal, and similar levels of gross ecosystem production between FA and NA trees by the end of the measurement period. No carbon debt was identified as NA trees were net atmospheric carbon sources (ER > GEP), and FA trees were net neutral (ER = GEP) in growing and post-growing season months. This study quantifies seasonal variability in mangrove carbon dynamics and shows how mangroves at range limits can recover from freeze-events, which may be expected to become more variable with climate change.
Lukas Lamb-Wotton, Gracen Miller, Havalend Steinmuller, Ken Krauss, Brian J. Roberts, Daniel Friess
Lee Lance
Field Data, AI, and the Future of Shared Intelligence
Predictive modeling is rapidly becoming essential for effective wetland management, enabling earlystage ecological insights that drive better decisions in planning, permitting, and restoration. However, realizing the full potential of these models requires high-quality, standardized field data—and a shift in how the industry shares and integrates that data across systems, firms, and agencies.
In this session, representatives from Ecobot, the Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS), and Kimley-Horn— joined potentially by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT)—will present a case study that demonstrates how seamless integration of field and remote sensing data can improve the accuracy, speed, and utility of wetland modeling at scale.
The project spans a major infrastructure corridor in South Carolina where detailed ecological field data— captured and standardized at the point of collection using Ecobot’s environmental data platform—was combined with satellite and aerial imagery through CGS’s physically-informed deep learning models. This field-to-sky approach delivered predictive outputs faster than traditional delineation methods and provided early
decision support that improved permitting efficiency and ecological insight.
But the technical success of the project highlights a broader challenge: the ecological data landscape remains fragmented, inconsistent, and underutilized. To fully realize the promise of predictive modeling, the environmental industry must treat structured field data as a form of shared infrastructure—scalable, interoperable, and AI-ready.
Through this collaborative case study, attendees will gain a practical roadmap for evolving field practices, integrating predictive tools, and contributing to a culture of open, actionable ecological intelligence.
Attendees will learn:
• How to prioritize field data for maximum downstream modeling value
• How physically-informed AI enhances ecological predictions
• How predictive models can inform permitting and restoration workflows
• How shifting data-sharing practices can accelerate conservation outcomes
This session offers a replicable approach to integrating science, data, and policy—while calling on the industry to rethink how ecological data is created, connected, and shared.
Gina O'Neil, Center for Geospatial Solutions
Sean Lee
Establishment of a Regional Composite Provenance Assemblage of the Emergent Wetland Plant Sagittaria platyphylla (Englem) J.G. Sm.
Local seed sourcing has long been the default practice in ecological restoration across upland, wetland, and aquatic systems. However, this paradigm is being reevaluated as shifting climate regimes and disturbance patterns challenge the suitability of local provenancing, prompting the development of alternative seed provenancing strategies aimed at fostering more resilient, future-adapted communities. Despite growing interest in these approaches, empirical research remains
limited and are largely restricted to upland systems, with virtually no studies conducted in wetland systems. Here, we present the first evaluation of regional composite assemblage sourcing in a wetland system using three populations of the emergent macrophyte Sagittaria platyphylla sourced within the South-Central US. The study was conducted in constructed ponds at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ERDC Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (Lewisville, TX). Populations sourced from warmer climates exhibited higher vegetative growth and reproductive output throughout the growing season relative to the cool-climate population. In situ gas exchange and temperature-dependent trait responses further indicated lower water-use efficiency and greater temperature sensitivity in the cool-climate population. Although modest in scope, these findings provide empirical support for climate-adjusted seed provenancing in wetland restoration and underscore the need for broader experimental evaluations of mixed-provenance strategies in wetland systems.
Madison L. Condron, Christopher Manchack, Kylie V. Wheeler, Robert C. Schermerhorn, Lynde L. Dodd, Nathan E. Harms, Megann Harlow, Brook D. Herman, Brand Richter, Aaron N. Schad
Sean Lee
The Effects of Leaf Age and Provenance on Microbial Community Composition in invasive Phragmites australis
Plant-microbe interactions influence ecological processes, including plant succession, species coexistence and plant-soil feedbacks, but the role of foliar microbial communities in invasive species dynamics remains understudied. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., a globally distributed C3 grass with Eurasian origins, has become a dominant invader in North American wetlands. While studies focusing on Phragmites-associated soil microbes have gained popularity, research on Phragmites’ foliar microbes has been limited to culturable fungi, leaving gaps in our understanding of the larger microbial community’s identity and function. Here, we compare microbial communities of Phragmites leaves over a gradient of developmental age ranging from young, newly formed leaves to senescing leaves and decomposing Phragmites litter across two North American regions. Using 16S
and ITS sequencing, we assessed diversity of bacterial and fungal communities, identified indicator species, and analyzed fungal community functionality using FUNGuild. FUNGuild revealed no regional variation in saprotrophic and mutualistic fungi, but we did detect regional variation in fungal pathogen communities, correlating with invasion age and intensity. In addition to leaf developmental age, increasing anthropogenic disturbance and pollution in some populations may have also shaped microbial community composition. This study provides an important initial step in characterizing the foliar microbiome of invasive Phragmites to further investigate reciprocal interactions between Phragmitesassociated microbes and native plant communities.
Sean F.H. Lee, Quynh Quach, Kurt P. Kowalski, Keith Clay
Myeong-Heon Lee
Opposing Filters Along a Hydrological Gradient Generate Independent Functional Axes and Differential Species Contributions in Riparian Wetland
Hydrological gradients shape plant community assembly, yet how divergent inundation regimes shape functional community structure and the underlying assembly mechanism remains poorly understood. We compared functional diversity between plant communities at relatively low and high elevations along Yangwha Stream, South Korea (50 plots each). Across 37 species and 10 traits, we quantified functional diversity indices, null-model standardized effect sizes (SES), β-diversity, and dominant/rare species contributions through sequential removal simulations.
Upland communities exhibited higher functional dispersion, divergence, and evenness than lowlands ( p<0.01) yet equivalent functional richness, indicating that inundation compresses, rather than diminishes, functional space. Both habitats showed trait clustering (SES<0, p<0.001), indicating that community assembly was non-random and governed by environmental filtering in both habitats, albeit through opposing mechanisms: lowlands converged on flood-avoidance traits, including greater height and root mass fraction, whereas uplands favored structural resistance (greater stem diameter). Between-habitat functional β-diversity was overwhelmingly turnover-dominated (88%). Removal simulations revealed dominant-
driven functional maintenance in uplands (50% loss in FDis along the removal sequence, supporting the Mass Ratio Hypothesis) in contrast to high functional redundancy in lowlands, where no group contributed disproportionately to functional dispersion.
These findings advance environmental filtering theory by demonstrating that opposing filters along a single gradient can generate independent functional axes, challenging assumptions of unidirectional filtering pressure. The context-dependence of Mass Ratio effects versus functional redundancy suggests that filtering intensity mediates the role of competitive dominance as an organizing force. Our results are consistent with coexistence frameworks that separate niche and fitness mechanisms, suggesting that abiotic filtering intensity modulates their relative contributions along hydrological gradients.
This work was supported by Korea Environment Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) through Wetland Ecosystem Value Evaluation and Carbon Absorption Value Promotion Technology Development Project, funded by Korea Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (RS-2022-KE002025)
Ho Choi, forestho1@naver.com, Dep. of Biology Education, Seowon University., Jae Geun Kimjaegkim@snu.ac.kr, Dep. of Biology Education, Seoul National University
Bramley Lemine
Wetlands Beyond Borders: Reimagining Transboundary Cooperation Through Ramsar Art. 5
Wetlands are increasingly being considered as naturebased solutions to the global, cross-cutting puzzles of climate change, food security, and sustainable development. Transboundary wetlands – here defined as wetlands within international transboundary river basins – remain an underexplored area for aligning transboundary water management with international objectives on sustainability, water, climate, and biodiversity. Through analyses of the 1971 Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention), 1992 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, 1997 Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, and 2008 Draft articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers, we make a
case for institutionalising cross-border cooperation on wetlands, particularly through the principle of the duty to cooperate. Overall, our research integrates geospatial and policy analyses to identify synergies and tensions between laws and policies on climate, biodiversity, and water. The result is a fresh interpretation of Article 5 of the Ramsar Convention, which mandates consultation between riparian states on planned actions in transboundary wetlands, and we extend this to noncontracting parties. Revisiting Article 5 is increasingly important amid the rise of nationalism and the decline of multilateralism. We exemplify our findings through one part of our three-part story series of cross-border wetland management from transboundary river basins on the African continent: the Juba-Shabelle, the Niger, and the Okavango.
Zoe Rosenblum, Susanne Schmeier
Aviva Lerman
Cascading Effects of Shorebird Biodiversity Loss on Burrowing Ecosystem Engineers and Their Impacts on Salt Marsh Ecosystem Functions
Biodiversity loss can have profound impacts on community and ecosystem dynamics. In particular, the disproportionate loss of higher trophic levels can have broad cascading effects by altering the magnitude of predator consumptive effects (CEs; direct) and nonconsumptive effects (NCEs; indirect). These impacts can be especially consequential when predator loss releases ecologically important prey species, such as burrowing ecosystem engineers, from predation pressure. For instance, the local-scale beta diversity of predatory birds, including shorebirds, has decreased steadily over the last century. The continued extinction of shorebirds is problematic for coastal marsh ecosystems, as shorebirds are prominent predators that contribute to coastal nutrient dynamics through their CEs and NCEs. However, few studies have evaluated the reverberating effects of predatory shorebird biodiversity loss on the biological structure, edaphic conditions, and ecosystem functions of natural coastal marsh ecosystems (e.g., carbon cycling and nutrient availability).
In order to assess this domino effect of shorebird biodiversity loss on tidal mudfalt ecossytem
functioning, a fully factorial field experiment was deployed in a natural tidal mud flat in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, from May to October 2025, that sought to manipulate shorebird biodiversity (ambient, reduced) and burrowing engineer (Minuca pugnax) density (ambient, reduced).
At the conclusion of the study, we assesed sediment bulk density, organic matter, and microplastics distribution, as well as greenhouse gas efflux and sediment C:N content. The findings indicate that shorebird presence alone improves organic matter content in coastal sediments, and that both shorebird and burrowing engineer presence regulates greenhouse gas flux. This study provides further evidence for the need to protect shorebird populations in the face of increasingly worsening anthropogenic effects on the climate, and highlights specifcally the importance of maintaining existing species population densities and interactions.
Shelby Rinehart PhD, Derek Ho PhD
Eric Liu
Meeting the Demand for Locally Sourced Spartina: Spatial and Temporal Variability in Flowering, Seed Production, and Seed Viability
The demand for coastal wetland plants has risen alongside the increase in coastal restoration projects and construction of coastal nature-based solutions to mitigate effects of climate change and provide coastal habitat. Spartina alterniflora (Loisel), the dominant low marsh foundation species along the eastern and gulf coasts of North America, is integral to the construction and maintenance of these projects and is the most frequently used species in coastal resilience project plantings. While S. alterniflora has an extensive native range, many resilience practitioners and ecological scientists alike have emphasized the need to use locally sourced plant material in resilience projects, presuming that population-level differences in genotype results in locally adapted plants. Unfortunately, commercially available local native plant stock is not available in many coastal regions. As plant nurseries, researchers, and resilience practitioners move toward meeting the demand for locally sourced coastal plant material, there is a need to develop understanding of and science-
backed methods for the sourcing and propagation of local provenances of S. alterniflora. Key questions to be answered to improve local sourcing of plant material are: What differences exist between populations regarding flowering phenology, seed production, and seed viability? Our work aims to address these knowledge gaps through 1) a global meta-analysis investigating S. alterniflora propagation techniques, and 2) a field-based observational study evaluating spatial and temporal variability in S. alterniflora flowering, seed set, and seed viability. This work, conducted within the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia, identified mismatches in seed production vs. seed viability peaks and heterogeneity both within and between populations. This work provides a case study for understanding sources of variability in coastal plant reproduction and may serve as a model for other regions encountering similar challenges with native coastal wetland plant supply.
Dr. Taylor Sloey, Dr. Erik Yando, Luísa Black Ellis
Jeffrey Matthews
Influence of Light and Water Depth on Competition between Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) and Japanese Hop (Humulus japonicus)
Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus) is an emerging invasive plant that has been observed to invade riparian areas and wetlands. As an annual vine, H. japonicus overgrows native vegetation, forming dense stands and reducing biodiversity. It is also capable of replacing established stands of other invasive wetland plants, including reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea). We conducted an observational field study and a greenhouse mesocosm study to explore competition between H. japonicus and P. arundinacea relative to gradients in canopy cover and water depth. In the field study, H. japonicus cover significantly increased in a restored wetland in northwestern Illinois between two growing seasons, resulting in a slight decrease in P. arundinacea cover across the site. Shade reduced H. japonicus cover, indicating its preference for sunlit conditions. In the mesocosm study, H. japonicus and P. arundinacea were grown in monoculture and in competition under two light levels and two water depths. Both species grew best in low water and unshaded conditions, but H. japonicus growth was strongly reduced by high water,
whereas P. arundinacea growth was strongly reduced by low light. In competition against P. arundinacea, H. japonicus had little effect on P. arundinacea aboveground biomass, except in low water and shade. These results differed from field observations, where H. japonicus invaded into and suppressed established P. arundinacea stands in full sunlight. This discrepancy may be due to a difference in growth phenology between the two species; H. japonicus cover tends to be low in early summer but increases dramatically by the end of the growing season, especially in unshaded patches. Both invasive species are shade intolerant, suggesting that planting fast-growing trees should be an effective long-term solution for controlling invasion.
Annie H. Huang
Rebecca McAndrew Sound Transit's Approach to Construction Oversight for Environmental Compliance
After years of planning and permitting, construction is finally ready to begin. The contract delivery method, whether it be design-bid-build, progressive designbuild, traditional design-build, or general contractor/ construction manager, directs how construction oversight occurs. Light rail construction may take over 5 years traversing high-quality wetlands and streams that come with a variety of environmental permits and conditions, contract requirements, and Tribal and National Environmental Policy Act commitments.
In this session, attendees will learn practical strategies for contractor coordination and environmental trainings proven successful at setting clear expectations, field communication, and managing environmental permitting and commitments during design or field construction changes. The presentation will highlight lessons learned about construction specifications that work and those that do not. The presentation will examine best management practices (BMPs) that prove successful in the field versus those that routinely fail, and how project teams can adjust BMPs during construction to respond to unexpected site conditions. Real-world examples from Sound Transit projects will demonstrate how strong partnerships between agency staff, jurisdictional authorities, contractors, and consultants help projects navigate the anticipated
or unexpected challenges while protecting ecosystem resources.
Will Hohman, Raedeke Associates, Inc., whohman@ raedeke.com
Elyssa McCulloch
Climate-Driven Regime Shifts in Prairie Pothole Wetlands: Historical Divergence and Projected Resilience Across a Catchment Gradient
Prairie-pothole wetlands exhibit substantial variation in hydroperiod due to differences in catchment size, basin morphology, and groundwater connectivity. In 1993, an extreme wet period triggered a regional hydrologic expansion in the Southern Prairie Pothole Region, after which some wetlands shifted to permanent ponding while others maintained dynamic wet-dry cycling. Previous analysis of 1979-2022 water budgets indicates that catchment-mediated runoff amplification, storage capacity, and groundwater connectivity contributed to this divergent behavior. However, it remains unclear whether these climate-driven shifts represent persistent wet regime transition reinforced under future climate conditions or if the system will oscillate between novel wet/dry regimes. We evaluate the resilience and sensitivity these post-1993 hydrologic states using process-based simulations of three wetlands across a catchment size and groundwater connectivity gradient forced with downscaled CMIP5 (MACA) climate projections. We selected two models representing the driest and wettest futures from 2030-2099 under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 to encompass the entire range of possible futures. We analyze the transient hydroperiod trajectories to identify year-by-year state transitions. Wetland state is defined by the presence or absence of complete dry-down during the year. We quantify the magnitude and duration of precipitation anomalies required to trigger transitions between seasonally dynamic and persistently ponded conditions and assess how these thresholds vary along gradients of catchment size, basin depth, and groundwater connectivity. This case study provides a mechanistic framework for evaluating hydrologic memory, lag effects, and the sensitivity of climate driven regime shifts in prairie pothole wetlands under future climate variability. Results will inform expectations for future wetland permanence classifications and improve understanding
of how climate variability may alter hydroperiod-based functions of wetlands and their resultant ecosystem services.
Owen McKenna, Alba Argerich
Stephen McDowell
Wetland Management on the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area
Purchased in 1957 from the William Perry Herring McFaddin heirs, the original 8,200 acres of the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area has grown to just under 26,000 within the Texas Chenier Plain. Habitats include fresh to brackish marshes, supporting a highly diverse suite of wetland dependent wildlife species. This talk will cover how habitat management has evolved throughout the past 70 years as our understanding of natural and anthropogenic effects has grown and new means and methods of management have become available
Michael Rezsutek, Ph.D.
Owen McKenna
Not All Wetlands are Created Equal: Climate and Landscape Controls over Nutrient Reduction Potential of Wetlands in North Central US Croplands
Billions of dollars have been invested in the US towards wetland conservation, restoration, and creation to enhance water quality both in croplands and adjacent downstream waters. Each wetland conservation action is implemented at a very local scale, mainly to conserve, restore, or create small (< 1 ha) waterbodies. There is still great uncertainty about the cumulative landscape-scale nutrient reduction benefits provided by wetlands in croplands and modeling tools are generally top-down estimations of water quantity and quality that are not spatially explicit at the field-scale. In the US Prairie Pothole Region (USPPR; Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa), there are an estimated 2.6 million seasonally and temporarily inundated wetlands and 63% of those are embedded within or adjacent to croplands. We used Agricultural Policy/ Environmental Extender (APEX), a field-scale, process-based model to simulate nutrient, sediment, and surface water transport with and without wetlands in
900 standardized 16-ha fields using field management data from the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) and daily precipitation and temperature inputs. We found that when an average sized wetland (~1 ha) remains in a 16-ha field, surface water edge-of-field losses on average increased by 2% and are extremely ± 23%, whereas sediment and nutrient losses are all reduced. Sediment was reduced by 24% ± 18%, Total N by 22% ± 11%, and Total P by 29% ± 15%, per year over a relatively wet 30-yr period (1993-2022). We also found patterns of sediment reduction variability that are associated with the geologic and climatic variability across the USPPR. Across the five ecoregions in our study, sediment reductions were as high as 36 ± 8%, (Prairie Coteau, South Dakota) and as low as 13 ± 4%, (Red River Valley, MN/ND) with wetlands in place. When attempting to quantify the role of croplandembedded wetlands, process-based models can allow for more spatially explicit results.
Luca Doro, Digital Landscape Solutions LLC, Joseph Prenger, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource Inventory and Assessment Division, Rebecca Kreiling, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Charles Kimsal, US Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center
Andrew Mehring
Waterbirds Alter Microbial Community Structure and Reduce Benthic Invertebrate Densities and Carbon Emissions in Mediterranean Wetlands
The activity of sediment-dwelling invertebrates can enhance wetland sediment fluxes of the greenhouse gases (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). However, sediment disturbance and feeding activity of waterbirds can impact benthic communities in wetlands, resulting in lower densities of the aquatic invertebrates that moderate GHG flux. The FLAMMINGGOS (Functional Links in Avian, Microbial, Macrophyte, and INvertebrate Greenhouse Gas Output Stimulation) project was created to test the relative strength of top-down effects of predatory waterbirds on wetland GHG flux. We constructed 126 long-term waterbird exclosures in 11 wetlands within the Doñana Natural Space, the Marismas del Odiel wetlands, and the Bay of Cadiz wetlands in southern
Spain, and maintained them from 2.5 years. Waterto-air emissions of CO2 and CH4 were measured on site, and benthic fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O were measured in the laboratory. The exclusion of predatory waterbirds (primarily flamingos) resulted in significant enhancement benthic CO2 flux, which was higher by ~1.2 grams CO2-C m-2 day-1 in the absence of waterbirds, on average. While benthic (i.e. sedimentto-water) fluxes of CO2 were significantly higher in the absence of waterbirds, surface (i.e. water-to-air) emissions of CO2 and CH4 were not significantly affected, although the direction of the effect of waterbird exclusion (higher CO2 flux in waterbird absence) was the same. Lower surface emissions relative to benthic fluxes of CO2 and CH4 may have been due to uptake of CO2 by algae (all wetlands were eutrophic) and oxidation of CH4 (all wetlands were oxic throughout the water column). The enhancement of benthic CO2 flux inside exclosures may have been due to increases in benthic invertebrate densities in the absence of predatory waterbirds. However, reduced disturbance of sediments within waterbird exclosures also may have allowed for the development of more complex biofilms, potentially increasing benthic algal or microbial population densities and biofilm community respiration. By explicitly linking predator exclusion to changes in invertebrate communities, microbial assemblages, and GHG fluxes across multiple ecosystems, this study provides experimental evidence for top-down regulation of wetland biogeochemistry and reveals a previously underappreciated pathway by which waterbirds can influence climate-relevant ecosystem processes.
Isabel Reche (ireche@ugr.es); Departamento de Ecología and Instituto del Agua, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain., Jeroen J.M. de Klein (jeroendeklein@planet.nl); Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands., Antonio Camacho (Antonio. Camacho@uv.es); Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universitat de València, València, Spain., José A. Carbonell (jacarboher@us.es); Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain., Hortas (francisco.hortas@ gm.uca.es); Department of Biology, Facultad de Cc. del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cadiz and European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Puerto Real, Spain.,
Emma Huertas (emma.huertas@icman.csic.es); Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ICMAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ecología y Gestión Costera, Cádiz, Spain., H. Christoph Liedtke (christoph. liedtke@ebd.csic.es); Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBD-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain., Raquel López-Luque (raquellopez@ebd.csic. es); Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBD-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain., Antonio Picazo (antonio.picazo-mozo@uv.es); Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universitat de València, València, Spain., Carlos Rochera (carlos. rochera@uv.es); Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universitat de València, València, Spain., Andy J. Green (ajgreen@ebd.csic.es); Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBDCSIC, Sevilla, Spain
Xuelian Meng
NDVI Trajectory and Phenological Analyses Reveal Disturbance and Recovery Dynamics of Phragmites australis Marshes in Coastal Louisiana
Phragmites australis (Roseau cane) dominates extensive marshes in coastal Louisiana and plays a critical role in shoreline stabilization and wetland ecosystem functioning. However, these marshes are increasingly affected by extreme disturbances, including winter freeze events, hurricanes, and drought. This study investigates disturbance impacts and recovery dynamics of P. australis marshes in the Lower Mississippi River Delta using multi-year satellite timeseries analysis.
Roseau distribution was mapped annually from 2019 to 2024 using Sentinel-2 imagery. To ensure consistent time-series analysis, a stable Roseau mask was generated by identifying pixels classified as Roseau in at least three years during the study period, representing potential Roseau habitat. NDVI time-series trajectories were then extracted from Sentinel-2 imagery within this fixed mask. Zonal statistics including median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile NDVI values were calculated to characterize vegetation condition while minimizing sensitivity to outliers.
NDVI trajectory metrics were used to quantify disturbance magnitude, recovery rate, and trajectory slope following major environmental events,
including the 2021 winter freeze, impacts associated with Hurricane Ida, and the 2023 extreme drought. Phenological metrics derived from seasonal vegetation dynamics were further compared to evaluate changes in start, end, and duration of the growing season. Disturbance and recovery patterns were assessed at both the entire Lower Mississippi River Delta scale and across major delta outlets to examine spatial variability in marsh resilience.
Results demonstrate that NDVI trajectory and phenological indicators derived from Sentinel-2 time series provide an effective approach for monitoring large-scale disturbance impacts and recovery dynamics of P. australis marshes. This framework supports landscape-scale assessment of coastal marsh functionality and resilience under increasing climate and hydrologic extremes.
Bijaylaxmi Sahoo, Manish K C,
Basant Awasthi
Ehab Meselhe
Modeling of Ecogeomorphic Feedback in the Mississippi River Delta Using: Implications for Restoration and Landscape Stability
The Mississippi River Delta (MRD) exhibits complex ecogeomorphic dynamics influenced by vegetation, hydrodynamics, and sediment transport. This study employs an idealized numerical model using Delft3DFM coupled with the Dynamic Vegetation Model to explore the feedback mechanisms between vegetation and geomorphology in the MRD. Focusing on four dominant marsh vegetation types, Phragmites australis, Colocasia edentula, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and mixed communities, the research investigates the effects of vegetation on flow localization, sediment trapping, soil stabilization, and accretion. Through field data and numerical simulations, we evaluate the influence of vegetation type, patch characteristics, and spatial configurations on water and sediment transport, and landscape stability. The Dynamic Vegetation Model is refined using fieldbased vegetation dynamics, incorporating factors like growth, mortality, and interactions with hydrodynamic forces. Model simulations, considering salinity-induced vegetation changes, provide insights into long-term delta evolution and inform restoration strategies. By modeling vegetation-sediment interactions at
decadal timescales and small spatial scales, this study contributes to understanding delta resilience and supports informed management decisions, such as strategic sediment placement for stabilizing vegetated areas and mitigating erosion in the MRD.
Sherif Ahmed
Beth Middleton
Tidal Forest Ground Height and Vegetation Change
Along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of America
Ground surface height dynamics in tidal forests are driven by changes in hydrology and salinity, which influence vegetation dynamics and sediment availability along the eastern and southern coasts of the United States. Long-term measurements made with Surface Elevation Tables (SETs) show that ground surface height in wetlands can remain stable or be increasing or decreasing over time. Surface height increases in sites with high sedimentation or high vegetation net primary production, whereas it decreases or collapses when vegetation production declines following salinity intrusion from storms and droughts, sea-level rise, or freshwater extraction. High levels of belowground net primary production can support soil peat formation and increases in ground surface height. Improved understanding of relationships among surface height, vegetation, sediment, water, and salinity dynamics will support more effective management of tidal forested wetlands.
Beth A. Middleton1, Thomas R. Doody2, Hongqing Wang3 , Debra A. Willard2, Greg B. Noe4
1 U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA 70506; middletonb@usgs.gov
2 Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 926A, Reston, VA 20192
3 Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Baton Rouge Field Office, U.S. Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
4 Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 1289 McD Drive, Dover, DE 19901
Anthony Mirabito
Chemical and Mineralogical Properties of Mineral Associated Organic Matter in Coastal Wetlands
Coastal wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems globally, sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it primarily within the soil. Coastal wetland restoration often seeks to preserve this important ecosystem function that may be diminished due to sea-level rise or land use change. Mineral associated organic matter (MAOM) is considered one of the most stable pools of soil C because chemical and physical interactions between mineral surfaces and organic compounds protect it from mineralization. The objective of this study was to evaluate coastal wetlands restored with dredged sediment, as compared to a corresponding reference coastal wetlands across five geographical regions in the United States to see how the soils compare in quantity of total soil C and MAOM-C. The MAOM pool was additionally analyzed for total metals and mineralogical properties. Results indicates that all restored wetlands had lower MAOM content than reference wetlands (p <0.001), but restored wetlands had a greater proportion of total C within the MAOM pool (p <0.001), averaging 58.36% of the total C pool, compared to 47.77% (CI= 44.69-50.84%) in reference wetlands. Restored wetlands also had higher metal concentrations within the MAOM pool (p <0.001), with Al and Fe being the most abundant metals comprising 50-84% of the total metals within MAOM. The increase in the proportion of MAOM-C relative to total C suggests that the C within the restored wetlands may have a longer residence time than the C within the reference wetlands.
Lisa G Chambers, lisa.chambers@ucf.edu, Professor, University of Central Florida
Jessica
Moon
Tree-Mediated Methane Pathways and Their Implications for Carbon Budgets in Mineral Soil Wetlands
Carbon source-sink dynamics of freshwater mineral soil wetlands are highly uncertain. This is due, in part, to the lack of models that accurately describe the spatial and temporal complexities of methane uptake and emissions pathways. Here, we synthesize findings from our studies in which we measured methane flux rates from bald
cypress (Taxodium distichum) stems, their aboveground woody roots (i.e., knees), and adjacent soils in mineral soil wetlands of western Kentucky. We examined how methane fluxes varied across multiple spatial scales–from the surfaces of individual trees to broader hydrogeomorphic settings–and across multiple temporal scales–from diurnal cycles to climatic variation across years. Methane fluxes showed minimal variation across diurnal cycles. However, generalizable patterns emerged across woody structures and hydrogeomorphic settings, where both high water and high temperatures were required for efflux to increase significantly relative to other periods. These high-efflux periods also coincided with stronger spatial variation in methane fluxes along the vertical profiles of woody surfaces, as well as increased variability among individual stems and knees within the same hydrogeomorphic setting. The variation within hydrogeomorphic settings has proven most difficult to explain. At some sites, variation appears to be driven by dendro-biological controls, while variation at other sites appears to be driven by known and unknown environmental controls. Notably, woody structures still emitted methane during drought years, when adjacent soils exhibited higher methane uptake. Our findings highlight the importance of treemediated methane pathways and the need to incorporate them into models predicting mineral soil wetland carbon budgets.
Marissa Miles, milesmcmarissa@gmail.com, Skylar Ross, skylar.ross@uconn.edu, Rose Carey, rosiecars8@gmail. com
evolutionary processes can be incorporated into studies of carbon cycling.
For more than a decade, P. australis was exposed to near future levels of atmospheric CO2 and nitrogen (N) enrichment in an open top chamber field experiment at the Smithsonian Global Change Research Wetland, Edgewater, MD, USA. Over the course of the experiment, we have tracked changes in genetic identity, genotype-level decomposition processes, and functional plant traits to identify the role of ecoevolutionary processes in carbon cycling. We found that litter traits such as lignin and phosphorus showed heritable variation, driving population- and genotypelevel differences in decomposition rates, as well as observed strong genotype × environment responses in physiology and growth, with no single genotype performing best across all conditions. Preliminary results from our quantitative genetic common garden experiment also show evidence of moderate heritable trait variation, and we aim to present new data from an exposure experiment. Our preliminary findings suggest that evolutionary responses have the potential to have cascading consequences on carbon cycling if heritable trait variation aligns with changes in genotypic variation.
Eco-Evolutionary Controls on Wetland Carbon Cycling: Evidence from Phragmites australis
There is growing evidence that exposure to global change factors can elicit rapid evolution. It is also becoming clear that evolutionary shifts in functional traits of foundation species can directly influence carbon (C) cycle processes. Thus, determining the potential importance of rapid trait evolution can potentially advance understanding of ecosystem C cycling. Drawing on a long-term global change experiment with the common reed, Phragmites australis, and a quantitative genetic common garden of pedigreed genotypes, we illustrate how rapid
These findings will be integrated into models to identify the mechanistic links that couple plant evolution to carbon cycling. For example, data will also be used to explore scenarios such as whether elevated CO2 selects for greater carbon storage and belowground growth, potentially increasing elevation gain and helping salt marshes keep pace with sea-level rise. Findings like this would highlight the value of accounting for organismal evolution in predictive models to refine estimates of ecosystem C budgets and improve forecasts of ecosystem responses to global change.
Michael J. Blum, Melissa K. McCormick, Brian Donnelly, Kate Ervin, Na’imah Bradley, Griffin Kaulbach, Skylar Livengood, Julia Smeltzer
Thomas Mozdzer
Amanda Nahlik
Frameworks for Measuring Wetland Ecosystem Services: Linking Ecological Attributes to Human Benefits
Wetlands support a wide range of ecosystem services through complex ecological processes, yet translating ecological conditions into clearly defined benefits for people remains a persistent challenge. Approaches such as Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS) and the National Ecosystem Services Classification System (NESCS) provide structured frameworks for linking ecological attributes to the aspects of ecosystems that people directly experience and value. By focusing on measurable ecosystem characteristics and explicitly identifying beneficiaries, these frameworks help clarify how ecological changes translate into socially relevant outcomes.
This presentation examines how FEGS and NESCS can be applied to wetland ecosystems to strengthen connections between wetland condition, ecological indicators, and ecosystem services. Using examples from freshwater and coastal wetlands, we illustrate how ecological features such as hydrologic regimes, vegetation structure, water quality, and wildlife populations generate final ecosystem goods and services for diverse beneficiaries including anglers, hunters, birdwatchers, and nearby residents. We demonstrate how NESCS can organize these ecological attributes and associated benefits into a consistent classification structure that supports environmental assessment and communication across disciplines.
Applying these frameworks to wetlands highlights the importance of identifying ecological attributes that are both scientifically meaningful and directly relevant to human use and appreciation. Integrating ecological understanding with beneficiary-oriented classifications can improve how wetland scientists describe ecosystem services, support clearer communication of ecological outcomes, and strengthen the connection between wetland science and environmental decision-making
Prince Emeka Ndimele
Livelihoods at Risk: The Socio-Economic and Cultural Implications of Sand Mining on Artisanal Fisheries in Lagos State, Nigeria
Sand extraction, the removal of sand from beaches, riverbeds, and quarries for construction and manufacturing, can significantly affect aquatic ecosystems by altering water quality, destroying breeding grounds of aquatic organisms, and threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities. This study investigated the ecological and economic impacts of sand dredging in selected coastal water bodies of Lagos State, Nigeria.
Three sites were selected based on sand mining and fishing activities: Lagos Lagoon (Baiyeku) and Badagry Creek (active dredging sites), and Kweme River (a non-dredging control site). Water, sediment, and fish samples were collected over 20 months (October 2022–May 2024). Physico-chemical parameters were analyzed, and ecological and health risk assessments were conducted for eight metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, Fe, As, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in three fish species (Sarotherodon melanotheron, Coptodon zillii, and Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus). Fish biodiversity was evaluated using Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, while ecosystem modelling was conducted using the Ecopath with Ecosim model. Socio-economic data were obtained through structured questionnaires administered randomly to 100 respondents per site.
Results indicated significant spatial variation (p<0.05) in several water quality parameters, including salinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and ammonia. Sediment pollution indices were generally below 1, indicating low contamination levels. However, ecological risk assessment showed lower metal risk values in Kweme River compared to Lagos Lagoon and Badagry Creek, with integrated ecological risk indices of 2.51, 4.71, and 6.23 respectively.
Fish biodiversity was highest in Kweme River (1-D = 0.86; 1/D = 7.18; H′ = 2.03), compared to Badagry Creek (1-D = 0.42; H′ = 0.78) and Lagos Lagoon (1-D = 0.33; H′ = 0.86), indicating better ecological health in the non-dredging site. Socio-economic findings revealed that sand mining provides employment
(71.23%) and supports local development (58.90%), but also negatively affects aquatic ecosystems (54.79%), fishing communities (56.52%), and water quality (44.93%).
Overall, sand dredging has altered ecological conditions and fish diversity in Lagos Lagoon and Badagry Creek, highlighting the need for sustainable management strategies that balance economic benefits with environmental conservation.
AGUA-ONYEKWELU, Ugochi Linda, MUSTAPHA, Adejuwon Ayomide, and, AYODELE, Odunayo Temitope
Kevin Nemer
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources H2Ohio Wetland Grant: Program Goals and Successes
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) H2Ohio Wetland Grant program was created in 2019 by Governor Mike DeWine to address water quality issues in Lake Erie and other rivers and lakes in the state of Ohio. To date we have created or restored over 500 wetlands of varying types across Ohio's landscape totaling over 8017 acres of restored wetlands since the program began. By working with local municipalities, park districts, and non profits we find suitable ground in need of wetland restoration work, the wetlands have a focus on retaining water across the landscape. Water retention on site is managed in a variety of ways depending on the project, in which we will discuss in more detail, with the purpose of reducing sedimentation and erosion as well as retaining nutrients on site. ODNR models all wetland sites prior to site selections to determine nutrient sequestration potential on site, which will be discussed in more detail.
Our program has also contracted with the Lake Erie Aquatic Research Network (LEARN) to act as the wetland monitoring program for a number of our wetland sites. LEARN is a collaboration between the following Academic institution's The Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, Wright State University, Heidelberg University, The University of Toledo, and Kent State University. LEARN has been collecting post construction wetland monitoring data for these wetlands since they have been completed. The data LEARN is providing our program is being
relayed directly to our wetland design teams and project managers to improve new wetland design. Some of these details will be discussed in detail in the presentation.
Our grantee Black Swamp Conservancy will also be in attendance of this conference, to date the black swamp conservancy has been awarded 9 H2Ohio grants. Rob Krain Director of Black Swamp Conservancy would speak on some of their project specific techniques and goals as a grantee of H2Ohio.
Karina Nolasco
Environmental Matching and Genetic Variation as Predictors of Phragmites australis Establishment in the Bird’s Foot Delta Restoration Efforts
Phragmites australis is a cosmopolitan perennial grass that forms extensive stands throughout the Bird’s Foot Delta (BFD) of Louisiana. Four lineages occur in this region, with the Delta lineage (Haplotype M1) showing the widest distribution and notable tolerance to salinity, prolonged flooding, and herbivory by the non-native scale Nipponaclerda biwakoensis. Despite this resilience, widespread dieback of P. australis has been documented since 2016, driven by scale herbivory and environmental stressors such as saltwater intrusion, subsidence, and prolonged flooding periods. Diebacks are frequently found within mudflats and bare areas near channels and dredge sites which are highly vulnerable to erosion. Continued loss of P. australis contributes to long term land loss estimated at 62 km2 per year, with subsidence (≈10 mm/year) as a dominant factor. To support effective P. australis restoration at BFD, we established four stem planting trials that vary in genotype composition, planting density, and planting method. Survival and growth were monitored through drone imagery and field monitoring to identify environmental factors that may influence early plant establishment. Because restoration outcomes may depend on the genetic attributes of source populations, we also characterized the genetic diversity of high performing Delta lineage stands by collecting leaf and rhizome material across the region. During the presentation, we will present results of these trials and discuss the implications for large-scale restoration of die-back sites at the BFD.
John Andrew Nyman
Marsh Accretion in Impounded and Un-Impounded Coastal Marshes of Louisiana’s Chenier Plain
Coastal marshes accrete vertically in response to sealevel rise and subsidence. As sea level rise accelerates, wetlands can persist if accretion likewise accelerates. Determining if accretion is accelerating is complicated by sediment compaction and interannual variability in sea level, mineral sedimentation, and organic matter accumulation.
Our data contributes to evidence that accretion has accelerated over 20 years in some un-impounded coastal marshes. We used 137Cs dating to analyze cores from un-impounded marshes of Louisiana’s Chenier Plain at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. We compared estimates of accretion, mineral sedimentation and organic accumulation within this marsh between cores collected in 1998 (n =7) and 2018 (n = 10). If accretion, mineral sedimentation, and organic accumulation remain the same annually, then the longer-term accretion estimates should be slower than shorterterm estimates because of compaction, but mineral sedimentation and organic accumulation estimates should remain the same. Instead of appearing slower, the longer-term accretion estimates were 23% faster than the shorter-term estimates.
Our data also contributes to evidence that precludes broad statements about effects of impoundment on accretion and that suggests that impoundments can be managed to accelerate accretion. We used 137Cs dating to estimate accretion in three differently managed impoundments at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. Accretion in one impoundment was slower than in un-impounded marsh but in two impoundments did not differ from accretion in un-impounded marsh. New research is suggested on highly organic soils to identify plant species that foster accretion, and fire and water level management that promotes those species.
Scott P. Graham, Ducks Unlimited, Sammy L. King, U.S.G.S., Cooperative Research Units
John Andrew Nyman
Two Decades of Non-Native Plant Richness Dynamics and Consequences for native Community Stability in Coastal Louisiana
Biological invasions are increasingly altering coastal wetlands, yet long-term regional patterns in the accumulation of non-native plants remain poorly understood. Most previous studies have focused on single invasive species, short-term distributional shifts, or local invasion processes, leaving it unclear how non-native plant richness changes through time and across space, and whether these changes are associated with the stability of native communities. Using vegetation records from the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) across coastal Louisiana from 2006 to 2025, we quantified long-term dynamics in non-native plant richness. We estimated site-level temporal trends using Fisher’s z-transformed correlation coefficients (zr), evaluated basin-level variation with a Bayesian model, and tested whether these trends were related to soil properties. We also examined whether greater non-native plant pressure was associated with reduced native community stability. Mean non-native richness increased over the 20 year period, although temporal trends varied markedly among basins and among sites within basins. At the site level, temporal trends were negatively associated with wet soil pH, specific conductance, and salinity, but positively associated with bulk density, organic density, and total phosphorus, pointing to strong environmental filtering of non-native plant dynamics. Higher nonnative richness was also associated with lower native community stability, reflected in greater temporal instability in native richness and cover, as well as higher compositional turnover. These findings identify non-native plant richness as a useful indicator of longterm marsh change and suggest that incorporating it into CRMS assessments could improve early detection of sites where native communities are becoming less stable through time. More broadly, they highlight the accumulation of multiple non-native taxa as an underrecognized dimension of coastal wetland change under ongoing environmental stress.
Jeffrey
D.
Plumlee. School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA, Brian J. Roberts. Louisiana
Cecelia Dolaz, Josh Snook, Rodrigo Diaz
Universities Marine Consortium, Chauvin, LA 70344, USA, Megan K. La Peyre. Address: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
John
Andrew Nyman
Biomass Elevation: A Non Fill Pathway for Subsidence Reversal, Wetland Mitigation, and Coastal
Resilience
Terranova is developing Biomass Elevation and Stabilization of Terrain (BEST), a subsurface injection method that raises land by emplacing a wood-chip and water slurry deep underground instead of spreading fill across the surface. This preserves existing soils and vegetation, largely eliminating the need for revegetation. The system relies on easily removable injection wells and lightweight, track-mounted equipment to open and fill subsurface apertures at controlled depths, allowing the overlying soil column to rise with minimal surface disturbance. Surface topography can be sculpted to optimize hydrology and sediment recruitment.
Highway engineers have used wood as a lightweight fill for decades in road construction — such as the Dumbarton Bridge approach in the San Francisco Bay, demonstrating long-term durability in saturated clay soils. Once injected, the biomass compacts into a stable wood matrix, and the nutrient-poor, anoxic conditions prevent meaningful decomposition over centuries. In many regions, woody biomass is available at roughly 10x times the quantity and 1/10th the cost of conventional fill, enabling faster completion at lower cost.
For coastal restoration managers, BEST offers a compelling alternative to surface fill placement in subsided marsh landscapes. Rather than burying existing marsh soils and vegetation, subsurface elevation preserves the surface horizon, accelerates project timelines, and reduces mitigation. Terranova's planning and control system coordinates well arrays, injection sequencing, slurry composition, and real-time elevation monitoring to shape uplift precisely across project areas. The long-term goal is to enable marsh platforms, transitional slopes, living levees, mitigation banks, and other nature-based flood resilience features
to be built with less surface disruption and tighter topographic control.
Terranova has completed subsurface injection work in Wilton, California, under Central Valley Water Board oversight, demonstrating repeatable surface uplift across multiple injection wells and collecting groundwater data before and after injection. A second project in San Francisco Bay is under way, involving ~ 3,000 cubic yards, expanded monitoring, and a repeatable permitting pathway for tidal and deltaic soils. The site serves as an analog for some Gulf Coast and other fine-grained coastal soil systems. Terranova is collaborating with LSU’s Brand Lab on hydrodynamic and nuisance flooding modeling for this project.
Ebunoluwa Obideyi
Dragonflies and Damselflies as Indicators of Urban Habitat Quality: A Comparative Study of Two Conservation Sites in
Lagos, Nigeria
Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are widely recognized as important bioindicators of environmental quality due to their sensitivity to habitat alteration and changes in freshwater ecosystems. Their life cycle includes aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults, enabling them to reflect ecological conditions in both aquatic and surrounding terrestrial environments. This study investigated the assemblage, abundance, and diversity of Odonata in two recreational conservation areas in Lagos State, Nigeria: Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC) and Omu Resort. Adult odonates were sampled during the study period using sweep nets and identified based on morphological characteristics. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and diversity indices to compare species composition and community structure between the two sites. A total of 314 individuals representing 28 species, 20 genera, and four families (Aeshnidae, Libellulidae, Coenagrionidae, and Platycnemididae) were recorded. The family Libellulidae was the most dominant, accounting for 74.84% (235 individuals) of the total collection. The most abundant species were Pantala flavescens and Palpopleura lucia, followed by Ceriagrion glabrum. Species diversity was slightly higher at Lekki Conservation Centre (H′ = 2.50) compared to Omu Resort (H′ = 2.36). However, statistical analysis indicated no significant difference in
Odonata occurrence between the two sites. The results highlight the importance of semi-natural and protected urban habitats in maintaining Odonata diversity. These findings provide baseline information for monitoring ecological changes in urban wetlands and support the use of Odonata as effective bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health in rapidly urbanizing landscapes.
Kemabonta, K. A., Adeniran, J., and Amaechi, K
Gordon O'Brien
Holistic Management of African Floodplain Wetlands for Biodiversity and Livelihood Resilience
The Inner Niger Delta (IND), the Sudd wetland, Lower Limpopo River Floodplain and the Phongolo River floodplain are all socio-ecologically important wetlands in Africa that maintain millions of vulnerable people and a large part of the African continent’s biodiversity. These ecosystems are vulnerable to overuse, upstream water quality and flow stressors, alien species and habitat loss. Environmental flows (e-flows) are essential to sustain biodiversity, ecosystem services, and the livelihoods of millions. Using the PROBFLO and formal evidence based regional scale, relative ecological risk assessment frameworks we have been able to determine the stressors affecting these ecosystems and ecosystem services and e-flows and system requirements for sustainability. While e-flow requirements are delivered from upstream rivers to these floodplains and sustainability requirements can be high (example IND requires 58.2% of natural flows 26,687 MCM/yr, Sudd requires 52% of White Nile runoff ~26,024 MCM/yr and the Limpopo River requirements are 42% of MAR). We have also been able to determine sustainability requirements for habitat mosaics, migratory birds, grazing lands, fisheries, and the wetland’s basin-scale climate-regulating “sponge” function. We have also demonstrated how ecological risks are driven by altered upstream flow releases, inadequate pan inundation, human disturbance, alien species impacts and persistent water quality contamination which all need to be carefully managed to achieve sustainability outcomes. Across all wetlands, e-flows improve fisheries, grazing productivity, water-quality buffering, and biodiversity outcomes. The shared conclusion is clear: sustainable floodplain futures depend on maintaining seasonal flow patterns, restoring
riparian habitats, controlling pollutants, and embedding adaptive e-flow rules in basin governance. Knowledge of multiple stressors affecting both ecosystems and human livelihoods on appropriate regional scales that can evaluate the risk of varying ecosystem development and or conservation scenarios have been extremely valuable. This has facilitated trade-off considerations to determine sustainable future balances between ecosystem developments and protection for their biodiversity and people. Our research has contributed to the establishment of management plans and protection policies, strategies and associated legislation on transboundary multiple stakeholder ecosystems.
Chris Dickens, chrisdickens7979@gmail.com, International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka Office, Sunil Mawatha, Battaramulla, Colombo, Sri Lanka., Victor Wepener, victor.wepener@nwu.ac.za, Professor, Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag x6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa, Lee Baumgartner, lbaumgartner@csu.edu.au, Director, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia, John Conallin jconallin@ csu.edu.au, Researcher, Director, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia
Brooke O'Neill
Making Mitigation Work: Wetland Compensation for Large Transit Projects in Washington
Even after avoiding and minimizing impacts where possible, Sound Transit’s large infrastructure projects still require off-site wetland mitigation to compensate for permanent loss of wetland functions and values. Identifying and implementing compensatory mitigation in Washington State can be a big lift, particularly for large transit projects that cross multiple watersheds and jurisdictional boundaries. Local jurisdictions often have mitigation requirements that are not aligned with federal and state requirements and ecosystem mitigation goals can conflict with other community goals in developed areas.
This session will provide an overview of local mitigation requirements and interagency guidance on compensatory mitigation in Washington State. It will give examples of how Sound Transit has implemented
compensatory mitigation in various ways, including constructing permittee-responsible mitigation and purchasing of credits from in-lieu-fee programs and mitigation banks. Attendees will gain insight into challenges and opportunities faced during development of a mitigation approach that satisfies all regulatory agencies and Tribal partners and learn about examples of partnerships with local jurisdictions to implement mitigation on public lands.
Ingrid Kimball, IKimball@parametrix.com, Senior Scientist, Parametrix
Michael Osland
Wetland Ecological Thresholds and Transformations due to Climate Change: The Role
of Abiotic Stress
An ecological threshold is the point at which a comparatively small environmental change triggers an abrupt and disproportionately large ecological response. In the face of accelerating climate change, there is concern that abrupt ecosystem transformations will become more widespread as critical ecological thresholds are crossed. There has been ongoing debate, however, regarding the prevalence of ecological thresholds across the natural world. While ecological thresholds are ubiquitous in some ecosystems, thresholds have been difficult to detect in others. Some studies have even concluded that threshold responses are uncommon in the natural world and overemphasized in the ecological literature. As ecologists who work in wetlands and other ecosystems chronically exposed to high abiotic stress, we consider ecological thresholds and ecosystem transformations to be critical concepts that can greatly advance understanding of ecological responses to climate change and inform ecosystem management. But quantifying ecological thresholds can be challenging, if not impossible, without data that are strategically collected for that purpose. Here, we present a conceptual framework built upon linkages between abiotic stress, climate-driven ecological threshold responses, and the risk of ecosystem transformation. We also present a simple approach for quantifying ecological thresholds across abiotic stress gradients. We hypothesize that climate-driven threshold responses are especially influential in wetlands and other ecosystems chronically exposed to high abiotic stress, where autotroph diversity is low and foundation species
play a prominent ecological role. Abiotic conditions in these environments are often near physiological tolerance limits of foundation species, which means that small abiotic changes can trigger landscape-level ecological transformations. Conversely, the alleviation of stress near thresholds can allow foundation species to thrive and spread into previously inhospitable locations. We provide examples of this climate-driven threshold behavior from wetlands and other high-stress environments. Our overarching aim in this presentation is to clarify the strong relationships between abiotic stress, climate-driven ecological thresholds, and the risk of ecosystem transformation under climate change.
Lauren T. Toth, James. B. Grace, Judith Z. Drexler, Camille L. Stagg, Eric E. Grossman, Stephanie S. Romañach, Davina L. Passeri, Gregory B. Noe, Jessica R. Lacy, Ken W. Krauss, Kurt P. Kowalski, Neil K. Ganju, Nicholas M. Enwright, Joel A. Carr, Kristin B. Byrd, Kevin J. Buffington
Abha Panda
Identifying Optimal Seed Storage and Germination Conditions for Seven Submerged Aquatic Plant Species
Germination requirements for aquatic plants (submerged and floating-leaved) remain relatively understudied compared to terrestrial species, posing practical barriers for restoration. To better understand what factors influence germination success, we conducted a series of storage and germination trials across seven common aquatic plant species (Vallisneria americana, Najas flexilis, Potamogeton amplifolius, Potamogeton foliosus, Potamogeton illinoiensis, Potamogeton natans, Potamogeton richardsonii). Over 10,000 seeds from mature plants were hand-collected in the fall (Otter Lake; Ramsey Co., Minnesota, USA).
After cleaning and processing using standardized protocols, seeds were placed into 10+ distinct storage treatments. These included variations in water type, storage temperature, aeration, and seed maturity. Seeds were stored in treatment conditions for nine months before being placed into climate-controlled growth chambers where daily measurements of germination and environmental parameters were taken. Overall, 4,653 seeds (≈40%) germinated across all species and treatment combinations, with a mean germination of 39.7% ± 1.5 (SE) and a max germination up to 90.4% within treatment groups. Several storage
factors influenced germination outcomes, with highest germination for seeds that were stored in unsealed containers of tap water at 4° C (65.7% ± 5.9, p<0.01). Out of the seven species examined, floatingleaf pondweed (P. natans) had the highest overall germination rate (63.4% ± 2.3, p<0.01). Successful germination across species and treatments represents progress relative to past efforts and suggests that seedbased restoration may be a viable strategy for aquatic plants under the right conditions. Other environmental factors, including chemical cues and physical disturbance, are also likely to influence germination and warrant further investigation. Understanding optimal germination conditions across diverse submerged and floating plant species is critical for increasing capacity for aquatic revegetation.
Gavin Parisien
Early Finding about Perceptions of the Need for Protection of Wetlands on the Lands of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) Reservation is located in north-central North Dakota within the Turtle Mountains, a region that spans the United States–Canada border and contains the highest concentration of wetlands in the state. Wetlands on the TMBCI reservation have limited legal protection. The objective of the project is to assess possibilities for better protection of wetlands on the lands of the TMBCI. Findings from this research will be presented to the TMBCI to inform future discussions on wetland policy, management, and community-based conservation efforts.
As part of the project, a survey was conducted to assess public awareness of current water laws and perceptions of the need for protection of wetlands among people living both on and off the reservation. Surveys were administered across the reservation and in surrounding communities. In total, 184 responses were obtained. One objective of the survey was to assess if the respondents that felt a need for increased wetland protection varied by gender and tribal enrollment status. It was hypothesized that women would express stronger support for wetland protection than men, reflecting the cultural role of women as protectors of water within TMBCI traditions. It was also expected that
enrolled tribal members would favor stronger wetland protections compared to non-enrolled respondents. Preliminary analysis of the data suggests that more than 80% of the respondents agree that the water and wetlands on the lands of TMBCI are not sufficiently protected. Women and men are equally concerned about protection of TMBCI water and wetlands, but enrolled members of TMBCI are more concerned than nonenrolled respondents.
Marinus L. Otte
Chelsea Peterson
When is Restoration Win-Win? Evaluating Plant Diversity and Carbon Storage Tradeoffs Across Restored Floodplains
The simultaneous recovery of plant diversity and carbon (C) storage in restored wetlands is uncertain because many interdependent disturbances create tradeoffs among primary productivity, vegetation composition, and soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation. In this study, we compared these tradeoffs across eight Illinois sites with paired restored and reference floodplain forests. At each site, we established six 10-m × 10-m plots to survey woody vegetation and measure canopy cover; then, we established five nested 1-m × 1-m quadrats to survey herbaceous vegetation and remove soil cores. After analyzing cores for total C (TC) and SOC concentrations, we quantified (1) total, live tree, and herbaceous layer species richness and (2) soil, litter, woody debris, and biomass C stocks. To explain variation in SOC, we also measured two SOC fractions and multiple soil edaphic properties, including moisture, texture, aggregate stability, and nutrient concentrations. Although inorganic and particulate organic C stocks were somewhat lower in restored than reference wetlands, high mineral-associated organic C stocks in restored wetlands led to TC and SOC stocks only marginally below reference levels. Despite nearly recovered soil C storage, all restored wetlands had much lower total ecosystem C storage due to their limited woody material. Conversely, plant species richness was only lower than reference levels at younger restored sites (<20 years), which had less canopy cover and more invasive biomass than older restored sites (>20 years). Thus, beyond hydrology, tree density could be an important secondary factor
regulating long-term plant diversity and ecosystem C storage in restored forested floodplains.
Jeffrey W. Matthews
Thomas Pham
Temporal Trends in Plant Invasion are Site-Dependent:
A Case Study with
Phragmites
australis in the Gulf Coast
Plant invasions are a growing threat to natural habitats worldwide. It is well established that invasive species outcompete natives and change native plant community composition. However, not all invasions persist long term. Plant invasions can be context dependent, with invader success and impact varying widely across space. However, post-establishment temporal dynamics of invasion are less understood. Long-term studies and monitoring are needed to elucidate the importance of environmental drivers in post-establishment dynamics of plant invasions. We focused on the long-term invasion dynamics and context dependency in the plant invader Phragmites australis (common reed) in the Gulf Coast. We assessed how Phragmites invasion has changed over nine years (2017-2025) in coastal Louisiana. We annually surveyed four marshes, ranging from freshwater to brackish conditions. We hypothesized that Phragmites density will generally increase over time, but invasion success will vary across and within sites with salinity and water depth increasing invasion success. We found that temporal dynamics of Phragmites success were site-specific, with sites exhibiting contrasting trends of stability, decline, and invasion variability over the study period. Contrary to expectations, Phragmites invasion generally decreased over time, with three sites exhibiting directional transitions from codominant to native plots and all sites showing persistence of nativedominated plots. Only one site exhibited directional transitions from codominant to Phragmites dominance and persistent Phragmites plots. Negative relationships between Phragmites and native density, suggestive of competition, were only found at two sites. At some sites, environmental stressors (higher salinity or higher water depth) increased transitions toward Phragmites dominance and/or decreased transitions toward native dominance. Our results underscore the importance of site-level context dependency in invasion and the importance of abiotic factors in affecting invasion
trajectories. Overall, monitoring invasions over longer, interannual timescales uncovered important information about the invasion dynamics of our system. Understanding variability and context dependency in plant invasions has direct management implications which may help prioritize areas to manage, identify times when management might be most successful, and highlights the need for site-based management.
Catherine Ogoma, Jacob Dixon, Dexter Ellis, Nelle Kulick, Christina Birnbaum, Coleman Benedict, Kacey Lange, Kiara Valentine, Dr. Emily Farrer
Kevin Philley
Echoes from the Muck: A Paleolimnology History of Wildrice at Lac Vieux Desert
Northern wildrice (Zizania palustris; “manoomin”) is an emergent aquatic plant found in lacustrine fringe wetlands in the Great Lakes region, and a significant cultural, economic, and food resource for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Tribal members reported significant declines in wildrice productivity despite numerous management and restoration efforts, raising concerns for future sustainability. In conjunction with a multi-year wildrice monitoring effort, a palaeoecological reconstruction of Rice Bay, Lac Vieux Desert, Michigan, was conducted to investigate environmental factors influencing wildrice abundance over the last two centuries to inform current conditions and management considerations. Three sediment cores were extracted from Rice Bay that included a nearshore area, the outer edge of existing emergent vegetation, and a deeper area occupied by submerged aquatic vegetation. Pollen and phytoliths were extracted from the cores to provide a history of vegetation dynamics, local land-use change, and potential impacts by anthropogenic activities. Pollen analysis provided a broad overview of local vegetation shifts, revealing significant forest clearing and settlement in the mid-19th century. Phytolith analysis was used to track presence and abundance of wildrice over time through phytolith accumulation rates. Results demonstrated the presence of a wildrice stand in the eastern portion of Rice Bay for at least 180 years; however, wildrice abundance appeared to fluctuate. The findings demonstrate that changes to current lake level management may be critical for the health, recovery,
and expansion of wildrice in Rice Bay, offering crucial insights for resource management.
Nia Hurst, Chad Yost, Andrea Nurse, Jacob Berkowitz
Nick Picha
The Creek Will Rise: Design, Implementation, and Management of a Large-scale Low-tech Process-based Restoration Site in the Colorado Western Slope
From 2021 to 2024, Westervelt Ecological Services assisted the National Forest Foundation in designing, planning, and permitting the Soda Creek Mitigation Site, the inaugural Colorado Western Slope In-lieu Fee Program Site in Summit County, Colorado. The project represents one of the largest low-tech processbased (LTPBR) wetland mitigation sites in the United States. Design efforts comprised robust hydraulic and hydrologic modeling considering the historical valley wetland footprint, velocities and sheer stress, and an upstream reference reach with beavers (Castor canadensis). Because of the numerous public and private stakeholders, design efforts utilized on this site go above and beyond typical LTPBR site planning efforts. Site construction occurred in the summer of 2024. It included the installation of over 150 LTPBR installations (i.e., beaver dam analogs and post-assisted log structures) along Soda Creek and a tributary of Soda Creek, excavation and grading of high spots established by ranching and agricultural activities, seeding, and willow staking throughout the approximate 295-acre valley. Site construction included field-fitting structures to existing pools, addressing channel incision and scour, and placing newly established pools to attract beaver colonization. Mitigation standards require a five-year interim maintenance and performance period to demonstrate site success. The colonization of beavers within the restoration site will greatly influence site management and maintenance activities. This presentation will discuss lessons learned in designing, constructing, and managing this large glacial valley LTPBR restoration site in the presence or absence of beavers.
Michael Linfoot
Mercedes Pinzon
Beyond Carbon: Mineral-Associated Organic Matter Controls on Nitrogen Cycling in Coastal Wetlands
Nitrogen (N) mineralization regulates whether a wetland functions as a nutrient sink or source, yet most studies evaluate this process at the bulksoil scale, overlooking how soil physical structure controls microbial access to organic substrates. In coastal wetlands, soil organic matter (SOM) exists as particulate organic matter (POM), which is relatively labile, and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), which is stabilized through organo–mineral interactions. While MAOM is widely recognized as a major reservoir for long-term carbon (C) storage, its role in N preservation and mineralization remains poorly understood. This study examines how soil size fractions regulate potential mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), inorganic nutrient dynamics, and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in coastal marsh soils. Surface soils (0–15 cm) were collected from three salt marshes along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts and separated into three fractions (>250 μm, 250–53 μm, and <53 μm) representing coarse POM-dominated, intermediate, and fine MAOM-associated size classes. Fractionated soils were subjected to 10-day anaerobic incubations to quantify PMN, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), nitrate (NO3 -), and CO2-CH4 fluxes. Results indicate that the fine (<53 μm) fraction may exhibit the highest PMN, suggesting that mineral-associated pools store substantial quantities of N, but it remains accessible for microbial mineralization. In contrast, the coarse fractions (POM) produced elevated CO2, reflecting greater labile C availability. By linking SOM fractions to mineralization rates, this research will provide new insights into the mechanisms governing short-term N turnover and long-term MAOM–N stability in tidal soils. Findings also improve the understanding of how physical protection and substrate quality regulate wetland nutrient retention and GHG emissions.
Dr. Samantha Chapman (Villanova University), Dr. Adam Langley (Villanova University), Dr. Lisa Chambers (University of Central Florida)
Jaybus Price
Toward a Rapid Assessment of Wet Pine Flatwoods: Development of a Quantitative Habitat Quality Model
Wet pine flatwoods are among the most widespread forested wetland ecosystems in the southeastern United States and provide critical ecological functions including wildlife habitat, hydrologic storage, and support of high plant biodiversity. Despite their ecological importance, land managers and regulators often lack rapid, quantitative tools for evaluating ecological condition and functional quality in these systems, particularly in the context of restoration planning and compensatory mitigation evaluation.
This study presents the development of a Wet Pine Flatwoods Assessment (WPFA) framework designed to provide a rapid, repeatable method for quantifying habitat quality and ecological condition in wet pine flatwoods ecosystems. The assessment integrates field-measured structural indicators with landscape context variables to generate a standardized habitat quality score ranging from degraded to reference-like conditions. Variables were selected based on ecological relevance to longleaf pine–dominated flatwoods systems and include indicators representing herbaceous community composition, forest structure, disturbance history, and landscape integrity.
The WPFA model organizes variables into three functional sub-indices representing herbaceous condition, tree structure, and disturbance modifiers. These indices are combined using a weighted scoring approach to produce an overall habitat quality score. The framework was designed to balance ecological rigor with field efficiency, allowing assessments to be completed rapidly while maintaining sensitivity to key ecological gradients such as fire history, canopy structure, invasive species pressure, and hydrologic alteration.
The assessment was applied across multiple wet pine flatwoods sites spanning a range of management conditions, including restored, actively managed, and degraded systems. Preliminary results demonstrate that the WPFA effectively distinguishes condition gradients associated with fire frequency, canopy structure, and herbaceous community integrity, producing habitat
quality scores consistent with expected ecological trajectories.
This framework provides a practical tool for wetland scientists, land managers, and regulatory practitioners seeking to evaluate wet pine flatwoods condition in support of restoration planning, mitigation banking, and long-term ecological monitoring. The WPFA represents a step toward more standardized quantitative assessment of southeastern forested wetland ecosystems.
Dr. Jacob Berkowitz and Mr. William Tomlinson
Price
A Disturbance-based Framework for Rapid Assessment of Wetland Condition in Small Areas of New England
Wetlands across the northeastern United States provide critical ecological functions including water quality improvement, flood attenuation, carbon storage, and habitat for regionally important plant and wildlife communities. Effective management and regulatory decision-making require rapid, repeatable methods for evaluating wetland condition across diverse landscapes. While several assessment frameworks exist for northeastern wetlands, practitioners often lack standardized approaches that integrate multiple disturbance indicators into a single quantitative index suitable for rapid field application.
This presentation describes the development of a Disturbance-based Rapid Wetland Assessment for Small Areas: New England, a framework designed to evaluate ecological condition in freshwater wetlands of the northeastern United States. The assessment produces a continuous Disturbance Index Score (DIS) ranging from 0.0 (severely impaired) to 1.0 (minimally disturbed). The index integrates indicators of anthropogenic disturbance and invasive floristic pressure that influence wetland structure, composition, and ecological function.
The assessment emphasizes indicators that can be rapidly evaluated during field visits while remaining sensitive to common drivers of wetland degradation in the region. Variables incorporated in the model include surrounding land-use intensity, hydrologic alteration, invasive plant dominance, and physical disturbance within and adjacent to wetland boundaries. These
Jaybus
indicators are synthesized using a standardized scoring approach to produce an integrated disturbance-based index of wetland condition.
Conceptually, the framework builds on disturbance and ecological integrity metrics used in other northeastern wetland assessment approaches, including the National Wetland Condition Assessment and the NatureServe Ecological Integrity Assessment. Application of the assessment across wetlands representing a range of disturbance conditions demonstrates that the disturbance index effectively captures gradients associated with land use, invasive plant prevalence, and hydrologic modification.
This framework provides a practical tool for wetland scientists and managers seeking to evaluate wetland disturbance and ecological condition in support of monitoring, restoration planning, and mitigation evaluation across the northeastern United States.
Mr. Jaybus Price and Dr. Jacob Berkowitz
Carlos Pulido
Quantifying Functional Trait Variation to Assess Wetland Stability Across Hydrologic Gradients
Freshwater marl prairies of the Everglades are among the most biologically diverse wetland communities in North America, yet they are increasingly threatened by hydrologic alteration driven by water management decisions and climate variability. As water delivery increases, marl wet prairies are transitioning toward marl marsh communities dominated by a narrow set of flood-tolerant species. This shift toward ecological homogenization motivates a trait-based approach to quantifying ecosystem condition and resilience. This study examines how abiotic and biotic drivers shape functional richness, evenness, and divergence across hydrologic gradients in the eastern Everglades marl prairies. Functional traits such as plant height, leaf dry matter content (LDMC), root diameter, and specific root tip abundance (SRTA) were measured from 10 individuals per species across six dominant species at nine sites spanning two landscape units (294 plots total). Trait probability density functions (TPDs) were computed at the individual, species, and patch level and used to derive functional diversity indices.
Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to relate functional diversity to maximum consecutive dry days, soil depth, vegetation class, and spatial location. Principal component analysis revealed a clear acquisitive-to-conservative trait syndrome along PC1 (39.7% of variance), with root diameter as the strongest loading trait. Cladium jamaicense occupied the strongly acquisitive end, consistent with its dominance under prolonged inundation, while Panicum tenerum and Schizachyrium rhizomatum anchored the conservative end, reflecting stresstolerant strategies under nutrient-poor, seasonally dry conditions. GAM results demonstrated that maximum consecutive dry days was the primary driver of FRic (p < 0.001, Adj. R² = 0.59, deviance explained = 60.9%), with sparse prairie patches supporting approximately three times greater functional richness than dense graminoid marsh. Functional evenness showed a significant but non-linear response to hydroperiod (p = 0.024), while FDiv showed no significant relationship with any predictor. These findings indicate that increased water delivery compresses functional trait space, producing a measurable signal of ecological homogenization. Functional diversity metrics offer a sensitive, mechanistic framework for monitoring wetland condition and represent quantifiable targets for Everglades restoration planning.
Carlos Pulido, Jay Sah, Leonard Scinto, Dan Gann
Tracy
Quirk
Importance of Connectivity for Coastal Marsh Restoration Trajectories: A Case Study in the Mississippi River Delta
Coastal wetland restoration is an important strategy for mitigating ecosystem loss in the Mississippi River Delta, yet restoration outcomes depend on hydrology and elevation; key attributes that determine vegetation and soil development and accretion rates. We examined vegetation, elevation, hydrology, accretion, and denitrification across two created marshes and an adjacent natural reference marsh along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. One marsh was created within a containment dyke (Confined) and the other without a dyke (Unconfined), allowing an evaluation of how hydrologic connectivity and elevation affect ecosystem development. The Natural marsh was dominated by a mix of Spartina patens
and Schoenoplectus americanus within a very narrow elevation range. The Confined marsh had much greater elevation variability, lower flooding frequency, and greater occurrence of upland and wind-dispersed species, including Typha domingensis at low elevations and Baccharis halimifolia at high elevations as compared to the Natural and Unconfined created marshes. In contrast, the Unconfined marsh, with greater hydrologic connectivity, supported a vegetation community dominated by Schoenoplectus americanus and had higher accretion and denitrification rates than the Confined marsh. The divergence in plant community at similar elevations between the two created marshes implies that the dyke may have limited the dispersal of non-wind dispersed species such as Schoenoplectus. Soil organic matter was lowest in the Unconfined marsh and highest in the Natural marsh, reflecting early-stage soil development. These findings demonstrate that connectivity and elevation strongly influence vegetation composition, soil formation, and nitrogen cycling in created marshes. Restoration designs that enhance hydrologic exchange and maintain moderate elevations may accelerate functional equivalence with natural marshes and improve resilience to sea-level rise.
Kevin Stoner, John R. White, J. A. Nyman
Tracy Quirk
Phragmites australis Lineages in the Mississippi River Delta Occupy Distinct Niches and Vary in Plastic Responses to Flooding and Nutrients
Distinct lineages within plant species may occupy different ecological niches and respond differently to environmental change. Phragmites australis, a cosmopolitan emergent macrophyte, includes multiple haplotypes that co-occur in the lower Mississippi River Delta (MRD), Louisiana, including the invasive Eurasian haplotype (M). We conducted field surveys of the three most common haplotypes in the MRD, Delta (M1), Gulf (I), and Eurasian (M), and evaluated their growth responses to flooding and water chemistry in a mesocosm experiment. In the field, haplotypes occupy distinct habitat conditions. The Delta haplotype occurred at lower marsh elevations and in substrates with lower bulk density, higher organic matter, and higher porewater sulfide compared with the Eurasian haplotype. In greenhouse experiments, plants were
exposed to different flooding regimes (0%, 50%, and 100% inundation) and water types with differing nutrient concentrations). Haplotypes differed significantly in morphology and growth allocation, particularly in above- and belowground biomass. Traits such as shoot height, stem diameter, shoot density, and litter production showed relatively low plasticity across treatments, whereas biomass allocation varied among haplotypes depending on environmental conditions. Together, these results indicate that P. australis haplotypes in the MRD occupy distinct ecological niches and exhibit lineage-specific growth responses to flooding and nutrient availability.
M. Derek Jacobs, Songjie He, Austin Lynn, James Cronin, Rodrigo Diaz
Michael Rabalais
Seasonal Carbon Dynamics in Adjacent Mangrove and Salt Marsh Stands Along the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) are encroaching into salt marshes dominated by Spartina alterniflora, with important implications for ecosystem processes. Carbon cycling is particularly important because coastal wetlands are highly efficient at accumulating carbon. Avicennia may accumulate more carbon than Spartina because woody biomass persists year-round, whereas Spartina is a seasonally senescent grass. Soil carbon accumulation may also differ between vegetation types depending on sediment trapping, biomass inputs to the soil, and decomposition rates. Here, we measured seasonal carbon dioxide exchange in adjacent stands of Avicennia and Spartina along the edge of Timbalier Bay, Louisiana, at two distances from the shoreline (10 and 30 m). Avicennia at this site occurs as a low-stature scrub mangrove (~ two feet). Measurements were conducted in July, September, December, and February using flux chambers. While no surface water was present in July, December, and February, the site was inundated in September. Avicennia exhibited substantial seasonal variability in net ecosystem production (NEP), shifting from near carbon-neutral conditions in July to a net CO2 source in September and February. In contrast, Spartina maintained sustained net carbon uptake across sampling periods. Spatial differences between 10 m and 30 m plots were modest relative to seasonal effects,
although Avicennia located farther from the shoreline showed slightly reduced productivity. These results suggest that Spartina marshes may maintain more consistent carbon uptake than adjacent Avicennia stands under seasonal environmental variability. Our findings highlight functional differences in carbon dynamics between mangrove and salt marsh ecosystems and suggest that flooding and winter stress may constrain carbon uptake in expanding mangrove stands.
Tracy Quirk, Giulio Marriotti, Victor Rivera-Monroy
Mark Rains
Rapid Wetland Ecosystem Service Assessment Tool for Federal, State, and Tribal Regulatory Needs
For wetland ecosystem services to be effectively incorporated into regulatory and monitoring programs, there is a need for linked wetland ecosystem function and service assessment tools that can be applied systematically, repeatably, and rapidly. Wetland ecosystem functions are the physical, chemical, and biological processes that wetlands perform, regardless of the degree to which they do or do not benefit humans. Wetland ecosystem services are the elements of wetland ecosystems that maintain human health and well-being. The two are linked because the capacity of a wetland to perform ecosystem functions is commonly assumed to be related to the capacity of the wetland to perform ecosystem services, with lower functioning wetlands providing a lower level of ecosystem services and higher functioning wetlands providing a higher level of ecosystem services. However, though wetland ecosystem functions are commonly assessed with one of the hundreds of wetland function assessment approaches in use worldwide, wetland ecosystem services are seldom directly evaluated because related wetland ecosystem service assessment approaches are lacking. Here, we provide a conceptual framework for a wetland ecosystem services assessment tool that can be implemented as an additional module to existing wetland ecosystem function assessment tools. We employ a service capacity index (SCI) that builds on existing concepts of functional capacity indices (FCIs) by incorporating the opportunity for beneficiaries to avail themselves of the source and sink ecological products provided by wetlands. We argue that if the goal of wetland regulatory programs is to meet
compensatory mitigation requirements of unavoidable loss of wetland area, functions, and/or services, an SCI is an appropriate complement to an FCI. We illustrate the application of the proposed approach using the Montana Wetland Assessment Method on riverine wetlands on gravel bed alluvial floodplains in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Eric Stein, erics@sccwrp.org, Department Head, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project., Kai Rains, krains@usf.edu, Research Associate Professor, University of South Florida., Sarah Church, sarah.church@montana. edu, Associate Professor, Montana State University., William Kleindl, william.kleindl@montana.edu, Research Assistant Professor, Montana State University
Kai Rains
Ecosystem Services: Classification and Linkages to Ecosystem Functions
Wetlands are an important resource for social and ecological wellbeing. Past efforts to build assessment tools have focused primarily on wetland structure and function, and less on inherent services valued by people, i.e., ecosystem services. Moreover, there has been little effort to develop assessment tools that measure wetland services in a rapid and repeatable manner. Our overall intent is to develop a module for the rapid assessment of ecosystem services provided by wetlands for use in permitting, compensatory mitigation, and preservation decisions. Here, we present foundational steps in which ecosystem services are both identified and mapped to ecosystem functions and metrics common to existing assessment methods. These steps are necessary to establish target ecosystem services and to identify a path towards efficient and practicable assessment of these services. We first identified over 200 ecosystem services included in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), the US EPA Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS), the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Service (CICES, Europe), or the broader literature. Through two rounds of Delphi surveys conducted online to aquatic system experts (n=179) across the western US, we prioritized a top 20 list of potential ecosystem services We grouped these 20 preliminary by common themes, resulting in eight final categories of ecosystem services: Aesthetics and Existence, Non-Extractive Recreation/Education,
Climate Regulation, Hazard Mitigation, Water Quality, Water Supply, Extractive Animals and Extractive Plants. Next, we reviewed established assessment protocols, including rapid assessment methods (e.g., California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM), Montana Rapid Assessment Method (MRAM), and Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM)) and hydrogeomorphic models, to develop a list of monitored ecosystem functions and metrics. We consulted literature and used best professional judgement to develop a crosswalk between these functions and metrics and the eight final categories of ecosystem services. This crosswalk is an essential link between functional assessment methods in use by wetland practitioners and rapid assessment of ecosystem services.
Sarah Church, sarah.church@montana.edu, Associate Professor, Montana State University., Kleindl, William, william.kleindl@montana.edu, Research Professor, Montana State University., Mark C. Rains, mrains@usf. edu, Professor, University of South Florida; Eric Stein, erics@sccwrp.org, Department Head, Southern California Coastal Water Research Program
Janhavi Rajwade
What Wetlands Remember: Reading Landscape Memory at Urban Wetland Interfaces of Amazonian Floodplains & Coastal Wetlands in Peru
Globally urban wetlands face competing pressures of ecological continuity & habitat loss where development alters transition zones. This study examines how field transect drawings reveal ecological relationships across transition zone gradients that species lists & maps do not simultaneously capture. Landscape memory is defined as the integrated persistence of 3 coupled systems: ecological memory (seed banks, migratory routes, phenology), physical memory (landform, hydrology, soils), & cultural memory (land use practices, stewardship, knowledge systems).
At Claverito, an Amazonian floodplain community on the Itaya River in Iquitos, transect drawings reveal an 80–120 m soft-edge gradient where ecological structure remains tightly coupled with seasonal hydrology & human settlement patterns without formal management. Floating & stilted houses enable the community to remain coupled with seasonal hydrology, with settlement positioning & vegetation management
reflecting local knowledge that maintains habitat heterogeneity. Field observation documented predator–prey relationships maintaining invasive species control, & nesting phenology synchronized with flood recession cycles. Transition zone connectivity sustains ecological functions through the coupling of settlement & hydrological dynamics.
In contrast, at Humedales de Ventanilla, a formally protected Pacific coastal wetland north of Lima, hard-edge infrastructure (compound walls, infill) has eliminated the gradient connecting surrounding settlements to the wetland ecosystem. Satellite analysis documents 75% wetland area loss between 2002–2024, driven by infill & land use change in the buffer zone. However, seed bank persistence at infill margins, evidenced by wetland species self-establishing on compacted fill surfaces, indicates that suppressed ecological memory remains viable despite habitat loss. Hard-edges isolate the wetland from settlements, severing ecological connectivity & the seasonal hydrological pathways sustaining ecological function. As a critical stopover on migratory flyway routes, restoring transition zone connectivity is essential for maintaining migratory phenology.
The analysis reveals that transition zone edge condition & buffer connectivity determine whether all 3 memory systems remain coupled & functionally active, or become spatially fragmented & suppressed, reframing transition zones from regulatory designations to dynamic ecological infrastructure essential for landscape memory.
Dr Charles Andrew Cole, Advisor, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Director of Ecology+Design Research Center at Penn State University., Dr Leann Andrews, CoAdvisor, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Ecology at Penn State University., Dr Peter Stempel, CoAdvisor, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Ecology at Penn State University
Claire
Randall
Careers in Consulting: A Guide for Emerging Wetland Professionals
Wetland science and natural resource management offer a wide range of career paths, including roles in academia, regulatory agencies, non-profit organizations, industry, and environmental consulting. While many students and early-career professionals are familiar with research and regulatory careers, environmental consulting is sometimes less understood despite offering dynamic opportunities to apply scientific knowledge to real-world environmental challenges. This presentation provides an overview of environmental consulting as a career path within wetland science. Designed for students and professionals early in their careers, the session explores the types of projects and responsibilities commonly encountered by wetland consultants. Consultants often work at the intersection of science, engineering, and regulatory policy, supporting projects such as wetland delineations, habitat and vegetation assessments, mitigation planning, ecological monitoring, and environmental permitting. These efforts frequently support important infrastructure development, renewable energy projects, conservation initiatives, and regulatory compliance. This presentation will also highlight the day-to-day work of consultants, including field investigations, data analysis, technical reporting, client communication, and project management. Because consulting projects occur across diverse landscapes and regulatory contexts, professionals often gain experience working in a variety of ecosystems and geographic regions, making consulting a particularly engaging and varied career path.
In addition, the session will provide practical guidance for students and early-career professionals interested in consulting roles. Topics will include relevant coursework, technical competencies, field experience, and transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving. Attendees will also gain insight into what hiring managers look for in candidates and strategies for building a competitive professional profile. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of environmental consulting and a framework for evaluating whether this career path
aligns with their professional goals. By highlighting the diversity of projects and experiences consulting can offer, this session aims to broaden awareness of this career pathway in wetland science.
Gordon Shaw, gwshaw@burnsmcd.com
Harish Ratnayaka
Developing
an APSIM-Based Model for Phragmites australis to Study
Growth Responses to Environmental Stresses
Monitoring the below-ground biomass (BGB) of plants that spread via rhizomes is essential for understanding their long-term resilience and adaptation to environmental stresses. Direct measurement of BGB is highly limited in the field due to the difficulty of fully accessing the rhizomes and roots. Given that BGB of the coastal vegetation is crucial for minimizing the loss of wetlands, its assessment in Mississippi River delta is of utmost importance. Furthermore, in preserved wetlands such as the Delta National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR), where large-scale soil or vegetation disturbance is not permitted adequate field sampling is impossible. Therefore, modeling approaches become essential for characterizing the variations in BGB, particularly in preserved areas.
This study aims at developing Phragmites australis as a plant type within the APSIM model, calibrate and validate the simulation for its growth, and explore the temporal dynamics of BGB in the DNWR of the modern MS river delta. The research utilizes the AgPasture module to simulate BGB dynamics. Parameterization of the model was achieved through an optimization process based on literature and field data including above-ground biomass (AGB), plant height, leaf area and plant density. Field data were collected in July 2025 from 32 strategically selected locations within a 55 km2 study area, with sampling points approximately 500 meters apart along accessible water channels. The sites were chosen based on accessibility and being dominated by Phragmites australis. Weather data for the study period (1985–2025) were obtained from NASA Power web portal. The results provide significant insights into the growth dynamics over four decades, highlighting a notable reduction in BGB associated with recorded dieback periods in the past. Additionally, the study successfully
identifies environmental stresses experienced by the plant population, providing valuable information on their long-term responses to environmental challenges including climate variation.
Harish Ratnayaka, Dural Faust, Chidike Iheukwumere
Veronica
Restrepo
Quantifying Spatial Shifts in Phosphorus and Vegetation during Rehydration in Everglades Freshwater Marshes
Anthropogenic activities (e.g., infrastructure development and agriculture) have altered the hydrology and nutrient composition of wetlands worldwide. In response to widespread wetland degradation, restoration efforts are growing. Yet, how rehydration is shaping ecosystem development remains poorly understood. The freshwater marshes of Everglades National Park (Florida, USA) are undergoing rehydration, providing a unique opportunity to investigate water delivery effects on biogeochemical properties and vegetation dynamics. We quantified the spatiotemporal changes in hydrology, total phosphorus (TP), and production (i.e., biomass) of Cladium jamaicense (sawgrass), an indicator species, following rehydration. Transect (n = 40) and census (n = 40) sites in Northeast Shark River Slough were sampled during the wet seasons of 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2024. Transect sites extended from the Tamiami Canal southward ~1 km, and census sites at distances up to 25 km downstream of the canal were randomly distributed across the broader landscape. We measured water depth and hydroperiod, analyzed soil and sawgrass foliar samples for TP, and measured sawgrass biomass. Rehydration increased water depths and hydroperiods, with median hydroperiods ~250 days yr-1 in 2015, exceeding 300 days yr-1 after 2016, and sustained year-round flooding by 2024. Sawgrass biomass and foliar TP decreased with distance from the canal, with higher values closest to the canal; however, over time, there were increases in downstream areas, suggesting landscape-scale responses to water deliveries and TP mobilization. From 2015 to 2024, there were large increases in sawgrass biomass across the entire landscape (34.12 ± 6.95 to 200.95 ± 11.75 µg g-1), whereas foliar TP increased only slightly (289.12 ± 11.41 to 361.64 ± 19.98 µg g-1). Co-kriging analysis of surface soil TP (0-2 cm) from census sites,
using distance from the canal as a covariate, showed shifting spatiotemporal patterns. Soil TP concentrations were higher at western sites, with localized hotspots near the canal, and there was a downstream reduction in concentrations and heterogeneity over time. Our findings indicate spatial variation in TP mobilization and uptake, and increases in sawgrass biomass during rehydration. Understanding the long-term biogeochemical and vegetation responses of rehydration efforts is crucial for guiding future restoration strategies in wetlands.
John S. Kominoski, Professor at Florida International University: jkominos@fiu.edu., Daniel Gann, Assistant Professor at Florida International University: gannd@fiu. edu
How Do Inundation Regimes Affect Leaf Litter Decay and Soil Respiration Rates in Forested, Freshwater Wetlands?
Leaf litter decomposition is a fundamental component of the carbon (C) cycle in forested ecosystems, with leaf litter serving as the primary source of detrital C in forested wetlands. Leaf litter decomposes through two simultaneous pathways: leaching of soluble compounds and microbially mediated mineralization of structural compounds. While these biogeochemical pathways are well documented in streams, it remains unclear how flood duration and frequency (inundation regime) regulate litter decomposition and microbial respiration in forested wetlands. To address this uncertainty, we conducted serial (continuous overlapping) leaf litter breakdown incubations and litter-amended soil respiration experiments using litter from two common tree species in southeastern U.S. forests, a more labile species, tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and a more refractory species, white oak (Quercus alba). Experiments were conducted across nine forested wetlands spanning a hillslope-to-floodplain gradient in the Coastal Plain of western Alabama. Initial results show that decomposition and respiration responded differently to inundation regime. Decomposition rates increased along a hillslope to floodplain gradient coinciding with increasing inundation duration, though rates were generally low compared to those reported in stream studies. Litter species also significantly influenced decay, with labile tulip poplar exhibiting
Sarah Rice
greater mass loss than refractory white oak across all sites. In contrast, soil respiration was highest in both hillslope and intermediate wetland sites and showed minimal response to litter additions at all sites, likely reflecting the increased availability of oxygen in less frequently inundated sites. Together these findings suggest that inundation regime and litter species are primary controls on wetland litter decomposition, while respiration is governed more strongly by inundationdriven redox conditions than by litter substrate.
S. Elaine Rice1, C. Nathan Jones1, Jasmine Morejon2, Lidia Molina Serpas1, Adam Siders1, Ashleigh Kirker3, Corianne Tatariw4, Jonathan P. Benstead1, Julia Cherry1, and Behzad Mortazavi5
1 University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
2 Boise State University, Boise, ID
3 Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA
4 Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
5 Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
Curtis Richardson
Peatlands, Climate Change and an Inverted Carbon Market in the USA
Restoration of peatland ecosystems for climate change benefits is fundamentally different from restoration of forest ecosystems where atmospheric carbon (C) removals, primarily in aboveground biomass, is the end goal versus soil GHG emission reductions from peatlands. In peatlands, the vast majority (> 95%) of C is stored in organic soil rather than plant biomass. Peatland soil C pools persist for millennia if undisturbed, while forest or grassland biomass storage is short-term (decades). Distressingly, global peatland soil C stores are sufficiently large that emissions from drained peatlands negate sequestration benefits of all current nature-based solutions (NBs) in forests, resulting in net negative C sequestration for the biosphere. For all the tons of C sequestered through afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR) projects to-date (60-100 mt CO2) peatland degradation releases 1.5-2.5 billion tons of CO2 annually; totally overwhelming the mitigation impacts of ARR. Clearly, the reduction of the massive amount of CO2
being released to the atmosphere due to peatland drainage needs to be a priority NBs. The problem is soil CO2 flux reductions are currently given a much lower market and ecological value compared to plant removals even though lowering CO2 volumes in the atmosphere are essential to reducing global warming potential, presenting a financial barrier to the adoption of large-scale restoration efforts. Importantly, whether the atmosphere gets a decreased CO2 input (reduced reversal soil emissions) or a removal of atmospheric CO2 through plant uptake makes no ecological difference, i.e., a ton of CO2 removed from the atmosphere, versus a ton not added, has the same climate effect. Restoration of pocosin bogs in NC are used as a case-study to scientifically verify C fluxes to help develop a C market protocol that is ecologically sound and provides the economic incentives to make peatland restoration viable. Raising and maintaining an annual average water table to a more natural state (-20 to -30 cm) versus > -60 cm in drained pocosins reduces CO2 loses to the atmosphere by > 90% (Richardson et al., 2022). The rewetting of the peat and reversal of CO2 release to the atmosphere constitutes a major soil emission removal from the C cycle and should be fully valued in the C credit market. This will require the development of a new peatland C protocol that is not only scientifically based, but ecologically and economically valued.
Dr. Neal Flanagan, Dr. Justine Neville
Shelby Rinehart
Fiddling with Restoration: Impacts of fiddler crabs on Plant Populations and Hydro-Edaphic Conditions in Restored Salt Marshes
It is well-established that burrowing crabs, including fiddler crabs, have important effects on ecosystem structure and functions in salt marshes. Specifically, fiddler crabs influence salt marshes through a combination of their trophic and non-trophic effects. For instance, fiddler crab trophic effects manifest through their consumption of bacteria, algae, fungus, and detritus found among sediment particles on the marsh surface. Fiddler crab non-trophic effects manifest through their construction and maintenance of ‘J’shaped burrows that reduce sediment compaction and oxygenate sediments, facilitating foundation
plant populations (e.g., Spartina spp.). Despite the recognition that fiddler crab effects play an important role in shaping natural salt marsh ecosystems, there has been limited consideration of their roles in salt marsh restorations. This is especially surprising, as many salt marsh restorations experience compacted sediments that can suppress plant colonization and establishment. Here, we discuss a series of field surveys and manipulative experiments that aim to understand the impacts of fiddler crab effects on the development and maintenance of ecosystem structure in restored salt marshes across the Gulf and mid-Atlantic coastlines. We show that fiddler crabs have strong trophic and non-trophic effects in early successional restored salt marshes; however, these effects appear to dampen as the restored site ages– even in ecotone habitats. Understanding when and how fiddler crabs regulate salt marsh ecosystem structure is valuable for informing restoration designs, and can lead to novel approaches such as the inclusion of burrow mimics.
Jacob M. Dybiec, Julia A. Cherry, Morgan Sharbaugh, Kira Quitel, Dana Frankenstein, August Hammill, Taylor Ledford, Corianne Tatariw, and Behzad Mortazavi
Andre Rovai
Engineering with Nature: A Rapid Field Assessment Protocol and Guidelines for Reversing ‘Mangrove Heart Attacks’ Using Nature-Based Solutions
Globally, mangroves’ annual flood reduction benefits amount to billions of dollars in avoided property damage and protect several millions of people. Mangroves coastal protection efficiency stems from these forests’ ability to attenuate waves and stabilize and accrete sediment, which varies with vegetation’s species composition and structural development as well as with these forest’s ability to bounce back from disturbances. Here, we assessed vegetation, soil, and hydrological conditions in impounded and reference mangrove sites in Sanibel, Florida (USA) with the goal to identify the system’s responses to acute (legacy hurricane damage) and a combination of acute and chronic stressors factors (legacy hurricane damage plus human caused impoundment conditions) that control natural regeneration processes in these sites. We found that the impounded site was flooded seasonally with surface elevation ranging 10 to >30 cm below that of
the natural reference site. Further, the impounded site lacked natural propagule and seedling recruitment. Soil bulk density at the impounded site was higher than the natural site due to the mangrove vegetation’s die-off. Accordingly, soil carbon content was lower in the impounded site. Our results indicate a typical case of ‘mangrove heart attack’ where the cutoff of tidal connectivity and loss of elevation due rapid soil organic matter decomposition are acting as barriers to natural regeneration. In addition, our results indicate that tidal reconnection may not suffice since the soil organic matter collapse resulted in surface elevations much lower (and thus flooding thresholds) than mangroves can withstand. This study’s experimental design enabled us to not only assess the system’s trajectory in response to compound natural and natural plus anthropogenic impacts, but also to deliver a rapid assessment protocol and a roadmap for efficient Nature-based Solution planning, implementation, and monitoring. Furthermore, we provide an accurate accounting of methods and products presented here to help managers of natural infrastructure making informed decisions during restoration project’s planning phase. By integrating and documenting on standardized techniques along with associated costs, this study fills a widespread gap in coastal wetlands restoration practice, which often skip implementing and archiving key diagnostic information that are critical to ensure successful outcomes.
Developing Regional Soil Phosphorus Storage Capacity Ratings as a Tool to Improve Water Quality Outcomes
Historical wetlands loss coupled with increased phosphorus (P) loading at watershed scales have degraded water quality in the Great Lakes and other regions. In response, a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been implemented to reduce P loading, including the construction and restoration of wetlands. Evaluation of soil P storage capacity (SPSC) at purposed wetland construction sites helps inform and maximize positive P retention outcomes. However, identifying sites with favorable SPSC has been challenging in some areas. This presentation will discuss the development of regional SPSC rating curves, as a predictive technology to improve wetland
Yadav Sapkota
construction site prioritization. The variability in SPSC ratings based on the major influencing factors such as elevation, inundation, presence of hydric soils, and soil physiochemical properties will be discussed. Preliminary rating curves based on soil series, soil texture, and concentration of P, organic matter, Al and Fe will also be presented. Regional SPSC rating curves could serve as predictive tool for landowners and project planners to select potential wetland construction sites, estimate their efficacy on P removal, and help meet regional P-reduction targets to improve water quality.
Shaelynn Kaufman, Research Geologist, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, Email: Shaelynn.N.Kaufman@usace.army.mil., Sydney Bufkin, Research Soil Scientist, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, Email: Sydney.D.Bufkin@usace.army.mil., Jacob F. Berkowitz, Senior Research Soil Scientist, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, Email: Jacob.F.Berkowitz@usace.army.mil
Priyanka Sarkar
Unveiling the Importance of Small-Scale and Seasonal Wetlands: Policy Imperatives for Groundwater Sustainability
Groundwater (GW) constitutes the largest distributed store of freshwater on Earth and plays a critical role in sustaining ecosystems, agriculture, and human well-being. However, intensive GW abstraction has resulted in widespread depletion globally. India, the world’s largest GW user, extracts more than the United States and China combined, with nearly 87% used for irrigation and the remainder for domestic and industrial purposes. Recent assessments indicate that several regions — particularly northwestern and southern India — are experiencing severe groundwater stress due to unsustainable extraction, while some eastern and northeastern regions still have underutilized groundwater resources.
GW management often focuses on GW or aquifers themselves and is often insufficiently incorporated into the protection and management of associated ecosystems. Hence, a clear-cut consideration of GW in the protection of ecosystems such as lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc. is imperative to ensure its sustainability. This study explored the interaction of GW and small-
scale and seasonal wetlands and the mutual benefits for sustainable development with special reference to India.
Results revealed the significant role of wetlands — small-scale and seasonal wetlands, in particular — in influencing GW quantity and quality due to their high perimeter-to-volume ratio and temporary hydrological regimes. Evidence suggests that such wetlands can contribute substantially to aquifer replenishment, sometimes accounting for up to 20% of wetland water volume per season, with seasonal wetlands demonstrating high infiltration rates that enhance GW recharge. The study suggests recognizing and integrating small-scale and seasonal wetlands into GW management strategies for sustainable GW management in India and other GW-stressed regions.
Robert Luetkemeier
Rachel Schultz
Mobile, Not Missing (Yet): Elevational Shifts of Lake Ontario Coastal Wetland Communities Following Extreme Water Levels
Wetlands influenced by fluctuating Laurentian Great Lakes water levels exhibit distinct plant community zonation along elevational gradients. Water-level regulation, invasive species, and shoreline development have altered these dynamics, raising concerns that, beyond certain levels of disturbance, distinct vegetation zones may be lost. Recent extreme water levels on Lake Ontario in 2017 (75.81 m International Great Lakes Datum 1985 [IGLD85]) and 2019 (75.91 m IGLD85) provided an opportunity to test predictions about plant community persistence, movement, and expansion or contraction along elevational gradients as part of an assessment of the lake’s regulation plan.
In 2023 and 2024, we resurveyed 16 U.S. Lake Ontario coastal wetlands previously sampled in 2012, 2014, and 2017. Vegetation was sampled at 20 cm elevational intervals along real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS transects spanning 74.0–76.0 m IGLD85. Each wetland was surveyed along five transects placed parallel to transects sampled in prior years.
We observed substantial elevational mobility across vegetation communities. Aquatic vegetation dominance (>50% cover) shifted upslope from 74.4 to 74.6 m IGLD85 between 2014 and 2017, then downslope to
74.2 m IGLD85 by 2024. Emergent dominance shifted upslope from 74.4–75.0 m IGLD85 to 74.8–75.0 m in 2017, and then back downslope to 74.6–74.8 m in 2024. Wet meadow communities dominated only 75.2 m IGLD85 in 2012 and did not dominate any elevation in 2014 or 2017. Following drawdown, wet meadow dominance expanded to 75.2–75.8 m IGLD85 in 2023 and 2024. Shrub dominance spanned 75.4–76.0 m IGLD85 through 2017 but not at any elevation after the high water events.
While we focus here on vegetation type dominance, plant community composition exhibited substantial overlap across elevations, and individual species within vegetation groups differed in their degree of elevational mobility. Together, these results demonstrate that Lake Ontario coastal wetlands respond to hydrologic extremes through pronounced community movement, underscoring mobility as a key dimension of wetland resilience. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating community migration into adaptive management frameworks used to evaluate water-level regulation on Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River.
Adellia Baker, abake13@brockport.edu
Alexandria Seal
Dynamic Soil Property Response to Land Use Change and SeaLevel Rise in Southeastern Coastal Wetlands
Coastal wetlands of the southeastern United States are undergoing rapid ecological transitions driven by sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion. Historic ditching and drainage of coastal organic soils for agriculture has modified hydrology and increased vulnerability of these areas to salinization. Low lying coastal landscapes commonly shift from freshwater swamp to ghost forest to tidal marsh in response to altered hydrology and increasing salinity. Yet, the response of dynamic soil properties across these transitions remains poorly quantified. This study evaluated dynamic soil property variation across four coastal land cover states–drained agricultural fields, freshwater swamps, ghost forests, and tidal marshes–at 24 organic Histosol sites in North Carolina. Soils were sampled to a minimum depth of 100 cm and analyzed by horizon for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), bulk
density, total organic carbon (SOC), and reactive carbon (POXC). Tidal marshes exhibited significantly higher pH and EC than freshwater swamps (p < 0.05), reflecting increased brackish water influence. Drained agricultural soils had significantly lower SOC and higher bulk density than native swamps (p < 0.05), indicating carbon loss following drainage. Across sites, bulk density was strongly negatively correlated with SOC (Adj. R2 = 0.83) and POXC (Adj. R2 = 0.78), while pH was positively correlated with EC (Adj. R2 = 0.45), highlighting linked shifts in carbon and salinity dynamics across transition states. These findings demonstrate measurable changes in soil properties across coastal wetland transition pathways. Quantifying belowground response to salinization and drainage improves our understanding of ecosystem vulnerability, carbon sequestration, and resilience while also providing empirical support for ecological site descriptions and state-and-transition modeling in coastal ecosystems.
Matthew C. Ricker
Melody Sen
Modeling Long-term Drivers of Wetland Bird Community Assembly at a Prairie Pothole Wetland Complex
Prairie potholes are depressional wetlands with highly variable surface water area, permanence, and vegetative structure, allowing them to act as critical breeding habitat for waterfowl and migratory birds of conservation concern. Understanding drivers of community assembly within these wetland habitats is crucial for effective land management, species conservation, and preservation of ecosystem services. While changes in environmental conditions have been documented over time, we lack information about linking such changes to shifts in wetland bird community composition. Therefore, we employed joint species distribution modeling with long-term data to estimate wetland-obligate bird species responses to environmental factors and interspecies interactions at the Cottonwood Lake wetland complex in North Dakota. The model suggests that breeding bird communities at these prairie potholes have changed over time, with wetland area being a strong predictor of species distributions, followed by vegetation heterogeneity. Additionally, we found evidence that
waterfowl diversity and abundance was positively associated with macroinvertebrate biomass. Surface water dynamics in prairie pothole wetlands have been altered by land use changes over time, affecting wetland size and heterogeneity, which the model suggests are key determinants of species composition. This hierarchical modeling of species communities can be utilized to predict wetland bird community responses broadly across the region, which serve to inform future management strategies.
Kristen Ellis, kellis@usgs.gov, Research Ecologist, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey., Kyle McLean, kmclean@usgs.gov, Research Ecologist, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey
Anne Sharp
CRMS Surface Elevation Dynamics in Managed Marshes –Variable Response to Flood and Drought Across a Range of Salinities
Coastwide, managed impoundments on the Chenier Plain are the only marshes that are effectively submerged now. Marsh elevations are relatively low and water management is limited by levees, aging infrastructure, and the ocean itself. Conversely, tidal Deltaic Plain wetlands are found at or above mean water and are maintained by tidal deposition, storm surge deposition and ecogeomorphic feedback in the form of shallow expansion. Land loss continues on the lower Deltaic Plain due to erosion and hurricanes.
Meanwhile, Chenier Plain impoundments capture varying responses to similar inundation levels and the differences appear to be related to salinity. Freshwater impounded wetlands in the interior Mermentau Lakes sub-basin have been persistently flooded except during drought and the result has been habitat switching and land gain. Saline impounded wetlands in the Mermentau basin south of Hwy 82 and within the interior Calcasieu/Sabine basin have also been persistently flooded except during drought and the net response there has been land loss.
Elevation gain in impounded marshes is slower than tidal wetlands and most Chenier plain impounded wetlands have become submerged. Shallow expansion in response to high inundation was observed across the
region between 2016 and 2021. Surfaces settled back down during the 2023 drought. Some sites retained as much as 20 cm of elevation gained through shallow expansion during the flood cycle and others lost all of the elevation gained. Understanding these inundation/ vegetation interactions and how they relate to salinity would be a valuable tool for marsh managers at future sea levels.
Bernard Wood; bernard.wood@la.gov; CPRA; Coastal Resource Scientist
Carly Shaw
Layers of Impact: Investigating How Sediment Addition Affects Vegetation, Greenhouse Gases, and Denitrification in a Coastal Salt Marsh
Adding sediment to the surface of salt marshes is an emerging adaptation strategy to promote coastal resiliency in the face of accelerated sea level rise. However, little is known about the longer-term effects of adding different depths of sediment to marshes and how it affects aboveground biomass, greenhouse fluxes (GHG) exchange, and nitrogen cycling. We leveraged a seven-year, full-factorial field experiment in Guilford, Connecticut, USA that tested various sediment depths: (control (0 cm), shallow (5-7 cm), medium (10-13 cm), and deep (15-20 cm). Aboveground biomass was monitored yearly, and GHG fluxes and denitrification potential were estimated in year two and seven after experimental sediment addition. After one growing season, aboveground biomass and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) were greatest in the shallow treatment. In 2025, aboveground biomass was similar between sediment addition treatments, but over two-times greater than the unamended controls. However, there were no differences in NEE between treatments. We also found that denitrification potential decreased significantly between 2021 and 2025. Nitrous oxide emissions were greater in deeper sediment addition treatments, which may be due to coupled nitrificationdenitrification processes. These results indicate that longer-term monitoring is necessary to better understand vegetation and biogeochemical responses to sediment addition in submerging coastal marshes.
Nicolette Nelson, Ashley Helton, Chris Elphick, Beth Lawrence
Leigh
Jennifer Sheehan
Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act: Opportunities for States to Review Federal Water Development Projects
The Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) amendments of 1946 require, that for any federal water development project, the lead federal agency must coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state wildlife agency where the project is occurring. The FWCA provides an opportunity for states to be on equal footing with the federal government when it comes to reviewing and providing recommendations on federal water development projects across the country.
A survey conducted by the Arizona Game & Fish Department in September of 2019 found that state participation in FWCA consultations varies wildly: some states have good working relationships with their federal partners (primarily the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), some states have poor and even adversarial relationships with federal agencies, and there are a few states that are not even aware of the FWCA and the project review abilities it affords them. As a result, the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Subcommittee on Water, has created an FWCA Working Group to 1) make sure that state wildlife agencies are aware of their rights under the FWCA, 2) decide what tools, guidebooks, and/or training sessions need to be created for states, and 3) bring in our federal partners to create relationships that allow for FWCA review. In Arkansas, when the only federal nexus is the FWCA, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is using it as an opportunity to pull in other agencies and NGOs who have otherwise lost their project review capability due to changing federal definitions.
Xiangjin Shen
Critical Role of Water Conditions in the Responses of Autumn Phenology of Marsh Wetlands to Climate Change on the Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau, housing 20% of China's wetlands, plays a vital role in the regional carbon cycle. Examining the phenological dynamics of wetland vegetation in response to climate change is crucial for understanding its impact on the ecosystem. Despite
this importance, the specific effects of climate change on wetland vegetation phenology in this region remain uncertain. In this study, we investigated the influence of climate change on the end of the growing season (EOS) of marsh wetland vegetation across the Tibetan Plateau, utilizing satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and observational climate data. We observed that the regionally averaged EOS of marsh vegetation across the Tibetan Plateau was significantly (p < .05) delayed by 4.10 days/decade from 2001 to 2020. Warming preseason temperatures were found to be the primary driver behind the delay in the EOS of marsh vegetation, whereas preseason cumulative precipitation showed no significant impact. Interestingly, the responses of EOS to climate change varied spatially across the plateau, indicating a regulatory role for hydrological conditions in marsh phenology. In the humid and cold central regions, preseason daytime warming significantly delayed the EOS. However, areas with lower soil moisture exhibited a weaker or reversed delay effect, suggesting complex interplays between temperature, soil moisture, and EOS. Notably, in the arid southwestern regions of the plateau, increased preseason rainfall directly delayed the EOS, while higher daytime temperatures advanced it. Our results emphasize the critical role of hydrological conditions, specifically soil moisture, in shaping marsh EOS responses in different regions. Our findings underscore the need to incorporate hydrological factors into terrestrial ecosystem models, particularly in cold and dry regions, for accurate predictions of marsh vegetation phenological responses to climate change. This understanding is vital for informed conservation and management strategies in the face of current and future climate challenges.
Adam Siders
Assessing Carbon and Nitrogen Limitation of Denitrification Rates in Two Tidally Influenced Wetlands in Weeks Bay, AL
Ecosystem processes are commonly limited by one or more nutrients. For example, plant and algal growth can be limited by nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), or both. Similarly, both carbon (C) and N can limit rates of denitrification. Standardized bioassays exist to test for the presence and magnitude of nutrient limitation of planktonic and periphytic algae, but they are not
regularly employed when measuring nutrient limitation (C, N, or both) of denitrification. To address this gap, we developed a bioassay to measure ambient denitrification rates and responses to amendments of C, N, and both in two tidal marshes in Weeks Bay, AL. One marsh was oligohaline (4 ppt salinity) and located near a river mouth and the other was mesohaline (15 ppt salinity) and located approximately 4.5 km further seaward. We found evidence for N-limitation at the mesohaline marsh, with N amendments increasing denitrification rates by nearly 400%. In contrast, in the oligohaline marsh, denitrification was not limited by C or N, but variation in the data was high. In the mesohaline marsh, denitrification rates of the N-amended treatment were similar to those in a nearby marsh in which potential denitrification rates were measured using the isotope-pairing technique, where O2 was purged and N was amended. This study demonstrates how this bioassay can be used to test which nutrients limit denitrification rates and to measure the magnitude of the limitation responses. If this method is employed widely, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of how C and N limits ambient denitrification rates and the relative importance of both nutrients in controlling denitrification rates.
C. Nathan Jones, cnjones7@ua.edu, Associate Professor, University of Alabama., Alexander J. Reisinger, reisingera@ufl.edu, Associate Professor, University of Florida., Corianne Tatariw, tatariw@rowan.edu, Assistant Professor, Rowan University., Julia A. Cherry, cherr002@ ua.edu, Director and Professor, New College, University of Alabama
Lorae Simpson
Sixteen Years of Ecosystem Development Following Coastal Wetland Restoration in the Saltmarsh-Mangrove Ecotone
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and economically valuable ecosystems globally, yet they are also among the most threatened. Ecological restoration is commonly implemented to recover lost ecosystem structure and function; however, long-term monitoring of biomass recovery and soil development is rare, leaving restoration trajectories poorly quantified. These uncertainties are amplified in regions undergoing climate-driven habitat shifts. In 2009, a degraded coastal wetland in North Peninsula
State Park in Flager Beach, Florida was restored to reestablish tidal hydrology and planted with salt marsh vegetation. In 2015, above- and belowground biomass of salt marsh vegetation were measured, and sediment cores were collected to estimate ecosystem carbon stocks. Since then, the site has transitioned into a saltmarsh-mangrove ecotone as mangroves have expanded poleward along Florida’s northeast coast. In 2026, the site was resampled following similar methods to quantity ecosystem change 16 years post-restoration, capturing the coincident habitat transition, and focusing on shifts in vegetation biomass, diversity, and key soil properties, including bulk density, soil organic matter, and soil carbon. Preliminary observations indicate substantial increases in woody and root biomass associated with mangrove establishment. Sediment cores suggest concurrent shifts in soil characteristics consistent with organic matter accumulation. By documenting ecosystem development post-restoration, amid a concurrent habitat transition, this study provides insight into how restoration trajectories unfold under shifting species composition. Results will improve understanding of carbon sequestration trajectories, soil development, and functional change. Furthermore, these findings offer practical guidance for coastal practitioners interested in soil carbon accrual and long-term ecosystem development in restored wetlands across the region.
A. Roddenberry, Annie.Roddenberry@MyFWC.com, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration, New Smyrna, FL., C. Craig, casey.craig@myfwc.com, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL., S. Hearne, savanna.hearne@myfwc.com, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL ., M.T. Cramer, mathias.cramer@myfwc.com, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL., R.E. Brockmeyer, rbrockmeyer@sjrwmd.com, St. Johns River Water Management District, Palatka, FL., K.R Radabaugh, Kara. Radabaugh@MyFWC.com, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL
Matthew Simpson
Framework and Experience for Community Rights of Wetlands Action
Implementing Rights of Wetlands (ROW) as a way of promoting socio-ecological resilience and adaptation, requires moving away from a dualistic world view that places people outside of and above Nature and instead moves towards the understanding that humans are one of many species in wetland ecosystems and an equitable relationship among all species, processes and ecosystem structure is required. For communities that do not already have this type of relationship with nature a ROW approach requires a cultural and behavioural shift to a position where the right of a wetland to exist and to function naturally is respected.
The identification and sharing of wetland best practice actions from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), that implement a ROW approach, can help support governments and communities that want to develop an equitable, healthy and sustainable relationship with nature. A Darwin Initiative, UK Government, funded project entitled “Rights of Wetlands Operationalisation for Biodiversity and Community Resilience” explored how Rights of Wetlands can be implemented by governments as national policy, legislation and governance and by communities and stakeholders through actions at specific wetlands in Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Sri Lanka and Kenya. This presentation will examine the different experiences of communities within the five countries and consider the lessons they have shared regarding implementing ROW. It will also provide an overview of the framework developed within the project and the guidance and training produced to support action to implement ROW.
Matthew
Rights of Wetlands Animation and Community Video
This speaker session will be used to show the Rights of Wetlands (ROW) animation and the communityproduced Rights of Wetlands videos that were developed during the 3-year project to implement ROW in five countries (Boliva, Ecuador, Guyana, Kenya, and Sri Lanka) funded by the U.K. government. Following the showing of the animation and the videos, there will be time for a brief discussion about the films and the process of making them. Discussion will share ideas for how to support communities who are interested in making their own videos about wetlands.
Tana Community, Kenya., Sarayaku, Ecuador
Michael Simpson
Connecticut River States Mitigating WOTUS Decision
With the recent decision by the Supreme Court defining the definition of what is meant by what is considered the waters of the United States (WOTUS), the states within the Connecticut River Watershed have differing approaches to how they may, or may not, mitigate the apparent loss of protection for such water resources.
The presentation will provide a summary of the Connecticut River's four New England states' approaches to defining a wetland to be protected beyond what is now considerd the federal interpretation of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Thounaojam Somokanta
Indigenous Hope and Integral Ecology:
Conservation and Dam Politics at Loktak Lake
This study engages integral ecology as a lived and active hope emerging from Indigenous communities confronting intertwined livelihood insecurity, cultural erosion, and environmental injustice. Drawing on multisited ethnographic research conducted during 2024 in villages surrounding the Loktak Lake, designated as a Ramsar site, in the Manipur state of Northeast India, this study examines how the Indigenous Meetei community cultivates hope as a form of collective action, challenging the two converging dynamics: restrictive wildlife conservation practices within Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) established in 1977
Simpson
to protect the endangered Sangai deer (Rucervus eldii eldii), and the socio-ecological impacts of the Ithai Barrage, commissioned on Loktak in 1983. Writing as a native researcher, I approach Loktak not as a bounded wetland but as an integral ecological assemblage where Indigenous identity, livelihood, cultural practice, and wetland ecology are inseparably embedded.
The findings demonstrate that both conservation and hydraulic interventions have jointly produced livelihood precarity, ecological degradation, and heightened risks to the Sangai habitat. The establishment of KLNP curtailed long-standing access and livelihood rights, escalating conflicts between forest authorities and lakeside community. Conservation authorities’ proposal to establish a second home for the Sangai at the nearby wetland of Phumlen Pat—framed as a response to ecological pressures—further deepened community mistrust and intensified local resistance. Across struggles over KLNP and Phumlen Pat, villagers I interviewed articulate a recurring moral dilemma, “whose lives should take precedence— human or animal?” At the same time, the Ithai Barrage reconfigured Loktak’s hydro social relations by submerging fertile lands, disrupting seasonal water flows, transforming fishing practices, and degrading floating biomass critical to the Sangai’s survival. Confronting these cumulative impacts, most affected villagers expressed that “we wish the barrage to be removed with the hope of reversing the death of Loktak ecology.” I reframe integral ecology as a lived practice of collective action and an active hope of community for seeking water justice. Recognising Loktak as an integral ecological assemblage requires sound policies that move beyond technocratic solutions toward community-based natural resource management grounded in reciprocity, accountability, and Indigenous stewardship.
Harry Spavin
Improving Hydrologic Connectivity in Coastal Louisiana: The Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project
The Mermentau Basin of southwest Louisiana has experienced increasing flood risk due to altered hydrologic connectivity, coastal subsidence, and sediment deposition within historic drainage pathways. The Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project is a watershed-scale effort designed to restore drainage conveyance and reduce flood duration for communities north of LA-82 while maintaining the ecological integrity of adjacent marsh systems, including the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge.
The project integrates channel dredging, drainage improvements, and water control structure rehabilitation to enhance the movement of stormwater through coastal marshes toward the Gulf of America. Hydraulic connectivity between inland drainage networks and coastal receiving waters has been degraded by decades of sedimentation and infrastructure constraints. Restoration actions focus on reestablishing conveyance capacity while balancing wetland habitat considerations and regulatory requirements.
This presentation will provide an overview of the Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project in Cameron and Vermilion Parishes, Louisiana, and its role in addressing flood risk within the Mermentau Basin watershed. The discussion will focus on the development and implementation of a large-scale drainage and flood mitigation project within a coastal wetland landscape, including coordination among project partners and the broader goals of improving hydrologic connectivity while maintaining wetland function. The presentation will highlight the project context, objectives, and anticipated outcomes as part of ongoing coastal resilience efforts in southwest Louisiana.
Marissa Spinelli
Early Recovery and Reinvasion Following Invasive Shrub Removal on Laguna Madre Spoil Islands
Spoil islands provide valuable habitat that supports coastal biodiversity and enhances estuarine resilience. Vegetation composition varies due to differences in island size, topography, soil characteristics, hydrology, and disturbance history, influencing susceptibility to non-native species and ecosystem change. Introduced as an ornamental plant in the 1800s, Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia), hereafter Schinus, is among the most aggressive invaders in Gulf Coast ecosystems. Rapid spread is facilitated by prolific seed production, avian dispersal, allelopathy, broad environmental tolerance, and strong post-disturbance rebound. Spoil islands may be particularly vulnerable due to high bird use and propagule pressure. Despite ongoing removal efforts, the extent to which initial invasion size influences native recovery and reinvasion remains poorly understood.
This study examines recovery of coastal plant communities following Schinus removal. We hypothesize that larger stands exert more persistent impacts, resulting in slower recovery and elevated reinvasion risk. Vegetation surveys are conducted across 16 spoil islands adjacent to the Laguna Madre to quantify community composition across invasion coverage classes. Within classes, 2 × 2 m plots are surveyed immediately following removal and one year later. Environmental drivers are evaluated using measurements of photosynthetically active radiation, soil properties (total nitrogen, total carbon, salinity, and texture), elevation, and shallow groundwater characteristics. Changes in Schinus % cover and stem pulling at the plot level will quantify reinvasion over time. Relationships between invasion extent and community composition are evaluated using non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA.
Early results indicate invasion coverage significantly structures community composition. Composition differed between control and removal plots (Pseudo-F = 1.77, p = 0.041). Invasion coverage class remained significant when control (Pseudo-F = 2.81, p = 0.001) and removal plots (Pseudo-F = 1.95, p = 0.03) were analyzed separately. Results suggest early post-removal
communities are structured primarily by invasion extent rather than spatial recovery gradients. These findings will help prioritize stands that exert the strongest impacts when restoration resources are limited.
Mark Ford (Padre Island National Seashore), Charles Sassine (Padre Island National Seashore), Loretta L. Battaglia (Center for Coastal Studies, Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi)
Marissa Spinelli
Science in Color: Connecting People to Wetlands
The integration of art and ecology has long been visible in gallery exhibitions, museum installations, and artist in residence programs within parks and research institutions. The innate beauty of nature, and how it was first revealed to many of us, is a large part of why we are here today. Art has always shaped the way we see landscapes, species, and ecological systems. These efforts demonstrate that artistic expression can translate complex processes into forms that are accessible, compelling, and emotionally resonant.
As conservation challenges intensify and audiences diversify, it is increasingly clear that data alone cannot motivate stewardship. Visual media, interactive crafts, and intentional creative design can cultivate personal connections that deepen ecological literacy and strengthen conservation ethics. Art operates across a magnitude of scales, from murals and public installations to interactive educational materials, thoughtfully designed figures, social media marketing, and visual elements embedded within scientific literature. Creative choices in color and presentation influence how information is perceived, interpreted, and remembered. When strategically and tastefully integrated, artistic approaches can also sharpen research questions and inform methodological design.
The potential for integration extends far beyond what we typically imagine. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) and many in South Texas are actively bridging these disciplines in meaningful ways to promote conservation of wetlands and their adjacent systems. The Center for Coastal Studies at TAMU–Corpus Christi, through its Artist in Residence and education and outreach programs, has already
implemented several of these strategies. By highlighting practical examples and campus wide work, this talk aims to provide scientists across fields with concrete pathways for incorporating creativity into research, communication, and conservation practice
Mario DeLeon, Brianna Wechsler, Loretta L. Battaglia
Lorie Staver
Self-Regulation of Elevation in Created Tidal Marshes
Tidal marshes, which are an important component of coastal habitats that support fisheries, are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities, resulting in substantial marsh loss globally. Marsh restoration and creation can help mitigate marsh loss, but created and restored wetlands are subject to the same vulnerabilities as natural marshes. Field tests and models suggest that building elevation capital in these marshes by creating higher elevations within the tidal frame may confer resilience to sea level rise, but achieving precise elevation targets in restored and created marshes is challenging. In addition, there may be tradeoffs in building or restoring to higher elevations, including habitat suitability for wildlife, carbon sequestration and biogeochemical processes. In this study, a fifteen-year data set from surface elevation tables (SETs) in the marshes at Poplar Island, Maryland, a habitat restoration project, was analyzed to assess the response of vertical accretion and carbon sequestration across a range of elevation, to gain insights to support marsh design. At this site, marshes at lower constructed elevations have shown higher longterm rates of accretion and carbon sequestration than those constructed at higher elevations. The response of accretion rates to elevation is similar to the response of biomass production, but the optimal elevations are slightly offset, suggesting contributions of inorganic sediment to accretion at elevations below the optimum for biomass production. The study provides guidance for marsh restoration, and demonstrates that even in a microtidal environment, there is some leeway in acceptable initial elevations due to variable accretion rates.
Eric Stein
Evaluation of the Long-Term Ecosystem Services Provided by Compensatory Mitigation
Mitigation policies intend to compensate for unavoidable losses of wetland functions and services. Decades of research have explored the efficacy of compensation of functions, but few (if any) studies have explored compensation of services. We demonstrate the application of the recently developed Rapid Wetland Services Assessment (RWSA) to evaluate the services provided by long-term stream mitigation in southern California. The RWSA was coupled with results from the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) to evaluate the condition/function and ecological services at 50 stream mitigation sites ranging in age from 10 to 40 years (all of which had been deemed completed by the Corps of Engineers). Through this analysis, we were able to estimate how services changed over time and how they vary between permittee-responsible mitigation sites and mitigation banks. This study also demonstrates how ambient monitoring programs can better contextualize and interpret the performance of mitigation sites and whether they are providing functions and services that offset permitted losses. The approach used in this study can be readily replicated in other areas to consider ecosystem services alongside functions.
Jeffrey Brown - Southern California Coastal Water Research Project., Bill Kleindl – Montana State University., Kai Rains - University of South Florida., Mark RainsUniversity of South Florida
Havalend Steinmuller
Substrate Legacy, Not Plant Functional Type, Governs Belowground Biogeochemical Function in a Restored Versus Natural Coastal Wetland
Coastal marsh creation using dredge spoil is a widely deployed restoration strategy along the northern Gulf Coast, especially in coastal Louisiana, where land loss rates are among the highest globally. Created marshes are expected to achieve functional equivalence with natural wetlands as vegetation establishes and soils develop; however, the trajectory and timescales of belowground recovery remain poorly constrained. Concurrent with marsh creation efforts, tropicalization-
driven mangrove (Avicennia germinans) expansion into Spartina alterniflora-dominated saltmarshes is altering vegetation structure in natural and created marshes, raising questions about how vegetation type interacts with restoration status to shape soil development. We assessed soil physicochemistry, belowground biomass, potential mineralization rates, and coupled nitrificationdenitrification in co-located mangrove and saltmarsh plots at a created (15-yr-old dredge spoil creation) and a natural reference wetland at Whiskey Island, Louisiana. Multivariate ordination revealed that restoration status, rather than dominant vegetation type, was the primary driver of belowground biogeochemical function. Created wetland soils exhibited markedly lower organic matter (~69% of natural site values), elevated bulk density, and strongly depth-stratified biogeochemical activity. Pronounced surface acidification in created marsh soils, consistent with acid sulfate soil formation processes, suppressed potential CO2 mineralization rates despite available organic substrates, while belowground biomass was concentrated in shallow horizons regardless of vegetation type. Natural soils demonstrated vertically integrated root systems and deep organic matter pools supporting sustained microbial activity throughout the profile. Vegetation type exerted detectable but modest near-surface effects, but these effects attenuated rapidly with depth and were largely absent in created wetland soils. Together, these results indicate that dredge-spoil created wetlands function as shallow biogeochemical reactors, with microbial activity largely confined to surface horizons due to incomplete soil development. Substrate legacy, rather than plant functional type, is the dominant control on belowground function, and vegetation-based metrics alone are insufficient proxies for belowground biogeochemical recovery in created coastal wetlands.
Haley Crawford, Gabriel M. Pereira, Justin J. Pitre, James Faxel, Brian J. Roberts
Avi Strange
Assessing Restored Oyster Reef Structure and Coastal Erosion Mitigation Using UAV-Based LiDAR
Oyster reefs have historically played a critical role in Louisiana’s coastal ecosystems by providing habitat, supporting fisheries, and reducing shoreline erosion through wave attenuation. However, oyster reefs along the Gulf Coast have declined by 50-85% due to dredging, overharvesting, and habitat degradation, contributing to increased coastal vulnerability in Louisiana, where approximately 5,000 km2 of land has been lost since 1932. In response, restoration efforts by organizations such as the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and The Nature Conservancy have constructed ~20 km of restored oyster reefs in southern Louisiana using recycled shell and rock substrates designed to support oyster recruitment and enhance shoreline protection. However, it remains unclear how variations in reef design, specifically size, shape, and depth, influence shoreline stabilization, and how reef morphology changes over time. We are investigating whether marsh shorelines with restored oyster reefs experience lower rates of elevation loss than shorelines without reefs and examining how differences in reef morphology relate to adjacent shoreline elevation change. To address these questions, we are conducting topobathymetric Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to generate centimeter-scale maps of reef structure and adjacent shoreline elevation. Repeated surveys at restored reef sites and nearby control areas will track changes in reef morphology and shoreline elevation through time, improving understanding of how reef structure influences erosion rates and how restored reefs physically change as they develop, settle, or degrade.
Avi Strange, Claudia L. Miller, Seth Blitch, Thomas M. DeCarlo
Jeremy Sueltenfuss
The Beavers Are Better at This Than We Are: Multi-Year Monitoring of Ecological and Hydrologic Outcomes of Beaver Dam Analogs
Low tech in-channel structures, including Beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALS) are increasingly implemented across western North America as a low-cost restoration strategy intended to mimic the geomorphic and hydrologic effects of natural beaver dams. These structures are commonly designed to slow streamflow, reconnect channels with adjacent floodplains, promote sediment deposition, and elevate local water tables. Although their benefits to reestablishing fluvial disturbance and channel evolution have been demonstrated, relatively few studies have quantitatively evaluated the impact BDAs have on riparian wetland systems semi-arid Rocky Mountain systems.
This study evaluates the hydrologic and geomorphic responses to BDA/PALS installation at multiple stream reaches in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Over several years, we monitored floodplain groundwater levels, surface water stage, and patterns of sediment deposition within treated reaches. Much to our delight, real beavers moved into the system after a couple years to provide a comparison to nearby reaches influenced by natural beaver dams to assess how effectively BDAs replicate the ecosystem engineering effects of beaver activity.
Results indicate that, while BDAs modified local channel hydraulics, their broader floodplain effects were limited. Unlike natural beaver dams, BDAs did not substantially elevate floodplain water tables and produced little sustained floodplain inundation outside of peak flow runoff. Sediment deposition occurred primarily in hyper-localized zones adjacent to structures rather than being distributed broadly across the floodplain surface. In contrast, reaches influenced by natural beaver dams exhibited greater water surface elevations, more extensive floodplain inundation and duration, and wider patterns of sediment accumulation.
These findings suggest that although BDAs may provide localized channel complexity, they do not consistently reproduce the hydrologic and geomorphic processes associated with natural beaver dams in Rocky
Mountain streams. The results highlight important limitations of static analog structures and underscore the continued role of beaver as highly effective ecosystem engineers in floodplain restoration.
Akshit Suthar
Ecological Value and Management Implications of Historical RiceField Impoundments for Waterbirds in Coastal South Carolina
Coastal South Carolina’s antebellum-era rice-field impoundments are legacy wetlands whose ecological value depends on how their historic hydrologic infrastructure continues to shape water depth, salinity, and vegetative structure. These wetlands provide critical habitat for winteringwaterfowl and other waterbirds, yet their habitat value across impoundment conditions remains poorly quantified. We used dronebased surveys to evaluate how impoundment type and h abitatonditions influence waterbird abundance in tidal-functional, tidal-broken, and inland rice-field impoundments. Across surveys, drone-based counts detected 347% more waterbirds than traditional ground surveys and recorded slightly greater species richness, highlighting the limitations of ground-based monitoring in extensive, inaccessible wetlands. Integrating thermal and color imagery further improved detection, with paired comparisons confirming significantly higher counts from drone surveys. Using high-resolution imagery, ArcGIS deep-learning pixel-based habitat classification, and Bayesian N-mixture models, we found that waterbird abundance was strongly structured by impoundment condition and habitat composition. Tidal-functional impoundments consistently supported the highest estimated abundance for most dabbling ducks and several wading birds, indicating that intact water-control capacity and managed hydrology maintain habitat conditions favorable to waterbird use. In contrast, tidal-broken impoundments supported the lowest abundance across most focal species, suggesting that loss of hydrologic control reduces habitat suitability. Inland impoundments showed more variable patterns, with Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) showing stronger inland affinity than other species. Across species, abundance was associated with water depth, open water, salinity, submerged aquatic vegetation, emergent aquatic vegetation, and impoundment size, demonstrating that shallow-water habitat mosaics best
explain patterns of use. These findings suggest that the ecological value of historical rice fields is linked to functional water management and the maintenance of heterogeneous wetland structure. Our study provides a practical framework for adaptive management by linking bird responses to measurable habitat conditions and demonstrating how drone-based monitoring can improve wetland assessment, restoration prioritization, and long-term management of legacy coastal impoundments under ongoing environmental change.
Aaron R. Pierce, apierce@ducks.org, Director of Conservation Science & Planning, Ducks Unlimited., Jared A. Elmore, jaelmor@clemson.edu, Research Assistant Professor | NBGI Science Coordinator, Forestry and Environmental Conservation Department, Clemson University., Erin K. Buchholtz, ekbuchh@clemson. edu, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Asst. Unit Leader - SC Cooperative Research Unit, Forestry and Environmental Conservation Department, Clemson University., Travis H. Folk, travis@folklandmanagement. com, CEO, Biologist, Folk Land Management, Inc., James T. Anderson, jta6@clemson.edu, Director, Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science and James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center, Clemson University.
Sophie Taddeo
Landscape Drivers of Taxonomic, Phylogenetic, and Spectral Plant Diversity Across Wetlands of the Conterminous United States
Wetlands support a high diversity of organisms and provide ecosystem services critical to human wellbeing, yet they remain understudied and underprotected compared to many terrestrial ecosystems. To inform the cost-effective and enduring conservation of wetland sites, it is crucial to identify diversity indicators sensitive to plant functions, while examining the response of these indicators to site characteristics and landscape stressors. To advance this capacity, we compared the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and spectral diversity of vascular plants across 1,061 wetland sites monitored by the National Wetland Condition Assessment of the US Environmental Protection Agency. We estimated the spectral diversity of these wetland sites based on the multivariate dissimilarity in the spectral signature of individual pixels included within each wetland site. We then leveraged open-
source geospatial data to measure the response of these various diversity indicators to site (e.g., wetland type, elevation, water quality) and landscape characteristics (e.g., connectivity, climate, proximity to higher density areas). Preliminary results suggest that indicators of spectral diversity are more sensitive to dissimilarity in species composition within each site, while taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity are more strongly correlated to the maximum greenness of each wetland site. Preliminary results also suggest that phylogenetic diversity might be more strongly impacted by site and landscape stressors than taxonomic diversity, while spectral diversity responds strongly to habitat heterogeneity. Our study can inform the low-cost monitoring and conservation of wetlands for enduring societal benefits.
Maya Merchant, University of
San Diego
Wetland Conservation Policy in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin: Gaps, Misalignments, and Pathways Forward Under Climate Change
Conservation policy frameworks often do not fully capture the complexity of threats to wetlands. Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) wetlands face pressures of water over-allocation amid accelerating climate change, testing the Basin Plan’s $13 billion investment in environmental water recovery. I wish to share findings from a recently published policy analysis of wetland conservation policies across the Commonwealth and three states within MDB: Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/MF24124). The Murray–Darling Basin Plan (the Plan), designed to address water over-allocation, provides a suitable case study for understanding how policy design influences on-ground conservation outcomes.
We analysed 43 conservation policies using six policy effectiveness indicators: comprehensiveness and systems-based planning, cross-scale alignment with international targets, climate adaptive target-setting, stakeholder participation, administration and funding, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. We found that wetlands are often treated as terrestrial subsets, lacking explicit targets. Two pathways emerge in the
Fatima Tanveer
current approaches, including strategic frameworks (biodiversity plans) and ecohydrological measures (environmental watering), but weak linkages fragment delivery. Policy hierarchies reveal disconnects. Plan’s environmental objectives rarely align with the underpinning national legislation and international obligations. Climate adaptation incorporation is limited, with only 42% of 43 mechanisms setting adaptation targets, despite CSIRO’s 50-year drying trend. Indigenous participation remained tokenistic in Victoria and New South Wales, with consultation rarely leading to co-governance. South Australia showed the strongest alignment between international commitments and regional targets and the ability to lead the required policy reform. Reform priorities include: (1) landscapescale ecosystem restoration; (2) governance coherence; (3) balancing irrigation vs environmental needs; and (4) streamlined laws enabling government-Indigenouscommunity collaboration.
The governance challenges, as noted above, are shared across multi-jurisdictional river basins globally. As bayous and bogs worldwide face similar allocationclimate tensions, our policy evaluation offers wetland conservation policy design reconsideration based on this lesson learned.
Prof. Jamie Pittock, Dr Matthew J. Colloff, Dr Carina Wyborn. Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Assessing the Sustainability of Natural Wetland Habitats for Tertiary Wastewater Treatment
Wetlands are well recognized for their ability to provide a number of ecosystem services, including faunal support, carbon sequestration, and nutrient amelioration. In particular, the capacity of wetlands to reduce nutrient levels in adjacent surface waters is often relied upon as a cost-effective approach to water quality enhancement. Although nature-based approaches to water quality improvement often employ constructed wetlands, in Louisiana, natural wetlands referred to as assimilation wetlands are also used to reduce nutrient levels in municipal tertiary wastewater effluent. Routine monitoring is performed to ensure these valuable habitats are not degraded; however, these
sampling efforts are largely limited to highly localized, on-the-ground approaches. As a result, there is little data regarding the representativeness and scalability of these on-the-ground monitoring programs across the overall ecosystem. This research endeavors to 1) assess potential impacts to an assimilation wetland using traditional on-the-ground assessments and small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and 2) evaluate the comparability between the two data sources. Data collection is ongoing, but findings so far indicate that measures of vegetation coverage are generally indistinguishable between the marsh and forested habitats of the assimilation wetlands and the equivalent nearby reference habitats. However, vegetation community composition appears to differ between the assimilation wetland and reference habitats. Key indicators of water quality indicate that the assimilation wetland is effectively reducing nutrient concentrations in surface waters to ambient levels. Integration of on-the-ground and UAS-based monitoring data in the upcoming project year will facilitate effective management of assimilation wetlands.
Dr. Jonathan Willis
Sydney Thielke
The Path to Statewide National Wetlands Inventory Data for Alaska
Although efforts to map Alaska’s wetlands began in the late 1970s, by 2019 the state’s National Wetlands Inventory was only 40 percent complete. Limited and inconsistent funding, remote and logistically challenging landscapes, aging imagery, and inaccurate elevation data constrained progress and hindered statewide prioritization. In 2019, renewed momentum emerged through the Alaska Wetlands Working Group 10-Year Strategic Plan, which recommended a coordinated strategy for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete statewide NWI mapping by 2029. With this strategic framework in place, the Alaska Regional Wetlands Coordinator advanced an extensive partnership and funding strategy that engaged federal agencies, Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and other external collaborators. As of October 2025, sufficient funding has been secured to support completion of statewide NWI data by 2029. This presentation will highlight the “all-hands-on-deck” approach to mapping
Lillian Theriot
Alaska’s vast landscape and demonstrate how building and sustaining strong partnerships is essential to delivering large-scale geospatial conservation datasets.
Alaska contains more wetlands than any other state in the nation, spanning tundra, boreal forest, coastal deltas, and vast river systems across a landscape larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. Many of these wetlands occur in extremely remote areas accessible only by small aircraft or boat, where limited infrastructure, short field seasons, and rapidly changing climatic conditions add complexity to data collection and verification. Permafrost dynamics, coastal erosion, and shifting hydrology further underscore the importance of accurate, up-to-date geospatial information to support infrastructure planning, subsistence resources, habitat conservation, and responsible development. Completing statewide mapping not only fills a longstanding data gap but also strengthens decision-making for communities, agencies, and partners working across Alaska’s dynamic and globally significant wetland ecosystems.
Rob Clark (State of Alaska), Leslie Jones (State of Alaska), Andy Robertson (Saint Mary's University of Minnesota), Anjanette Steer (University of Alaska Anchorage)
Vivian Tidd
Spatial Variability in Marsh Biogeochemistry of the Barataria Basin, Louisiana
Tidal marshes function as a blue carbon ecosystems due to their ability to store fixed atmospheric carbon for extended periods of time under anoxic soil conditions. Despite coastal Louisiana being a significant contributor to global carbon burial in wetland soil stocks, limited research has examined the spatial and temporal variability of dissolved inorganic and organic carbon dynamics and how these patterns correlate with nutrient cycling in this region. Our research investigates the seasonal carbon and nutrient dynamics of two marshes in the Barataria Basin, located west of the Mississippi River. Water samples were collected across two seasons (Fall 2025 and Winter 2026) from 15 locations surrounding a salt marsh and 17 locations within a freshwater marsh. Two additional sampling campaigns are planned for spring and summer 2026. Samples were analyzed for parameters including dissolved
inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pCO2, and nutrients (NO3 - + NO2+, NH4+, PO4 3-), to compare two hydrologically distinct marshes with differing salinities and better understand how carbon and nutrient concentrations fluctuate throughout these environments and seasons. Our preliminary data show that TA and DIC in the salt marsh during the Fall ranged from 2546 to 4053 μmol kg−1 and 2325 to 4237 μmol kg−1, respectively, with DIC usually higher than TA. The freshwater marsh in the same season had much lower TA and DIC, with TA values ranging from 2694 to 2933 μmol kg−1 and DIC ranging from 2595 to 3012 μmol kg−1. These findings will be evaluated alongside environmental parameters including salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH, to identify the biogeochemical processes influencing these patterns. These findings will improve our understanding of coastal acidification, contribute to more informed restoration efforts in this region, and strengthen assessments for the overall carbon budget in coastal Louisiana.
Songjie He, Francis Driscoll, Kevin Dillon
Erin Tilly
Nitrogen Stabilization and Removal: How do Ecotone Shifts and Fertilization Alter Nitrogen Cycling across Hydrogeomorphic Setting
As nitrogen (N) pollution in coastal waters increases, coastal wetlands serve an important role as hotspots for both denitrification (removal) and burial (longterm storage) of N in the soil. Prior research has demonstrated that mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) is the most persistent form of soil C storage and it may also promote soil N stabilization; meanwhile, denitrification is a well-established pathway for N loss to the atmosphere. This study aimed to investigate the relative contributions of dentification and MAOM-N formation in two distinct hydrogeomorphic zones (riverside and platform) of salt marsh (Spartina alterniflora undergoing mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) encroachment and experimental N fertilization. Located within the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) in NE Florida (USA), a full-factorial field experiment (hydrogeomorphic zone x vegetation type x N fertilization) with 40 plots was established in 2024.
Soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected and analyzed in March 2026. Nitrate removal was quantified using a short-term (2 h) denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) assay with surface sediments (0-10 cm) and MAOM-N was determined by size and density fractionation before analysis for total N (TN) for both depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm). We anticipate percentage of TN in the MAOM-N pool will increase with soil depth and both DEA and MAOM-N content will be greater in riverside plots. Furthermore, we predict that salt marshes will have greater MAOM-N accumulation while mangroves have greater denitrification potential, and that N fertilization will increase both denitrification potential and MAOM-N stocks. Investigating the interactions between these changes will allow us to predict how N cycling will change in coming decades.
Mercedes Pinzon, Samantha Chapman, Adam Langley, Lisa G. Chambers
Jenwei Tsai
Smarter Delineations: How Technology Is Changing Wetland Delineation
Technological innovations are transforming wetland delineation, changing how scientists gather, interpret, and use data in both regulatory and research settings. Field experts now face new possibilities and obstacles as digital tools and remote datasets increasingly complement—or sometimes challenge—traditional field observations. This presentation hope to explore how modern technologies are impacting wetland soil identification, hydric soil analysis, and expert judgment during delineation procedures at Verdantas’ Northeast Offices.
Wetland specialists now use high-resolution LiDAR, drones (UAS), mobile GIS apps, digital soil mapping, and machine-learning-based wetland probability models when available. These resources deliver extensive spatial information, greater efficiency, and better prefield planning, enabling scientists to predict hydrologic patterns, landscape positions, and areas of possible disturbance with more confidence. Furthermore, mobile platforms and cloud workflows have made documentation easier and help maintain consistent data across project teams and jurisdictions.
Despite their benefits, the reliance on remote datasets brings significant challenges for wetland soil scientists. Many digital products tend to generalize soil characteristics, which may overlook important sitespecific differences vital for hydric soil assessment. Algorithm-driven methods may overlook subtle features from redoximorphic processes, anthropogenic activity, or recent hydrologic changes that are best identified by directly examining soil profiles during delineation. Therefore, technology can both enhance and complicate the use of indicators set forth in the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual and Regional Supplements.
This presentation will outline Verdantas' continuing initiatives to incorporate advanced technology while emphasizing the indispensable role of human expertise in interpreting technological outcomes, validating model predictions and public data on location, and articulating uncertainties to regulators and stakeholders.
Jason G. Moses, PWS and Lisa M. Clementoni, PWS
Marabelle Tucci
Field Implementation and Modifications of a Rapid Soil Carbon Data Collection Protocol
For the soil carbon sampling portion of this study, a bulk density sampling protocol was utilized to quantify soil carbon across forested upland-wetland gradients. At each site, the wetland boundary was delineated using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers methodology and mapped with sub-meter accuracy using a handheld GPS unit. A transect containing a Far Upland (FU), Transition Upland (TU), Transition Wetland (TW), and Far Wetland (FW) macroplots were implemented across the upland-wetland gradient. Soil sampling locations were established within each macroplot resulting in a total of four soil sampling sites across the transect.
If present, the duff layer was sampled first by driving a sampling ring into the surface of the soil above where the pit would be dug before bagging and weighing the sample. Next, a 60 cm × 60 cm soil pit was excavated at each designated sampling location, and a soil profile description was recorded. Sampling was done by driving the sampling rings into the pit face at 10cm increments. Two 5cm diameter rings were placed flush
to the pit face with the beveled edge of the rings against the soil. One ring was placed at 0-5 cm and the other at 5-10 cm. A hammer was used to drive the rings into the soil until they were level with the pit face. The rings were gently pried from the pit face, and the soil was deposited into a pre-weighed ziplock bag before being weighed and recorded. These steps were repeated until 60 cm, or the bottom of the pit was reached.
Changes were made to the original protocol to refine the sampling procedure:
• We transitioned from using sampling rings made from PVC pipe to metal pipe with a beveled edge.
• Pits were excavated to a target depth of 60 cm unless, in an upland pit, a marked soil color change indicated a transition to a horizon with substantially reduced organic carbon content. This approach ensured sampling captured the primary carbon-bearing horizons while avoiding unnecessary disturbance of lower mineral layers and saving time. Additionally, we determined that digging multiple pits at once was more efficient than digging one at a time.
• Some pits, particularly in the FW macroplots, contained underground, dead woody debris which was collected and bagged according to the vegetation sampling protocol to account for its carbon value.
• We considered using a custom core sampler but were unable to acquire one in time for the project.
R. Eugene Turner
Microtidal Marsh Loss with Accelerating Sea Level Rise in the Gulf of Mexico: Running with Alice
Changing global sea level rise (SLR) is a widely appreciated threat to coastal wetlands. Modeled estimates of SLR thresholds beyond which coastal wetlands convert to open water suggest that landscape scale estimates of wetland loss will vary with geomorphic setting, upland barriers to migration, vegetative tolerances to flooding, sediment supply and tidal ranges among others. Landscape scale examples from long-term observations are sparsely available, but they are needed to interpret the significance of data
collected from small and large sampling plots, after occasional storms, of various observation lengths, and regional SLR variations. A long-term data set from the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM; a.k.a. Gulf of America) is available to evaluate some of these threshold factors. Dredging there is the dominant stressor for losing 17% of the 21,884 km2 of microtidal coastal lands existing in 1934. There is a strong linear relationship between dredging canals and land loss from 1934 to 1990. But, compared to 1980 to 1999, SLR in the GOM doubled from 2000 to 2022 at a steady 10 mm y-1. This recent doubling presented an opportunity to test if there was a SLR impact effect on land loss vs. canal density from 1990 to 2016 compared to from 1934 to 1990. No acceleration in the slope or change in intercept was observed and there was a coincidental rise and fall in coastal land loss and the number of dredging permits issued in the last 95 years. We conclude that a 10 mm y-1 SLR has not (yet) become a compounding stressor on wetland loss on this coast, where humandriven effects on land loss continue to accumulate.
Giovanna McClenachan, Department of Marine Sciences, Stonybrook University, giovanna.mcclenachan@ stonybrook.edu. Julie Torres 3838 N Causeway Blvd #3000. julietorres816@gmail.com.
Rachel Villani
Louisiana Wetlands and the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
Coastal Louisiana is a vast network of wetlands that accounts for approximately 40% of all coastal wetlands in the contiguous United States. They are a vitally important ecosystem and support fisheries and wildlife populations, provide recreation opportunities, protect infrastructure, and provide hurricane protection, among many other ecosystem and economic benefits. Louisiana’s coast is vast and dynamic, but also at high risk and disappearing at an alarming rate. Approximately 25% of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands have been lost since the 1930s. In an endeavor to protect and restore coastal wetlands, the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) was enacted in 1990. CWPPRA is federal legislation that includes a framework for planning restoration projects, partners federal and state agencies, and provides federal funds for wetland protection
and restoration projects. Since CWPPRA’s inception, over 200 projects have been authorized, benefiting more than 100,000 acres across coastal Louisiana. Coastal wetland loss is a complex problem with widely variable challenges spread across an immense area, which requires a myriad of restoration and protection approaches as part of the CWPPRA program. Project types include but are not limited to marsh creation, hydrologic restoration, and shoreline protection. This presentation will provide an overview of the CWPPRA program, discuss its process involvement in coastal restoration efforts, and highlight recent programmatic successes.
Jan Vymazal
Carbon and Nutrient Sequestration in Spontaneous Wetlands
Adjacent to Agricultural Fields
Wetlands may naturally occur on the bottom part of agricultural fields which are situated in a sloping terrain. During the rainy periods the water runs down along the field surface and usually creates conditions suitable for wetland macrophytes which may create extensive stands if the wet conditions remain for a longer period of time. These wetlands may act as efficient filters for nutrients and in addition, the sequester high amounts of carbon due to vigorous growth of macrophytes. During the August of 2018-2020, a total of 50 wetlands on agricultural land were evaluated. For the experiment, only monoculture wetlands were selected and the size of the wetland should be at least about 400 m2 in order to include wetlands which have developed for longer period of time. Five macrophyte species, which represent the most frequently occurring species in these wetlands, were included in the study – Phragmites australis (common reed), Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass), Scirpus sylvaticus (wood club-rush), Filipendula ulmaria (meadowsweet) and Carex nigra (smooth black sedge). For each plant species, at least ten wetlands were taken into consideration. At each site, three soil samples were taken within the wetland and three samples from the agricultural field, about 50 m apart from the wetland. The soil samples were split into sections 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, dried at 40°C to a constant weight, ground and analysed tor organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. For each sample, bulk density was determined as well. For
Phragmites, Carex and Filipendiula, the aboveground biomass was determined at all sites and analysed for C, N, and P in order to calculate standing stocks of these elements. The results of this study revealed that the bulk density was the highest in the agriculture soil (field) - 1.36 g/cm3 while the lowest value was found in Filipendula stands (0.73 g/cm3). The highest TOC soil content was found for Carex (8.89 %) and Phragmites (7.62%) stands while the average field content was only (2.00%). The soil carbon stock was well correlated with aboveground carbon standing stocks. For both N and P, the soil stocks were higher than that in the agricultural field but the correlation between soil and standings stocks were weak suggesting the direct N and P input from the fields. The study revealed the positive role of the wetlands adjacent to agricultural fields in relation to carbon and nutrients sequestration and field runoff.
Carolin Waldemer
Climate Protection via Peatland Rewetting on the Baltic Sea Coast: Design and First Insights from a Large-Scale Rewetting Project
Coastal peatlands are increasingly recognized as critical yet severely degraded components of coastal landscapes, where drainage-induced greenhouse gas emissions transformed former carbon sinks into substantial carbon sources, making significant contributions to national GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany), the originally ~40,000 ha of coastal flood peatlands have largely been embanked, drained, and intensively used for agriculture, releasing carbon into the atmosphere within mere decades that were accumulated over millennia.
The collaborative project Peatland Climate Protection on the Baltic Sea Coast aims to restore ~850 ha of coastal peatland through de-embankment and rewetting from 2024 to 2034, with an expected emission reduction potential of 15,000–25,000 t CO2 equivalents yr-1. The peatland science group at the University of Greifswald leads the scientific monitoring of climate impacts, quantifying GHG exchange at selected reference sites before, during, and after rewetting using eddy covariance and chamber measurements. Complementary studies assess possible nutrient leaching into the Baltic Sea, and long-term carbon
sequestration via marker horizons and surface elevation tables to quantify the carbon sink potential.
We will outline the measurement design across four coastal peatland sites and present the first results from eddy covariance and chamber measurements. To capture spatially heterogeneous emission patterns, a pre-study was conducted in an adjacent bay. The results of this pre-study indicate that ebullition is a significant transport pathway. Concurrently collected data from a near-natural coastal peatland illustrate the mitigation potential of rewetting compared to drained sites. The planned long-term measurements will enable robust quantification of achieved emission reductions and their translation into practical recommendations for rewetting drained coastal peatlands.
J., Raatz, G., Jurasiński
Josey Walker
Florida as an Example of State Level Comprehensive Wetland Protections
This presentation will be part of the symposium to discuss different aspects and ramifications of the changes in the definition of waters of the U.S., which the USACE and EPA proposed on November 20, 2025, related to implementing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA. A final rule updating the definition of waters of the U.S. is expected to be finalized in early 2026. As a result of the changes, fewer wetlands will have federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, including many bayous and bogs. Thus, more regulatory authority for wetland protection will need to fall to states that develop a wetland regulatory program.
The State of Florida has developed a state-level wetland regulatory program and passed its first legislation to protect wetlands in 1984. In 1994, 62-340 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) established The Florida Wetlands Delineation Manual. In 1995, Florida’s Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) program was established. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the five water management districts developed multiple iterations with different regional focuses on wetland activities. Then in 2013, Florida adopted the Statewide ERP under 62-330 F.A.C. which
established a unified permitting process across the state. The rule established standardized regulation of wetland protections and the regulation of stormwater management systems.
A key component of the ERP program is the joint project review process. Project permit submittals are jointly reviewed by a team of stormwater engineers and environmental scientists. The final issued permit not only authorizes any required wetland impact but also creates a perpetual permit with mandatory maintenance and monitoring requirements for permitted stormwater management facilities.
Additional wetland related regulation in Florida includes the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM). This is a Florida-specific procedure used to assess wetland function based on location and landscape support, water environment, and community structure established in 2004 under 62-340 F.A.C. This procedure was adopted by the USACE and is used to determine wetland mitigation requirements for all projects in the state. Additionally, all mitigation banks established after the creation of UMAM have used it to develop credits availability.
Guodong Wang
Plant Diversity, Productivity and Ecosystem Temporal Stability in Herbaceous Wetlands in China
Maintaining the stability of ecosystems is critical for supporting essential ecosystem services over time. However, our understanding of the contribution of the diverse biotic and abiotic factors to this stability in wetlands remains limited. Here, we combined data from a field vegetation survey of 725 herbaceous wetland sites in China with remote sensing information from the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from 2010 to 2020 to explore the contribution of biotic and abiotic factors to the temporal stability of primary productivity. We found that plant species richness directly contributed to stability on a national scale, but that this contribution differed among climate zones, hydrological regimes, and vegetation types. In addition, many abiotic factors, including soil properties, geographical location, and climate also contributed to stability. Piecewise structural equation modeling identified that soil properties, including soil pH, total nitrogen, and soil
organic carbon, emerged as primary factors modulating ecosystem stability, both directly and indirectly by affecting species richness and vegetation type. Higher species richness and soil organic carbon were related to higher ecosystem stability in peatlands but less so in coastal and inland marshes. These findings enhance our ability to forecast how wetland ecosystems may respond to future environmental changes and biodiversity loss and can inform policy decisions related to ecosystem stability.
Nanlin Hu, Yann Hautier, Beth Middleton, Ming Jiang
Lyndsey Ware
Invasive Species Management to Restore Ancient Dune Swale Systems
On the west end of Galveston Island, Artist Boat’s Coastal Heritage Preserve consists of diverse wetlands throughout an ancient dune swale system. The series of high ridges and low swales has resulted in various plant communities, a wide range of salinity, unique wildlife, and highly adapted invasive species. The gumbo of ecologies calls for well timed, scientifically sound management plans to rid the 1,039 acres of McCartney Rose, Chinese Tallow, Deep rooted sedge, Salt Cedars, and other important invasive plant species. Where these invasive species have dominated the space during the years between centuries of cattle grazing and preservation acquisition, the environment has become more ideal for those invasive species that crowd out essential native species and throw the entire system off balance. Our job is to diligently eradicate the invasive species and create a habitat more favorable for the native plant species. The native plant species provide adequate competition to those invasive species, mitigate erosion, provide shelter to endangered and threatened wildlife, filter heavy metals, and fix nitrogen. By employing a precise integrated pest management strategy incorporating mechanical, cultural, biological, and chemical controls, a balance is being reestablished. Various treatments have been applied to each targeted species based on each biological lifecycle. Each space introduces a new set of variables, therefore plans have also been custom tailored to the specific space where the treatments are being implemented. Simultaneously, over 10,000 native facultative and obligatory wetland plants are propagated from locally sourced seed and
planted annually after land is treated for invasive species. The goal is to utilize all controls for the first 3-5 years successfully. This will permit a decrease in synthetic chemical use as natural 'checks and balances' increase. The current plan has been implemented for nine months with results already testifying to the efficacy employed to methods. The ten year plan is expected to decrease invasive plant species to less than 5% from today's nearly 50% density and allow natural systems such as coastal prairie sheet flow to return and create a nearly self-sustaining habitat favored by endangered species such as Black Rails and Ghost Wolves (coyote-red wolf hybrid).
George Washburn
Named Hurricanes' Effects on Survival and Growth Rates of Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) and Other Saplings
Named hurricanes are responsible for the loss of millions of mature trees each year in the Gulf South. The forested wetlands that are damaged by these storms are generally not able to regenerate on their own due to the loss of seedlings and saplings, herbivory by invasive animals, competition from invasive plants, saltwater intrusion, and impounded water. Without these forested wetlands and their ability to mitigate hurricane force winds and storm surges, the region will continue to lose land faster than it can be created. While healthy wetlands act as defenses for our communities, mature trees are severely damaged or topped when high-intensity storms make landfall. Pontchartrain Conservancy (PC) has planted over 100,000 saplings in 15 years across 5 sites in Southeast Louisiana, including Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum), Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica), and Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) species. In the 12 months preceding Category 4 Hurricane Ida, PC planted approximately 6,000 T. distichum saplings in the Maurepas Landbridge (MLB), Madisonville (MAD), LaBranche Wetlands (LB) and Central Wetlands Unit (CWU) sites. One year after the storm, survival rates of the 2-year-old saplings were 90% in MAD, ~80% in LB and ~75% in the CWU. Height growth rates were low and ranged between -0.02 to 0.08 m/yr, possibly due to topping during hurricane-force winds, while diameter growth was more robust and ranged between 0.09 to 0.36 cm/
yr. Salinity and hydrology differences may have also influenced sapling growth rates among sites.
Category 3+ hurricanes will continue to be an issue for the Gulf Region. We will continue to see downed trees and loss of land due to storm surges; however, this work shows that newly planted swamp-based trees, if planted in areas with fewer abiotic stressors, can yield hearty trees that can withstand hurricane force winds for their first few years. If the saplings can survive those first few critical years, it is possible for healthy stands to develop. This work shows that we should continue to plant wetland tree species to try and replace some of the losses we see commonly in the hurricane season.
Eva Hillman, PhD, Nicole Cormier, PhD
Pamela Weisenhorn
Whole-Organism Perspectives Reveal Biogeochemical Consequences of Microbial Dynamics in Wetlands
Wetland biogeochemistry is shaped by microbial communities whose composition shifts in response to hydrological and physicochemical drivers. Yet most studies linking microbial community data to ecosystem function rely on gene-level annotations, overlooking the fact that microbes operate as whole organisms with integrated metabolisms constrained by specific environmental conditions. Here, we present a framework that bridges community composition and biogeochemical function by reconstructing the probable metabolic capabilities and activity envelopes of individual taxa from 16S RNA amplicon data.
We apply this approach to two complementary datasets. The first tracks temporal changes in microbial community composition across a set of freshwater wetlands, capturing successional dynamics under varying environmental conditions. The second draws from the TEMPEST experiment, part of the COMPASS-FME project, which simulated episodic flooding with fresh and salt water in a coastal upland forest, revealing physical transport of microbial taxa into deeper soil horizons, particularly under saltwater flooding.
For each dataset, we match 16S amplicon sequences to their nearest relatives in public databases and construct probabilistic pangenomes representing the
likely genomic repertoire of detected taxa. We then apply metabolic modeling, informed by published growth and physiological data for related organisms, to infer functional capabilities and the environmental boundaries within which those functions are expressed. We focus on carbon mineralization pathways and their implications for trace gas production across both systems, and additionally examine sulfur cycling in the TEMPEST experiment, where saltwater introduction temporarily creates conditions favoring sulfate reduction. In the freshwater wetlands, this framework helps explain observed shifts in relative abundance as a consequence of changing environmental conditions and competitive dynamics among organisms with distinct carbon processing strategies. Across both systems, it enables us to predict how microbial community organization, whether driven by succession or physical displacement, alters biogeochemical process rates and pathways.
By treating microbes as whole organisms with defined metabolic strategies rather than as collections of individual genes, this approach offers a more mechanistic understanding of how microbial dynamics propogate into ecosystem-scale biogeochemical change in wetlands.
John White
Effects of Surface Water Freshening on Porewater Salinity in Brackish and Salt Marshes
A number of processes can lead to surface salinity shifts in coastal wetlands including storm surge and drought which increase salinity while hydrologic restoration including river reconnection reduce the surface salinity. In coastal Louisiana, significant modeling is being conducted on how connection of the wetland-dominated coastal basins to the Mississippi River will change the surface salinity. However, there is little data as to how the surface salinity will impact the porewater salinity. It is the porewater salinity shifts that can portend the vegetation shifts and changes to important biogeochemical functions in the wetland soil. Lab studies were conducted on the surface salinity freshening and the porewater salinity response of brackish and salt marsh soils. In addition, a transect from the Mississippi River to the salt marsh/open bay was outfitted with real time porewater salinity sensors
at stations where surface salinity is also being collected. For brackish marsh, a month of freshwater surface pumping resulted in very little freshening, however the salt marsh soils underwent significant freshening under the same surface water conditions. Data from the field porewater sensors also show a muted porewater salinity change to surface salinity changes in the brackish marsh with greater salinity shifts seen in the porewater of saltmarshes with changes in surface salinity. This study suggests that porewaters in brackish marshes are more resilient to surface salinity changes compared to salt marshes which has important implications for vegetation and biota with river reconnection.
Matthew Hiatt; mhiatt1@lsu.edu; Associate Professor; Oceanography & Coastal Sciences; Louisiana State University, Noah Flaherty, nflahe1@lsu.edu; M.S student; Oceanography & Coastal Sciences; Louisiana State University
Spenser Widin
From Laboratory Insights to Field Application: Advancing a Microbe-Mediated Bioherbicide Treatment for Control of non-Native Phragmites australis
The non-native Phragmites australis ssp. australis (common reed) is a highly aggressive plant invading wetlands across North America, degrading habitat quality, and impacting human infrastructure. Current management techniques such as mechanical removal and traditional herbicide applications often require large amounts of resources and repeat treatments, incurring long term management costs. To address this challenge, the U.S. Geological Survey is working with Rutgers University to advance a microbe-mediated bioherbicide from laboratory development to largescale field testing. This low-toxicity bioherbicide product is composed of naturally occurring substances (e.g., amino acids, sugars, essential oil) and targets the biochemical processes of the microbiome associated with Phragmites to induce plant stress and reduce plant growth. Field studies throughout southeast Michigan demonstrated consistent reductions in Phragmites health and growth after treatment with the experimental bioherbicide compared to controls. This presentation will provide an overview of the lab to field development of the bioherbicide and discuss the promise of microbemediated management treatments as additional tools
for Phragmites control and habitat restoration in North America.
Emily F. Schultheis, eschultheis@contractor.usgs.gov, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI., Kathryn L. Kingsley, klk158@rutgers.edu, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ., James F. White, jwhite@ sebs.rutgers.edu, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ., Kurt P. Kowalski, kkowalski@usgs.gov, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Jonathan Willis
Contribution of Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor) to Surficial Soil Carbon in a Bottomland Hardwood Forest
Ongoing concerns regarding the likely impacts of global climate change have intensified interests in developing and refining nature-based approaches to carbon sequestration. It is well known that wetland systems are, overall, among the most effective natural systems for carbon sequestration due to their unique biogeochemical status and high primary production. Degraded ecosystems are similarly recognized for their high carbon sequestration potential, which stems from their soils typically having substantially lower carbon content than analogous healthy ecosystems. Thus, development of effective wetland restoration approaches can be highly beneficial for enhancing carbon stock, in addition to the litany of other ecosystem services wetlands provide. The research described herein investigated the contribution of an understory species, Sabal minor, to soil carbon content in a bottomland hardwood forest to understand the extent to which herbaceous community composition could be manipulated for increased carbon storage, thereby informing restoration planting designs. Specifically, a field study was conducted in the Jean Lafitte National Forest Barataria Preserve in which 65, 64 m-2 plots were established along a hydrologic gradient with Sabal minor plot densities ranging from 5 to 56 individuals. All plots were assessed in regards to over- and understory vegetation metrics as well as key soil characteristics. Sabal minor density was a significant predictor of soil organic matter and total soil carbon content in the top 15 cm of the soil layer. Thus, although the standing carbon stock in Sabal minor understory tissues is a minor fraction compared to that of woody vegetation in a Louisiana bottomland forest, it
nonetheless contributed substantially to the surficial soil carbon pool.
Julia Jones-Broussard
Richard (Ricky) Wilson
Implications of new Relatively Permanent Water and Continuous Surface Connection Definitions
This presentation will be part of the symposium to discuss different aspects and ramifications of the changes in the definition of waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), which the USACE and EPA proposed on November 20, 2025, related to implementing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA. A final rule updating the definition of waters of the U.S. is expected to be finalized in early 2026. As a result of the changes, fewer wetlands will have federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, including many bayous and bogs.
This presentation will provide an overview of the challenges and implications faced by the regulated community and wetland delineation practitioners in light of the new definitions of WOTUS. Specifically, the definitions for relatively permanent waters and continuous surface connection will have implications for the collection and evaluation of data to support jurisdictional determinations of which wetlands are WOTUS and which are not.
In the new WOTUS definitions, jurisdictional wetlands must have a continuous surface connection to a relatively permanent water. In particular, for a wetland to be considered a WOTUS, it must have surface water continuously during the wet season under normal conditions and be connected by abutting a relatively permanent water. Furthermore, for a tributary to be a relatively permanent water, it must flow at least continuously during the wet season.
Thus, determining whether a wetland has surface water and a tributary (stream) has continuous flow during the wet season will require refinement of field data collection and evaluation. Depending on the seasonality and current climatic conditions during a site visit, the field data collection may or may not give a definitive answer for evaluation. So additional information, analysis, or site visits may be necessary. Desktop tools, including the Antecedent Precipitation Tool, along with
multiple years of ortho and oblique imagery, can serve as important methods for analysis.
Additionally, wetland delineators must be informed and trained to collect and evaluate data during a field delineation to distinguish portions of a wetland that are contiguous but may not be consistent with semipermanent surface water (i.e., during the wet season).
The presentation will provide strategies and examples for evaluating flow of streams and water presence in wetlands related to the new WOTUS definitions of relatively permanent and continuous surface connection.
Maia Woodard
Influence of Channel Edge Vegetation on Interior Marsh Geomorphology: A Case
Study in the Lower Mississippi River Delta
Marsh vegetation plays a critical role in maintaining marsh surface elevations above sea-level and strengthening the soil through the production of roots and rhizomes. The density and composition of marsh vegetation is intrinsically tied to marsh elevation and hydrology, yet there are few empirical relationships between species, density, accretion, and soil strength in complex river deltas where flooding and sedimentation are temporally and spatially variable. The Mississippi River Delta, the fifth largest river delta in the world, is experiencing rapid land loss associated with a combination of human impacts and high rates of relative sea-level rise. The fate of the deltaic marshes of the lower Birdsfoot delta (BFD), where the main channel of the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, is dependent on biophysical feedback processes that influence accretion and subsidence rates. We hypothesize dense channel-edge vegetation, such as Phragmites australis, promotes levee formation through efficient sediment trapping and high belowground biomass, resulting in elevated marsh edges and lower interior elevations. In contrast, sparsely vegetated edges may produce more uniform topography and greater sediment delivery to marsh interiors. To test this, we measured vegetation composition, percent cover, elevation, soil shear strength, and accretion along transects extending 50 m from the channel edge to the marsh interior at in two different edge vegetation
types at three BFD locations. Initial results are that vegetation composition and elevation differed among the three locations. The lowest elevation area was 11 to 19 cm lower than the other locations. Accretion rates in Romere Field Cut ranged from 10–33 mmyr-1 in Phragmites transects and 29–104 mmyr-1 in Schoenoplectus deltarum sites. In French Duck Pond, Phragmites transects ranged from 9-31 mmyr-1 and 10-69 mmyr-1 in Typha domingensis transects. Soil shear strength also varied widely across sites. Future analysis will examine relationships among distance and elevation gradients, vegetation composition, soil strength and accretion rate to provide insight on drivers of marsh resiliency in this system.
M. Woodard1, C. Wilson2, M. Hiatt, M. Kaller3, T. ElseyQuirk1.
1 Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
2 Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
3 School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA, 70803, USA
Y. Jun Xu
Are Estuarine Wetlands a Carbon Sink or Source?
Estuarine wetlands are an integral component of blue carbon systems. However, the effects of water and material exchange within estuaries on carbon transport and transformation remain poorly understood. In this study, we monitored dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and the partial pressure of dissolved carbon dioxide (pCO2) along a freshwater–saltwater mixing zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico over an 18-month period. Monthly sampling and field measurements were conducted at three locations: the freshwater reach of the river, the north shore of the lake where Gulf saltwater enters, and the south shore where mixed river–Gulf water exits the brackish lake. Across the three study sites, DOC concentrations were consistently higher than DIC, with particularly elevated DOC levels observed in the brackish lake (south shore: 13.85 ± 3.42 mg L-1; north shore: 12.49 ± 2.44 mg L-1) compared to the river (7.92 ± 2.94 mg L-1). pCO2 levels were lowest at the north
shore before mixing (1065 ± 1155 μatm) and highest at the south shore after mixing (1736 ± 1472 μatm), relative to the river (1422 ± 595 μatm). Significantly higher DIC, DOC, pCO2, and colored dissolved organic matter (cDOM) were also observed at the south shore compared with the north shore. Estimated CO2 fluxes indicated net outgassing across the system, with the highest and most variable emissions occurring at the lake’s south shore (11.29 ± 15.05 mmol m-2 h-1), followed by the river (8.07 ± 6.65 mmol m-2 h-1), and lower average fluxes at the lake’s north shore (4.29 ± 7.62 mmol m-2 h-1). Brief periods of weak CO2 uptake were observed at all sites. These results demonstrate that coastal wetlands can contribute substantial amounts of dissolved organic carbon to adjacent brackish waters and that riverine dissolved carbon undergoes extensive transformation within freshwater–saltwater mixing zones. The findings indicate significant biogeochemical processing when freshwater meets saltwater, strongly influencing carbon cycling and CO2 outgassing under changing river hydrology and coastal circulation conditions. Future research on carbon dynamics from river mouths to adjacent coastal waters should adopt a system-level perspective to determine whether these interconnected environments function overall as net carbon sinks or carbon sources.
Anamika Dristi (adrist1@lsu.edu)
The Impact of River Reconnections and Diversions on Louisiana Wetland Sediment Budget
One of the proposed methods for restoring the disappearing Mississippi Delta is sediment diversion which uses channels and structures to divert water and sediment from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers into adjacent basins. This presentation is based on a comprehensive review of geological and physical aspects of sediment dynamics in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain, with special reference to diversion studies over the past two decades. We synthesize these studies, present the current understanding of sediment diversions in the context of sediment dynamics, identify multiple key knowledge gaps, and make recommendations for future studies. The diversion impact on wetland sediment budget and salinity regime will also be discussed.
Kehui Xu
Yunlong Yao
Predicting Marsh Plant Diversity Using Super High-Resolution UAV Multispectral Imagery
Plant diversity is the fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the functional integrity and stability of wetland ecosystems. Traditional field surveys face challenges in achieving large-scale, high-efficiency monitoring. In recent years, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing has provided a new avenue for monitoring wetland plant diversity by acquiring centimeter-level high-resolution multispectral data. However, the predictive capability of such data and the optimal research methodologies remain to be fully elucidated. This study combines high-resolution UAV multispectral imagery with ground-based field surveys to systematically evaluate the predictive effectiveness of different vegetation indices and their statistics (mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation) on Species Richness, Shannon Index, Simpson Index, and Hill numbers. The results indicate that commonly used species diversity indicators underestimate the true potential of predicting plant species diversity based on spectral information from remote sensing imagery. Hill numbers show significant application potential in spectral and species diversity research. Furthermore, diversity indices calculated based on species coverage show significant and stable correlations with spectral indicators, outperforming those based on species density. Among the various vegetation indices, rededge-based indicators such as MTCI and NDREI exhibited the strongest predictive power and were insensitive to background noise. Spatial resolution significantly impacts the relationship between spectral diversity indicators and species diversity, with the optimal resolution identified as 5–10 cm. Additionally, the combined use of the mean and standard deviation of vegetation indices significantly improved model accuracy, confirming the complementarity between the Productivity Hypothesis and the Spectral Variation Hypothesis. Overall, provided that spatial resolution, vegetation indices, and diversity indicators are appropriately optimized, high-resolution spectral data can effectively predict marsh plant species diversity. These findings provide a theoretical basis and methodological guidance for wetland biodiversity
monitoring and hold important implications for promoting regional and global ecosystem conservation.
Fuyi,Shan Yuanqi, Yi Huaihu
Siyuan Ye
Microbial
Network Complexity Mediates Warming Effects on Soil Carbon Decomposition Across Latitudinal Gradients
Coastal wetlands, known for their high primary productivity, function as vital carbon reservoirs and hold significant potential for ocean negative carbon emissions (ONCE). Yet, ongoing climate warming and anthropogenic environmental changes threaten to disrupt carbon cycling and undermine the stability of these carbon sinks. Reducing carbon emissions from sediment organic matter (SOM) mineralization and enhancing carbon sequestration remain critical challenges in global carbon cycle research. While SOM decomposition is shaped by environmental factors such as temperature, hydrology, oxygen availability, and substrate quality, it is ultimately driven by microbial processes. Moreover, the sensitivity of SOM decomposition to warming and environmental change may vary with latitude. Here, we conducted decomposition incubation experiments using reed (Phragmites australis) roots and leaves across a latitudinal gradient in the Huang-Bohai Sea (HBS) coastal wetlands. By integrating microbial and geochemical analyses, we investigated the mechanisms underlying soil carbon preservation. Our results showed that warming had a modest effect on decomposition rates but significantly increased microbial biomass, enhanced the complexity and connectivity of microbial co-occurrence networks, enriched carbon-cycling functional taxa, and generally reduced microbial diversity—especially at higher latitudes. These findings suggest that global warming could compromise the resilience of carbon sequestration in coastal wetlands, posing long-term risks to carbon storage. Notably, contrary to the conventional view that reducing conditions inhibit decomposition, the site with the most complex microbial networks and strongest reducing conditions exhibited approximately 30% higher decomposition rates. This may be attributed to internal eutrophication in porewater, which likely accelerated SOM turnover. This study underscores that, under climate warming, inadequate hydrological
management—particularly regarding water quality and water table regulation—could synergistically trigger detrimental effects on coastal carbon sinks. Future ONCE strategies should prioritize integrated water management to mitigate carbon losses driven by internal eutrophication.
Siyuan Ye,Lixin, Ken W. Krauss, Hans Brix
Yuxiang Yuan
The Application of Multi-Element Fingerprinting Technology in Wetland Research
Multielement fingerprinting technology is an environmental traceability method based on quantitative chemistry. By measuring the concentrations of multiple elements in samples (such as soil, sediment, water bodies, or organisms) and their combinations, a unique "element fingerprint" of the sample is constructed. This technology relies on high-precision analytical instruments (such as ICP-MS) and multivariate statistical methods, providing strong "chemical evidence" for understanding the migration and transformation of substances, environmental evolution, and human impacts. The elemental composition characteristics (including major, minor and trace elements) of substances formed under different sources or in different environmental conditions show significant differences. These characteristics can be used to assess the hydrological and chemical connectivity between isolated wetlands, as well as the restoration effect of wetlands.
Marinus L. Otte, Xiaoyan Zhu, Ming Jiang
Xiaoyan
Zhu
Chemodiversity of Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Molecular Characteristics Changes Driven by the Lake-to-Marsh Continuum
The formation of floating mat marsh is a critical stage during the succession of lake terrestrialization, where the unique peat-based floating mat layer governs the distinctive ecological processes underlying the migration, transformation, and ultimate fate of dissolved organic matter.However, the mechanisms that govern the transformation and fate of DOM during the succession of lake terrestrialization remain poorly understood.Using ultrahigh-resolution mass
spectrometry, we analyzed the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) along the lakemarsh continuum in the Longwangmao floating mat wetland of Lake Khanka, an international boundary lake between China and Russia. This study aims to trace the sources, composition, and turnover characteristics of DOM at the molecular level during the successional process of lake paludification. The results indicate that paludification drove water acidification and elevated redox potential, with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations increasing by 2.3–3.1-fold along the open water–transition zone–swamp gradient. Spectroscopic analyses revealed a progressive reduction in autochthonous DOM contributions concurrent with an 8.3%–9.6% increase in the humification index (HIX) and a 20.2%–37.1% decrease in aromaticity (SUVA254) throughout the terrestrialization process. Highresolution mass spectrometry further demonstrated that the relative abundance of sulfur-containing molecules (CHONS) in swamp DOM increased from 7.5% to 30.4%, while lignin-like compounds decreased from 71.1% to 60.5%, with the molecular composition shifting from unsaturated-reduced to saturatedoxidized states. Floating-mat vegetation facilitated the transformation of DOM from algae-derived labile fractions to terrestrial humic-stabilized forms through rhizosphere oxygen release, light attenuation, and hydraulic retention, thereby enhancing the chemical stability of the carbon pool. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing carbon cycling during lake terrestrialization.
Xiaomeng Yang, Jincheng Xu, Xiaofei Yu
Poster Presentations from the 2026 Annual Meeting
Sheel Bansal
Soil Carbon Gains in Wetlands Restored Through the USDA Conservation Reserve Program: Implications for Soil Health and Management
Wetland restoration in rural, agricultural landscapes provides an opportunity to improve soil health while restoring ecological function. Many wetlands in the Great Plain of the United States were historically drained for crop production. Studying wetlands that have been restored through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) allows evaluation of how management and restoration duration influence soil organic carbon (SOC), an important indicator of soil condition and ecosystem recovery.
We present results from a multi-state study from North Dakota to Texas and the Glaciated Plains in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan in which we quantified SOC stocks from over 100 wetlands restored through the CRP. Field measurements were conducted across wetlands spanning a range of restoration ages and management histories, including sites in their initial CRP enrollment, and others that have been re-enrolled for multiple contract periods. At each wetland, six soil cores were collected to a depth of one meter and split into four intervals, totaling over 3,000 soil samples. SOC accumulation rates were estimated using space-for-time substitution. Vegetation structure and greenhouse gases were also measured across a wide range of wetland conditions including dry soils, ponded water, and dense emergent vegetation.
Initial results indicate clear management signals in restored wetlands. Soil organic carbon concentrations increase steadily with restoration age, with approximately a 60% increase during the first 20 years following restoration. Wetlands that have been re-enrolled in the CRP for multiple contract periods contain higher SOC concentrations than wetlands in their first contract, suggesting that long-term protection and continued enrollment enhance soil recovery and carbon storage. These findings highlight the importance
of sustained conservation program enrollment and longterm wetland management for maintaining soil health in restored agricultural landscapes.
Ellen Herbert, Jamshid Ansari, Morgan Davis, Siobhan Fennessy, Annika Kuleba, Jacob Meier, Jessica L. O'Connell, Thomas O'Halloran, Shannon Osborne, Megan Podolinsky, Cathleen Sampselle, Brian Tangen, Rachael Tomasko
Gabriel Barco
Bird Assemblages and New Species Records in the Southern Ansenuza Wetland, Argentina
Birds are a distinctive taxonomic group in wetlands contributing substantially to ecosystem function. In the continental interior of South America, the Dulce River marshes and Mar de Ansenuza Lake form an extensive wetland of international importance, particularly for migratory birds. We propose to analyze bird communities composition in relation to environmental heterogeneity in the southern sector of the Ansenuza lake and assess whether the wetland functions as a relevant point for vagrant birds. We used abundance data of birds through field observation across forest, shrubland halophytic and lake environments. Community diversity across environments was quantified using Hill numbers (q = 0, 1, and 2), representing species richness, the exponential of Shannon entropy, and the inverse Simpson index, respectively. Differences in community composition among environments were evaluated using a PERMANOVA based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarities, and patterns were visualized using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Additionally, we examined historical scientist citizen data to identify those species that have been incorporated in the last 10 years between 2015-2025. Communities differed significantly among environments (R2 = 0.37, p = 0.001) and the display turned out well (NMDS stress = 0.089). Of a total of 345 species recorded commonly in the region, 24 were newly species with displayed diverse migratory behaviors. We believe that, given the important contribution of each environment to the richness of wetland birds, it is advisable to plan specific strategies for each environment and integrated strategies. It is also clear that the data continuously generated by citizen science and collected through web
platforms are valuable for knowledge of the nature and dynamic of species. Our results highlight the increasing use of the wetland by birds and suggest that it may be a critical resource hub for wandering avian species. The need for both habitat-specific and integrated conservation strategies is evident.
Vivas Ezequiel, Díaz Adrián, Instituto de Virología, J.M. Vanella, Vergara-Tabares David Lautaro
Gabriel Barco
Vector Communities and Surveillance of West Nile and St. Louis Encephalitis Viruses in Bañados del Río Dulce–Mar de Ansenuza, Argentina
In South America, the Bañados del Río Dulce and Mar de Ansenuza lake constitute an intracontinental wetland that supports a diverse community of resident and migratory wild birds together with abundant mosquito populations. The coexistence of competent vectors, avian hosts, and incidental hosts in landscapes where natural habitats overlap with livestock production and human settlements provides the ecological context for the maintenance and transmission of arboviruses. Previous research conducted on the southern shore of MCH has documented the circulation of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV) and West Nile Virus (WNV). The objective of this study was to characterize mosquito vector communities across different habitat types and to assess the activity of SLEV and WNV. During the spring of 2023, mosquitoes were sampled using light traps baited with dry ice, deployed in forest patches, halophytic shrublands, and peri-lacustrine environments along the southern margin of the lake. Differences in mosquito community composition among habitats were evaluated, and mosquito pools were screened for SLEV and WNV using real-time RT-PCR. A total of 23,369 mosquitoes belonging to 23 species were collected and identified. Ochlerotatus genera were consistently dominant across environments in both seasons, whereas Culex and Mansonia genera showed higher relative abundance in fall compared to spring. Culex exhibited the highest relative abundance in forest habitats, with communities dominated by Cx. maxi, Cx. interfor, and Cx. chidesteri in spring, and by Cx. maxi, Cx. acharistus, Cx. dolosus, and Cx. saltanensis in fall. Communities did not differ significantly among environments (PERMANOVA, p> 0.05), and NMDS
ordination revealed extensive overlap in species composition. A total of 383 mosquito pools were analyzed by RT qPCR for SLEV and WNV. Two SLEV positive pools were detected (Cx. spp in forest and Cx. saltanensis in halophyte shrubland) both collected during fall. Based on a partial sequence of the SLEV (E) gene, the sample analyzed grouped within genotype III, showing 93.3% identity with strain CbaAr-4006 (DQ385450). Knowledge of the spatial distribution of arbovirus vectors and their infection status is crucial for arbovirus circulation hotspot for surveillance and early detection strategies. We also emphasize that the management of these ecosystems is key to reducing the risk of zoonotic emergencies in the human population.
Beranek Mauricio; mauricioberanek@gmail.com; Instituto de Virología, J.M. Vanella /Facultad de Ciencias Médicas/ Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET
Giayetto Octavio, David Lautaro Vergara-Tabares, Díaz Adrián
Melanie Becerril-Bartolo
DNA Metabarcoding to Discover Freshwater Wetland Biodiversity in Querétaro State, Mexico
This study aimed to explore the micro- and macrobiodiversity of the freshwater wetlands in the state of Querétaro using eDNA metabarcoding with Wilderlab kits. Field trips were conducted during the rainy season, between August and September 2025, in 15 lotic and 16 lentic water bodies located in three physiographic provinces (Sierra Madre Oriental, TransMexican Volcanic Belt, and Central Plateau). Samples were sent to the certificate laboratory Wilderlab in New Zealand for DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing and determination of Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Preliminary results showed a total of 3,455 ASVs, with 2,703 taxa and 210 orders in lotic ecosystems, and 2,312 taxa and 185 orders in lentic ecosystems. Taxonomic richness varied across sites. The highest taxa richness was found in sites 24, 29 and 31 (two lotic and one lentic), which yielded over 700 taxa each. The lowest richness was found in site 11, 19 and 22 (two lentic and one lotic), which recorded no more than 300 taxa each. We also mapped the distribution of biodiversity across phyla, orders, families, and genera. Overall, Bacteria and Plants were the most
taxonomically diverse groups. Notable records also included diatoms, archaea, dinoflagellates, red algae, cnidarians, freshwater sponges, and others. Regarding vertebrate biodiversity, we identified Rhinophrynus dorsalis and Lithobates berlandieri, two anuran species protected under national law, as well as Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl), an endemic species considered at risk of extinction in Mexico. Additionally, three species of freshwater sponges were recorded with no prior occurrence in the country. These findings highlight the potential for new taxon records in Querétaro and the relevance of eDNA metabarcoding for identifying conservation-priority groups, endangered or invasive species. This aids the definition of priority sites for conservation or management and is a useful tool for monitoring. Furthermore, this study establishes a precedent for future research to compare different seasons (dry and rainy) and to contrast eDNA data with non-molecular techniques in biodiversity inventories.
Jacob Berkowitz
National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils: Ongoing Initiatives
The National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils develops guidance for identifying and delineating hydric soils in the United States. This presentation discusses three ongoing efforts to advance wetland science and hydric soil management. First, a recently published compendium summarizes difficult hydric soil situations. The compendium is designed to be a living document to communicate strategies to avoid false positive and negative hydric soil determinations. Second, several topical studies highlight the utility of iron monosulfide precipitates (FeS) to delineate hydric soils, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Efforts are underway to incorporate FeS into wetland delineation procedures and guidance. Finally, a review is underway to document the current state of hydric soil science in problematic situations, including challenging parent materials (Alkaline soils), landscape positions (fresh riverine deposits), and other scenarios (shallow soils). Collectively, these efforts promote improved hydric soil and wetland resource management.
Adamina Bilbrey
Reconstructing Disturbance History and Seed-bank Potential to Guide Wetland Restoration at Sam Hole Bay
Wetlands have declined by thirty-five percent since 1970, despite providing numerous ecosystem functions such as water storage, flood management, and nutrient cycling. The loss of wetlands is primarily driven by land use conversion, for example through the installation of drainage ditches to lower the water table. Degraded wetlands then serve various agricultural and silvicultural purposes, such as slash pine (Pinus elliottii) plantations to produce timber and pulp. Effective restoration of degraded wetlands necessitates knowledge of optimum strategies and local conditions prior to degradation. The objective of this research is to optimize restoration of the degraded Sam Hole Bay (SHB) Mitigation Bank wetland, located near the Savannah River in Southeast Georgia. Specifically, we reconstructed the ecological and hydrological history of the area via assessments of the soil seed bank (SSB) and dendrochronology from tree cores and cross-sections across three distinct zones within the wetland: drainage ditches, pine plantation, and open field. Soil samples for the SSB assessment were collected both prior and post a prescribed burn in 2025. We hypothesized that the vegetation emerging from the SSB will differ both by location and burn treatment, and that dendrochronology data will enhance our understanding of disturbance history within the wetland. Preliminary results of the 2025 SSB study depict that the ditch exhibits a higher species diversity than the plantation or field, as well as significantly different composition. This points to the drainage ditches possibly serving as refugia for wetland vegetation, suggesting that soil from these zones should be preserved and implemented in land management practice.
Katlyn
Wacker, Matthew Weand, Troy Mutchler, Greg Smith, Mario Bretfeld
Zoya Buckmire
Biodiversity Thrives in Caribbean Wetlands of International Importance
Caribbean wetlands are as diverse as the nations and peoples of the region. From high-elevation lakes to coastal mangrove forests to rivers and everything in between, wetland ecosystems across the wider Caribbean are biodiversity hotspots and cultural beacons. Several of these ecosystems are recognized under the Convention on Wetlands as Wetlands of International Importance, or Ramsar sites. They harbour hundreds of species across all taxa, including endemic and threatened birds, reptiles, mammals, and plants. This poster highlights some of the key biodiversity found within Caribbean wetlands, and illustrates why initiatives such as the Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands project are critical to ensuring the sustainable use of these ecosystems and securing their continuity under changing climate conditions.
Melesha Gunning-Banhan, Francisco Jimenez, Abimbola Haughton, Iker Irazabal, Joanne Norville
Kotomi Buth
Using Reciprocal Transplants of Three Mangrove Species to Study Local Adaptation and Post-Hurricane Survivorship
Mangroves are critical coastal species that provide numerous ecological and economic benefits, including carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and nursery habitats for fish and wildlife. In Florida, three true mangrove species—Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove), Avicennia germinans (black mangrove), and Laguncularia racemosa (white mangrove)—exhibit distinct zonation patterns along coastal environmental gradients, while Conocarpus erectus (buttonwood) is considered a mangrove associate. Each species possesses specialized adaptations to tolerate variable salinity, inundation, and soil conditions, yet local adaptation allows some individuals to establish outside their typical zones. Climate change and sea-level rise further alter hydrology and soil characteristics, influencing mortality, dieback, and inland migration of coastal species. Hurricanes can cause both immediate physical damage and longer-term shifts in community structure, but few studies have examined mangrove propagule survival and growth while accounting
for maternal genetic effects. To address this gap, we propose a reciprocal transplant experiment in Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park. Propagules from five maternal trees of each species, originating from two designated zones, will be planted across coastal, transition, and inland zones, with maternal identity tracked via unique identification codes and color-coded flags. Sites will be monitored over a 12-month period for propagule survival, growth, and mortality. This study aims to assess local adaptation, quantify the influence of maternal genotype on propagule performance, and provide insight into how environmental gradients and climate-induced changes affect mangrove establishment. Findings may inform predictions of mangrove zonation shifts, inland migration, and guide restoration and conservation strategies in coastal ecosystems subject to both climate change and extreme weather events.
Dr. Peter Stiling,
Dr. Christina Richards, Dr. David Lewis
Patrick Byrd
Analyzing Effects of Hydrologic Variables on Wetland Soil Organic Matter and Carbon
Wetlands play an important role in global carbon (C) cycling as hotspots for both C storage and emissions. However, particularly in headwater systems, it remains unclear how hydrologic variability influences the partitioning between C storage and emissions. To begin to address this uncertainty, our study seeks to (i) quantify C storage along a hydrologic gradient, and (ii) analyze correlations across hydrologic factors, soil grain size, soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil organic matter (SOM). We characterized hydrology and C stocks across nine wetlands that spanned a gradient from hillslope-connected wetlands to floodplain-connected wetlands. To characterize hydrology, we quantified the timing, duration, and magnitude of wetland inundation using continuous water level measurements. To characterize C stocks, we collected 50-cm deep soil cores and analyzed them for SOM content using losson-ignition (LOI), total C and nitrogen (N) content, and SOC and SOM along the depth profile of each soil core. Moving from hillslope-connected wetlands to floodplain-connected wetland gradient, initial results suggest inundation duration decreases but
inundation frequency increases. Across all wetlands, organic matter decreased with depth, and interestingly, highest organic matter content values were observed at wetlands intermediate along the hillslope-connected to floodplain-connected gradient. This study aims to fill gaps in the understanding of variables at play in soil C storage in headwater wetlands and provide important reference for wetland restoration projects.
C. Nathan Jones, Julia A. Cherry, Adam C. Siders, S. Elaine Rice
Linda Cardwell
Getting to the Root of it:
Vegetation Management in P Retention Wetlands
Wetlands are critical ecosystems for reducing the excess nutrient loads that cause downstream eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. To sustain their capacity to remove phosphorus (P), over the long term, however, these systems may require adaptive management. One example of an adaptive management practice involves harvesting and removing vegetation at peak growth, when the maximum amount of P has been assimilated into the plant’s biomass. The physical removal of plant material can act as a direct export mechanism, preventing those nutrients from being released back into the water and soil during decomposition. However, the net effect of vegetation harvest compared to allowing natural vegetation succession is not well defined, especially concerning how each pathway alters the long-term biogeochemical health and P retention of the system. To elucidate this, a spatiotemporal subset of the Defiance P-Optimal R&D Wetland study was leveraged to quantify shifts in the soil and plant biogeochemistry before, during, and after a single peak growing season biomass harvest. Soil sampling and below-ground biomass statistical analysis revealed a significant, but temporary, decline in ecosystem function following the harvest. The year of the harvest was characterized by lower soil moisture, increased bulk density, and a decline in key organic matter parameters; however, these metrics returned nearly to their pre-harvest baseline levels after just one year of recovery. Similarly, while the vegetation immediately following the harvest was impaired, biomass production and its phosphorus content rebounded strongly in the recovery year. These preliminary findings suggest that while harvesting
causes a distinct short-term disturbance, the system exhibits a high degree of resilience, raising critical questions about the long-term trade-offs between nutrient export and the energetic costs of annual recovery.
Shaelynn Kaufman, Derek Schlea, Sydney Bufkin, Jacob Berkowitz, Chad Toussant
Katherine Castrillon
Response Patterns of Trees during the First Decade of the Deering Estate Flow-Way (Cutler Slough Rehydration Project)
The Deering Estate Natural Area (DENA) historically contained a freshwater wetland environment that fed into the Biscayne Bay through the Cutler Creek. This freshwater environment desiccated over time as natural sheet flow became interrupted from fragmentation and urbanization in addition to drainage of the Everglades. As a general means to restore the authentic watershed of south Florida, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands (BBCW) was developed to divert freshwater from canals into select ecosystems that occupy the southeast coast. One of the projects under BBCW that facilitates this aim is the Cutler Slough Rehydration Project (CSRP) which has been utilizing DENA land as a funnel to remediate the Biscayne Bay with freshwater since December 2012. Since the implementation of the CSRP, the upland hardwood hammock and low elevation remnant historical wetland habitats within DENA have been continuously influenced by fluxes of freshwater input which is theorized to affect the health of resident tree species. Previous research from a 2016 study that took place along three transects (A, B, C), which intersected the rehydration watershed, looked into the effect of the CSRP on tree species at different elevations. The study suggested that tree mortality was highest for hardwood hammock species within low elevation regions. Between 2020 and 2021, the three transects were resampled to examine the impact of the rehydration on trees overtime. This study will focus on examining changes to tree species composition and distributions within DENA as there are no objectives currently established for the future forest.
Sawyer Ray Crandall
Remote Sensing-Based Analysis of Cumulative Effects of Wetland Loss Between 2010-2025 in a Rapidly Expanding Urban Area
Section 404 of the US Clean Water Act (CWA) allows a pathway to fill and dredge the Waters of the US under the benefit of a permit. Section 404(b)(1) guidelines for dredge and fill clearly state that this material should not be placed into aquatic ecosystems, unless it can be demonstrated that it will not have an unacceptable adverse impact either individually or in combination with known and/or probable impacts of other activities affecting the ecosystems of concern. We have tools, such as wetland delineation manuals and rapid function assessment guidebooks, to assist practitioners in the permitting process when addressing acceptable adverse impacts on individual wetlands from a potential permitted action. However, we lack tools to help practitioners assess the cumulative adverse impacts of a permitting decision on water quality and the aquatic environment. Here, we will examine the cumulative impacts of wetland loss on the aquatic environment, using the City of Bozeman, Montana, USA, as a case study. Bozeman has nearly doubled in size from about 37K in 2010 to about 60K in 2025. As the city expanded, the land cover shifted from agricultural, forest, and wetland to urban uses. To measure the cumulative impacts of wetland fill and loss within this expanding urban landscape, we used one-meter multispectral imagery to conduct a supervised classification of wetlands within Bozeman’s urban area using the National Wetland Inventory as reference data. The classification was conducted at 3-year intervals from 2010 to 2025 to determine the rate of loss. The Montana Wetland Assessment Method, a state-sanctioned functional assessment method, was upscaled to apply to the total regional wetlands at each study interval to measure the rate of wetland function loss across the study. Finally, this was also paired with an upscaled rapid ecosystem service assessment tool developed by our lab to evaluate the cumulative effects of wetland loss on functions and services over the study period.
Garret Adoretti, Kleindl, William
James Patrick Croniin
Influence of Geomorphic Setting on CH4 and CO2 Stem Gas Fluxes in Florida, USA
Processes driving net changes in organic matter accumulation and carbon fluxes are influenced by geomorphic and sedimentary conditions that differ among and between landscapes, requiring landscapescale studies. While the influence of geomorphology on soil carbon stocks is now well established, its influence is relatively unknown for vertical and lateral carbon flux pathways, particularly fluxes from mangroves stems. Here, we detail an on-going study that aims to identify, understand, and predict changes in critical carbon flux processes along gradients of geomorphology and sedimentary setting, that ultimately affect rates of organic matter accumulation and vertical carbon fluxes. We present preliminary stem CH4 and CO2 fluxes measured on the three main U.S. mangrove species across two landscapes in South Florida: a minerogenic estuarine mangrove and a biogenic (carbonate) lagoonal mangrove. We further relate stem flux to stem height, stem diameter, and soil flux. This ongoing project aims to develop organic matter budgets and evaluate actionable scenarios for land managers and policymakers focused on carbon budgeting across land management strategies.
Lukas Lamb-Wotton, Jaxine Wolfe, Amr Keshta, Ken Krauss, Andrew From, Andre Rovai, Gregg Snedden, Jacob Berkowitz, Sinead Borchert, Eric Plage, Michael Cherkiss, Gabriela Reyes, Daniel Friess
Ankita Datta
Factor Influencing Phosphorus and Carbon Based Economic Valuation in Constructed Wetlands
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are engineered ecosystems that improve water quality by removing excess nutrients and storing organic matter, leading to long-term carbon (C) sequestration (Bhomia et al., 2015). Studies have evaluated P-removal efficiency and its cost (e.g., $/kg P; Sano et al., 2005; Dunne et al., 2015), but the factors that influence P and C accretion, such as size, age, P loading, and vegetation type (emergent vs. submerged), are not well studied. Furthermore, CWs also provide an important C-storage benefits, and the economic value of this stored carbon (e.g., Social Cost of Carbon (SCC)
framework (Rennet et al., 2022)) has not yet been explored. Understanding these two economic criteria improves valuation & strengthens ecosystem service (Moore et al., 2012).
Patrick Inglett
Frank Driscoll
Seasonal Variability of Carbon and Nutrients in Surface Water and Porewater Across Two Hydrologically Distinct Coastal Marshes
Coastal marshes exchange carbon and other nutrients with surrounding waters through tidal pumping, regulating coastal water chemistry, primary production, incorporation into food webs, and acidification. By comparing marsh porewater chemistry with that of the adjacent creek water across seasons and tidal regimes, we can gain important insight into how marshes mediate these exchanges. We compare seasonal measurements of carbon chemistry (DIC, DOC, TA) and nutrient concentrations (NO3 + NO2, NH4, TDN, PO4) in marsh porewater and the surrounding creek water at two proximal Mississippi coastal marsh sites: the riverine-influenced Pascagoula River Coastal Preserve and the tidally dominated Grand Bay National Estuarine Reserve. Our preliminary results indicate that the saltier Grand Bay site tends to have higher DIC and TA than the fresher Pascagoula site, and DIC concentrations were usually higher than TA at both sites. Porewater concentrations of DIC and TA were usually much higher than those in the surface water samples for both marshes. These findings improve our understanding of marsh–estuary connectivity and the role of marshes in regulating carbon and nutrient fluxes in coastal ecosystems.
Songjie He, Vivian Tidd, Kevin Dillon, Wei Wu
Brenna Edwards
Assessing Effects of Wild Pig (Sus scrofa) Disturbance on Wetland Vegetation in South Texas
Wetland ecosystems are among the most productive systems globally and support high levels of biodiversity, but can also serve as ideal hotspots for the establishment and proliferation of non-native species. Invasive ungulates can be particularly destructive to wetland ecosystems by introducing novel disturbances,
thereby increasing invisibility to additional exotic species. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa), a highly invasive omnivore, have expanded their range throughout the entire southeastern U.S., including coastal south Texas. Through physical disturbances like rooting and wallowing, wild pigs pose a major threat to freshwater wetland plant biodiversity and are often credited as the single greatest vertebrate modifier to native plant communities. Although disturbances are found to be greater in permanently and seasonally wet systems, current research regarding the overall impacts of wild pigs in sensitive wetland systems remains inconclusive. The goals of this project are to evaluate the ecological effects of wild pig disturbance on inland freshwater wetlands and to assess how disturbance intensity influences vegetation recovery, diversity, and community composition. In 2026, we established an exclosure experiment in areas mapped in the previous year for disturbance by non-native wild pigs. We hypothesize that wetland vegetation in exclosure plots previously exposed to intense levels of pig disturbance will display delayed rates of recovery compared to unfenced control plots. We also propose that postinvasion exclosure plots with intense disturbance levels will differ in native vegetation community composition compared to unfenced disturbance plots. In January 2026, sixteen 2m x 2m fenced exclosures were erected across ten freshwater wetland sites on Welder Wildlife Refuge in Sinton, Texas. Each exclosure was paired with an unfenced control, totaling 32 exclosure/control pairs. Each wetland site has a remote-triggered camera to monitor wild pig occurrences on a monthly basis and to differentiate activity from that of other local herbivores like white-tailed deer and collared peccaries. Each plot is surveyed monthly for total plant cover, total species richness, percent bare soil cover, and plant species composition. Results will inform strategies for enhancing resilience in disturbed wetlands and contribute to broadening our understanding of invasive species impacts on sensitive wetland vegetation.
Dr. Loretta L. Battaglia
Blake Ellett
Regional Salt Marsh Elevation-Biomass Response Curves in the
Southeastern United States
Coastal salt marsh vegetation productivity and distribution across the southeastern United States are strongly influenced by elevational gradients that are linked to biomass-structuring factors, such as flooding, salinity, and competition. These relationships are important to quantify because they demonstrate how marsh ecosystems respond to multiple factors that can vary regionally and in response to changing environmental conditions. However, quantitative elevation-biomass response relationships for dominant marsh plants remain poorly defined for many coastal ecosystems. To address this uncertainty, we developed species-specific marsh vegetation response curves for Spartina alterniflora across tidal marsh ecosystems along the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern Atlantic coasts. We conducted field surveys across marsh sites in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina spanning gradients in salinity, tidal range, and elevation. At each site, we established 1 m2 plots along transects running perpendicular to the shoreline to capture vegetation zonation patterns across elevation gradients relative to tidal datums. Within each plot, we measured above and below ground plant biomass, stem density, rooting depth, plant percent cover, porewater salinity, and elevation using RTK GPS. Across all sites, the elevation range surveyed was approximately –1.6 to 1.3 m, and there was strong geographic variability in overall plant distributions and peak biomass along elevation gradients. These results suggest that elevational patterns of marsh vegetation biomass and productivity, which are shaped by varying environmental stressors and landscape position, are regionally structured rather than consistent across species and coastal ecosystems broadly. The development of regionally calibrated vegetation response curves will provide critical empirical inputs for coastal resilience modeling and restoration planning under accelerating sea-level rise.
Adam Siders, Julia Cherry
Gary Ervin
On the Need for Belowground Plant Data in Wetland Ecology
Plant ecologists have long lamented the relative absence of belowground data; however, the difficulty in obtaining these data continues to prevent significant progress on this front. As an example of this data paucity, we recently searched the TRY Database (try-db. org) for 14 root traits, with 17 wetland plants species, ranging from obligate to facultative indicator status. This search returned measurements of six traits from two species (Juncus effusus and Paspalum dilatatum), four of those traits coming from only J. effusus. This is despite the TRY database containing more than 15 million data records from more than 300,000 plant species. In this presentation, we will give other examples of trait data search efforts, potential uses of below-ground trait data, and discuss what seem to be some of the more easily measured plant root traits, of those having low availability. The objective is to encourage the wetland community to add to the publicly available data by suggesting methods for data collection and potential uses of these data.
Gray Turnage, Brook Herman, Aviral Neupane, R’riuna Moore
Delany Frank
Using Geospatial Hydrologic Analysis to Inform Dam Removal in the Lowney Creek Watershed, Michigan, USA
Prior to the National Park Service’s acquisition of Lowney Creek Watershed within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, six dams were constructed along the main branch and major tributaries of Lowney Creek to develop a recreational fishing industry. These structures are now being targeted for removal to reconnect ecological communities otherwise isolated by the dams, reduce sediment impoundment, and restore natural stream functions within the Beaver Basin Wilderness Area. This research uses LiDAR data to perform baseline flow accumulation analysis and derive a topographic wetness index to delineate subwatersheds and identify areas potentially prone to water accumulation within the Lowney Creek watershed prior to dam removal and stream restoration activities. Open-source data was retrieved from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory, U.S.
Department of Agriculture Soil Geographic Database, and U.S. Geological Survey National Map Database. This research will provide a basis for predicting how dam removal will affect stream and riparian habitats, and it will provide resource managers with scienceinformed decision-making guidance to support the multi-year restoration project within Lowney Creek Watershed.
Madelynn Williams, Adam T. Naito, Andrew Bishop, Matthew Van Grinsven
Mariusz Galka
Changes of the Vegetation on the Wetlands Ecosystems in Hokkaido (Japan) over the Last Centuries
Human activity and climate warming during recent decades has driven shifts in wetland ecosystems. Insights into long-term plant succession provides important context for intense recent changes in comparison to past hydrological fluctuations affected by climate and volcano activity (tephra deposition), and to which shift wetland plant communities in Japan. Therefore, detailed long-term palaeoecological studies of peatlands are important for understanding the relationships between human pressure, climate, vegetation, and hydrology, and the response of peatland vegetation. That is important especially for moss populations as the main peat forming vegetation on many peatlands. To assess the impact of concomitant hydroclimatic fluctuations, mineral deposition (volcanic ash), human activity (drainage) and autogenous succession on the rate and direction of changing plant communities in eastern Hokkaido, we conducted detailed palaeobotanical analyses (plant macrofossil) and radiocarbon dating on 19 replicate peat monoliths (up to 53 cm thick) from a five peatlands developed on Nemuro Peninsula (eastern Hokkaido, Japan). We observed: i) expansion of Sphagnum species, mainly minerothrophic such as: Sphagnum warnstorfii and S. papillosum, that replaced vascular plants (mainly Carex ssp.), that were peat-forming species in the past; ii) development of fast growing hummocks developed by Sphagnum papillosum and Sphagnum fuscum, that most likely has been affected by drop of water level after drainage of peatland; iii) an impact of tephra deposition on local plant populations, mainly mosses.
Arata Momohara
Mercedes
González Camaño
Factors Affecting Soil Carbon Variability in Coastal Wetlands in Semi-Arid Chile
Coastal wetlands (CWS) are carbon sinks and capture large amounts of atmospheric CO2, and the effects of important biotic and abiotic factors on COS storage are still unclear in the semiarid CWS of Chile. This study evaluated the influence of vegetation, soil conditions, and local meteorology on surface soil CO reserves in three CWS and estimated the carbon reserve in marshes covered by the dominant species Sarcocornia neei. The COS stored in the top 30 cm of soil was determined over two seasons through chemical analysis, above-ground biomass (S. neei), and soil properties. In addition, total soil CO reserves were estimated using aerial imagery, and the effect of environmental factors on COS storage was evaluated using multiple linear regression. A spatial-temporal difference was observed in the COS storage of the HCs, with Limarí storing the largest amount of CO (74.09 ± 27.28 Mg CO ha-1) followed by Huentelauquén and La Boca (58.33±18.83 and 53.77 ± 19.23 Mg CO ha-1), with La Boca accumulating more CO during the warm season (65.53 ± 2.19 Mg CO ha-1). Multiple linear regression revealed that organic matter, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate, and sand content were key factors in COS storage. Total CO reserves in soils (blue carbon) covered with S. neei in La Boca, Limarí, and Huentelauquén were estimated at 117.22, 294.14, and 134.15 Mg CO, respectively. Our study provides highly relevant information on current CO reserves and the factors that influence their storage, while contributing to our understanding of the potential of Chile's semiarid HCs in mitigating climate change.
Annika Gorman
Microbial Community Composition of Marine Turtle Exterior Microbiomes: A Comparative Study Across Species and Geographic Regions
Marine turtles are found across oceans worldwide and are important keystone species for marine ecosystems. These highly migratory species provide many essential benefits to seagrass beds, coral reefs and dune environments, including transport of nutrients across vast distances, and thus, connection between the ocean and coastal ecosystems. As sea turtles move, they tend
to accumulate diverse communities of micro- and macro-epibionts on their skin and carapace because of the large surface area and unique microhabitats. Microbial taxa and overall community composition may be indicators of the turtle's health and the health of the marine environment in which they have travelled. This research project aims to characterize and compare the microbial communities present on the skin and carapace of sea turtles admitted to participating rehabilitation facilities across the country. This non-invasive sampling will be done on patients admitted between spring and summer 2026 during the standardized intake procedure. Using the DNA/RNA Shield Collection Tube with Swab (2 ml), two sterile swabs will be rubbed across designated areas of the carapace and skin for consistency. These swabs will be analyzed using DNA sequencing techniques to identify and profile microbial taxa as operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The two regions targeted are the 16S rRNA gene, used to identify bacteria, and the 18S rRNA gene, used to identify eukaryotic microbes such as fungi and protists. Sequencing will be carried out using an Illumina NextSeq, and resulting sequences will be grouped and compared to known databases to determine the types and diversity of microbes present. Microbial community composition will be compared across turtle species, geographic region, and fibropapillomatosis (FP) status. If sampling permits, bacterial communities from turtles with visible FP will be compared to those without to evaluate potential microbial indicators of disease. Multivariate statistical analyses will be conducted to test for differences in the composition among groups. Results are expected to reveal distinct microbial community differences across turtle species, geographic region, and disease status. By examining variation in turtle-associated microbiomes across health conditions and environments, this study will improve understanding of host–microbe relationships in marine turtles and explore the potential of microbial communities as indicators of turtle health.
Loretta
Battaglia, Candice Lumibao, Pamela Weisenhorn, Stephanie Moormann Greenwald
Macey Greco
Addressing Problematic Facultative Upland Species
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has regulatory authority over jurisdictional waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) and uses a three-factor approach for wetland delineation: hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology. Plant species are assigned an indicator status of Obligate (OBL), Facultative Wetland (FACW), Facultative (FAC), Facultative Upland (FACU), or Upland (UPL), based on their likelihood of occurrence in wetlands. Wetland plant communities dominated by facultative upland species present a significant challenge for wetland delineations when hydrophytic vegetation indicators are not present, leading to enhanced documentation, literature reviews, and data collection to procedurally classify as problematic. This situation is exacerbated by varying guidance across the Regional Supplements to the 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual, creating uncertainty for government agencies and the public. The objective of this work was to develop a repeatable framework to resolve the limitations of current procedures by creating comprehensive technical documentation for known problematic species across various regions.
To achieve this, a workshop was convened bringing together the chairpersons of the Regional Plant Panels from all ten USACE wetland regions to leverage their collective experience and expert opinions to identify FACU plant species that pose challenges during wetland delineations. We then conducted a systematic review using herbarium records, vegetation plots, and peerreviewed literature to build an evidence-based portfolio of their occurrence in wetlands. Additionally, the National Vegetation Classification System was queried to identify formally described wetland ecosystems where these facultative upland species are known diagnostic components. Plot-based observations were categorized as either dominant or nondominant within the plot, while herbarium specimen records identify and confirm wetland localities.
The final species profiles contain the official wetland indicator status for wetland regions where it occurs, a general description of the species' characteristics, and a more detailed account of known wetland habitats. The resulting profile for each species provides the basis for
development of problematic species lists and consistent application of existing guidance for all ten wetland regions, improving the accuracy and consistency of wetland determinations nationwide.
Kevin Philley, Nicole Wuerslin
Eva Hillmann
Integrating Remote Sensing and Vegetation Surveys to Classify Wetland Habitats in the Maurepas Wetlands, Louisiana
We are developing a wetland habitat classification and monitoring framework for the upper coastal zone of the Pontchartrain Basin (LA) by integrating satellitebased vegetation indices with ground-based vegetation surveys. The study area encompasses the Lake Maurepas wetlands, a large forested wetland system that has experienced hydrologic alteration, logging, subsidence, and saltwater intrusion, contributing to habitat degradation and shifts in vegetation. Landsatderived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to evaluate vegetation condition and classify habitats across the area. Remote sensing outputs were paired with field observations from twenty-seven Coastwide Reference Monitoring System sites representing seasonally, semi-permanently, and permanently flooded hydrologic regimes. Habitat types were identified from NDVI-derived vegetation patterns and categorized as closed canopy swamp, open canopy swamp, shrub-scrub, marsh, and fragmented marsh. Across the area, closed canopy swamp comprised ~ 6,843 acres, open canopy swamp 6,473 acres, shrub-scrub 2,642 acres, marsh 3,051 acres, and fragmented marsh 1,415 acres. Analysis of a twelveyear Landsat time series revealed basin-wide decline in NDVI across all hydrologic regimes, indicating declining vegetation condition and increasing habitat fragmentation. Vegetation composition and habitat types were generally consistent among hydrologic regimes, though several sites along the Maurepas Landbridge exhibited patterns associated with advanced swamp degradation and transition to marsh. To refine habitat classification and interpretation of remotely sensed vegetation patterns, field vegetation surveys will be conducted across one hundred plots throughout the Maurepas wetlands using the Relevé (modified BraunBlanquet) method to standardize comparisons across forested, shrub-scrub, and emergent communities.
Vegetation data will be analyzed using cluster analysis and cross-referenced with the U.S. National Vegetation Classification to assign standardized plant community types within habitat designations. These classifications will calibrate and update the remote sensing model and habitat outputs, strengthening links between field observations and landscape-scale mapping. Together, this framework provides a scalable approach for identifying vegetation transitions, quantifying habitat degradation, and improving long-term monitoring and restoration planning for the Lake Maurepas wetlands.
Jody Shugart, Eva R. Hillmann
Emma Jacobs
Abiotic and Biotic Determinants of Function in Fungal Endophytes Isolated from Gulf Coast Marshes along a Salinity Stress Gradient
Understanding how environmental gradients and biotic interactions influence mutualisms is critical for predicting community responses to climate change and advising restoration practices. Endophytic fungi benefit marsh plants by providing stress amelioration, nutrient mineralization, and growth promotion; however, it is poorly understood what shapes these mutualists functions across different abiotic and biotic contexts. This study investigates the relative impact of taxonomic relatedness, site (freshwater, brackish, saltwater), and host plant identity (Spartina patens, Spartina alterniflora, Phragmites australis, and Juncus roemerianus) on four functional traits of endophytic fungi: growth rate, salinity preference, phosphate solubilization, and pathogen inhibition. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, fungal endophytes were isolated from a freshwater marsh, brackish marsh, and saltmarsh in SE Louisiana. Five individuals of 3-4 dominant plant species were collected at each site and endophytes were cultured, isolated, and sequenced to assign taxonomy (using TBAS). Culture-based assays were used to determine functional traits in vitro: growth rate (speed of growth on an agar plate), salinity preference (growth on plates amended with 0, 8, 16, and 35 ppt salinity), phosphate solubilization (ability to solubilize insoluble tricalcium phosphate), and pathogen inhibition (degree of inhibition of Fusarium palustre growth on a plate). Taxonomic relatedness was the best predictor for growth rate. There was no significant difference in the salinity preferences of
endophytes based on fungal taxonomic relatedness, site, and host plant identity; however, taxa with a preference for low salinity tended to be from the low salinity site, but there was a surprising amount of variability. The best predictor for phosphate solubilization was site, with fungi from the freshwater site exhibiting lower phosphate solubilization ability than those from the brackish or saltmarsh sites. Pathogen inhibition was not significantly affected by any variable. Overall, the results suggest endophyte function has multiple predictors, and, in particular, site and taxonomic relatedness were more important than host plant. Furthermore, a better understanding of determinants of fungal functional traits (such as site-specific determinants in phosphate solubilization capabilities) will help to select fungal taxa for use in restoration to promote plant survival and diversity in restored wetlands.
McKenzie Smith, Kacey Lange, Nelle Kulick, Susannah Halbrook, Christina Birnbaum, Emily Farrer
Jake Jung
Incorporating Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act for the Conservation of Pondberry in the Yazoo Backwater Area of Mississippi
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service are finalizing a Conservation Plan for the endangered plant pondberry (Lindera melissifolia) under Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act within the Yazoo Backwater Area (YBA) of Mississippi. The plan stems from a comprehensive process review and field studies of pondberry habitat (e.g., groundwater wells, wildlife cameras) and populations (surveys) to re-evaluate pondberry's status within the YBA.
Extensive field surveys from 2020 to 2023 updated and compared current populations against historical records from the past two and a half decades, revealing a significant decline in pondberry within the Delta National Forest (DNF), with approximately 60% of historically monitored colonies now considered
potentially extirpated. Deep and prolonged flooding events of 2019 and 2020, likely accelerated these extirpations; however, subsequent monitoring showed that colonies at higher elevations are beginning to recover, while the discovery of over 50 previously undocumented colonies suggests that the species may be more widely distributed than previously known in the DNF. Data from groundwater wells also identified crucial environmental factors highlighting the role of local precipitation in maintaining colony hydrology over infrequent backwater flooding. Furthermore, the expansion of competitor species like dwarf palmetto and significant ground disturbance from feral hogs were identified as potential emerging threats to pondberry persistence and growth within the DNF.
To address these findings, the plan proposes a proactive conservation and adaptive management strategy for pondberry. Key actions include establishing a long-term monitoring program, conducting targeted research on hydrology and interspecies competition, implementing experimental management actions such as canopy thinning and competitor removal, and investigating the impacts of feral hogs. These measures are designed to stabilize and improve the population baseline for pondberry in the region and inform conservation of the species throughout its range.
Scott Wiggers
Sung H Kim
Warming Enhances Sulfate-Reducing Microbial Abundance and Alters Methane Dynamics Across Soil Depth in Tidal Wetlands
Climate warming is expected to accelerate microbial metabolism in coastal wetlands, potentially altering organic matter decomposition and terminal electron–accepting processes that regulate methane and sulfur cycling. However, how warming influences microbial functional groups across sediment depth in tidally influenced wetlands remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of experimental warming on microbial abundance and community structure in tidal wetland soils. Soil samples were collected from control, +3 °C, and +6 °C warming treatments across four depth intervals (0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–30 cm). Quantitative PCR was used to quantify fungi, archaea, methanogens, methanotrophs, and sulfate-reducing bacteria (dsrAB), together with microbial community composition.
Microbial abundance increased consistently under warming treatments. In particular, sulfate-reducing bacteria showed the strongest response, with significantly higher dsrAB gene abundance in the +6 °C warming plots across all soil depths. These patterns suggest that warming enhances sulfate reduction potential in wetland sediments. Because sulfate reducers can outcompete methanogens for shared substrates, warming may shift methane production pathways and generate spatial heterogeneity in methane dynamics depending on sulfate availability and tidal inundation frequency. Consistent with this mechanism, warming effects appeared to interact with tidal redox conditions. In contrast, microbial diversity showed little response to warming. Together, our results indicate that warming preferentially stimulates sulfate-reducing microbial populations in tidal wetland soils, potentially reshaping the balance between sulfur and methane cycling under future climate warming.
Patrick Megonigal, Genevieve Noyce, Yeonjoo Kim, Hojeong Kang
Sung H Kim
Invasive Plants Restructure Soil Microbial Communities and Alter Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Coastal
Salt Marshes
Plant invasions can fundamentally alter nutrient cycling and microbial processes in coastal wetlands, with important implications for ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas dynamics. Because soil microorganisms mediate key biogeochemical transformations, invasion-driven shifts in microbial community composition and function can modify ecosystem carbon and nitrogen cycling. We investigated how invasion by Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora influences soil microbial activity, functional gene abundance, and associated biogeochemical processes in salt marsh ecosystems in USA and China. Microbial enzyme activities were measured across five soil depths, and microbial functional genes (bacteria, archaea, and methanogens) were quantified in surface soils (0–15 cm). In Phragmites-invaded marshes, labile carbon decomposition declined, as indicated by reduced β-glucosidase activity, likely driven by the high lignin content of Phragmites litter. This shift was accompanied by increased methanogen abundance in deeper soils and a community transition toward hydrogenotrophic methanogens, suggesting enhanced methane production potential. Denitrifier abundance and N2O reduction potential were higher in native Spartina soils, indicating reduced denitrification capacity following invasion. In contrast, Spartina alterniflora invasion along the east coast of China significantly increased cellulolytic enzyme activities, microbial functional gene abundance, dissolved organic carbon, and total carbon, with effects strengthening with invasion time. Together, these results demonstrate that invasive plants restructure soil microbial communities and decouple carbon and nitrogen cycling, enhancing carbon accumulation and methane production while reducing nitrogen removal in coastal wetlands.
Patrick Megonigal, Junji Yuan, WeixinDing, Yeonjoo Kim, Hojeong Kang
Katarzyna Kuczyńska
Unexpected Hotspots: The Role of Drainage Ditches in Aquatic Beetle Diversity
Most studies of peatland invertebrates focus on terrestrial and semi-aquatic species, while organisms permanently inhabiting peatland waters remain less studied. Among aquatic invertebrates, water beetles are particularly diverse and may serve as useful indicators of habitat quality and environmental change in peatland ecosystems. However, the relationship between beetle community composition and the degree of peatland transformation is still not fully understood.
This study focused on aquatic beetles inhabiting drainage ditches within the “Wielkie Bagno” peatland complex in northern Poland, partly located within the Słowiński National Park. Fieldwork was conducted in three seasons in 2025 (spring, summer, and autumn) at seven sampling sites. Beetles were collected using a hydrobiological net from a standardized area of 1 m² at each site. Samples were sorted in the field and laboratory, and specimens were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Selected physicochemical parameters of water were measured when hydrological conditions allowed.
A total of 299 beetle individuals were recorded. Species richness was highest in spring (18 species) and slightly lower in summer and autumn. Diversity indices showed that spring communities were the most balanced, whereas autumn assemblages were more strongly dominated by a few species. Throughout the season, beetle communities were dominated by species of the genus Hydroporus, although the dominant species changed seasonally. The most abundant taxa included Hydroporus angustatus, Hydroporus melanocephalus and Hydrovatus cuspidatus
These results indicate that drainage ditches within peatlands can support diverse aquatic beetle communities and function as important secondary habitats within peatland landscapes. Maintaining habitat heterogeneity and stable hydrological conditions may therefore be crucial for preserving aquatic beetle diversity in degraded peatland ecosystems.
Dr Tomasz Krepski,
Institute of Biology, Univ. of Szczecin
Emily Letner
Benthic Invertebrate Assemblages in Live Versus Dead Mangrove Stands
South Texas coastal ecosystems are experiencing tropicalization due to global warming, and climate change is influencing weather patterns as well. This region experiences sporadic but intense winter weather with freezing temperatures and icy precipitation. In 2021. Winter Storm Uri lasted five days and brought ice and snow to most of the state, including coastal areas. Port Aransas, Texas reached a low of -8°C during the event. The freeze-intolerant black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) experienced extensive top-kill when temperatures dropped below their minimum threshold of -3.8°C. Some stands recovered but many did not, leaving ghost forests behind. The standing dead trees and associated sediments are susceptible to erosion with the tides. This loss of habitat likely has a significant impact on the organisms that use the black mangroves, including many benthic invertebrate species that rely on this ecosystem for detritus as a food source. Because benthic invertebrates have very limited mobility and are therefore susceptible to environmental change, this group could be a key indicator of climate change. This study examines benthic invertebrate assemblages and a range of environmental variables in live mangrove stands versus ghost. Data will be collected during two synoptic sampling events that will take place during ecologically low and high stress times. Along Redfish Bay Causeway and at Estes Island in Port Aransas, Texas there are black mangrove stands that were impacted by Winter Storm Uri. At each site, three living and three dead stands will be identified. Ten invertebrate cores will be taken at random points, sieved, and preserved for identification. Two sediment cores will also be collected to measure soil organic carbon and texture. Soil temperature, light availability and porewater salinity will also be measured at each site adjacent to the sediment cores. Data will be analyzed using multivariate statistical analyses (NMDS, PERMANOVA, and Indicator Species Analysis). Diversity (Shannon-Wiener) will also be compared between live versus dead stands. We expect to see a richer community and greater abundance within live mangrove stands due to more stable soil temperatures, higher abundance of organic carbon and a higher
percentage of silt and clay as these materials retain organic matter compared to sandy soils. Understanding how benthic invertebrate communities shift with changing environments will inform post-disturbance management decisions.
Dr. Loretta Battaglia
Nicholas Lonergan
Assessing the Biogeochemical Controls of Thin-Layer Placement of Dredge Sediment on Water Quality in Migratory Black Mangrove Wetlands
Globally, coastal wetlands are experiencing significant erosion due to increasing sea level rise. Coincident with this change, coastal wetlands in northern subtropical/southern temperate regions are experiencing ecological change driven by warming, leading to mangrove expansion poleward. Thin-layer placement (TLP) of dredged sediment is a restoration tool used to increase wetland elevation and resilience to erosion in Spartina-dominated coastal marshes. However, almost no research has investigated the impact of sediment addition on water quality function in migratory black mangrove wetlands. This study compared soil properties and nutrient cycling responses in mangrove (Avicennia germinans–dominated) and Spartina spp.–dominated marsh soils following sediment additions. Before addition, Black Mangrove soils exhibited significantly higher organic matter, microbial biomass N, dissolved organic carbon, and total C and N than adjacent Spartina-dominated marsh soils. In contrast, Spartina marsh soils demonstrated higher bulk density and subsurface total phosphorus. Despite these baseline soil physiochemical characteristic differences, both wetland soils responded similarly to sediment addition. Denitrification rates under aerobic and anaerobic water column incubations were highest in controls and declined with sediment-addition treatment. In contrast, phosphorus and ammonium fluxes decreased sharply following sediment addition in both vegetation types. These findings indicate that TLP exerts immediate and comparable suppression of N and P efflux from both black mangrove and marsh soils. While black mangrove soils may possess greater inherent microbial capacity due to higher carbon availability, short-term biogeochemical responses to sediment addition appear functionally similar. This work provides one of the
first evaluations of TLP effects in gulf coast emerging black mangrove systems and highlights that sedimentbased restoration can confer rapid water-quality benefits across mixed marsh–mangrove landscapes.
John R. White, Jacob F. Berkowitz
Collin Lyle
How Does Treated Wastewater Impact Aquatic Invertebrates in Temporary Desert Wetlands?
Temporary wetland ecosystems in the Southwest USA are diminishing due to rising temperatures and lower amounts of precipitation for seasonal inundation. Using alternative water sources, such as municipal treated wastewater (TWW), could supplement dwindling wetlands or help re-establish dry ones. Using taxa emerging from wetland sediments, we conducted an ecological assay to observe how aquatic invertebrate communities respond to varying concentrations of TWW. We hypothesized that treatments exposed to higher concentrations of TWW will show lower taxonomic diversity and, for rotifers, higher rates of sexual reproduction (mixis). We rehydrated 4 g of sediment and 300 ml of sterile artificial freshwater medium (MBL) and/or TWW at varying concentrations. Treatments were: 100% MBL, 75% MBL - 25% -TWW, 50% MBL - 50% TWW, 75% TWW- 25% MBL, and 100% TWW. Replicates (n=5) were incubated at 38.5°C, 14-hr light and 24°C, 12-hr dark and observed under a microscope every 24 hr to determine invertebrate diversity. All rotifer stem females collected from treatments were isolated and cultured individually to start populations for reproductive observation. Neonates were monitored every 24 hr, and the number of asexual, sexual eggs, and males was recorded. Preliminary results indicate that in total 15 taxa, including 5 rotifer genera, emerged from rehydrated wetland sediments. Highest diversity was found in the 75% MBL - 25% -TWW treatment while the lowest diversity was found in the 50% MBL - 50% TWW treatment. Ostracods were found in all treatments in high numbers while the rotifer Cephalodella emerged early in treatments with no or low TWW concentrations only. Our results will inform how microinvertebrates of wetland ecosystems respond to changes in water quality under high temperatures,
both of which are known stressors in restored wetlands in the desert southwest.
Dr. Elizabeth Walsh
Hallie Marshall
Managed for People, Measured for Nature: A Wetland Assessment Procedure for Adaptive Management of Wellfield
Wetlands
While Florida appears to have an endless supply of water, its management has historically been contentious. Access to groundwater, a vital resource that supplies roughly 90% of the state’s potable drinking water, has been the subject of decades of conflict. Aquifer drawdown associated with wellfield production and other abiotic factors such as drought has adversely affected wetlands and other water resources, prompting regulatory oversight and management actions. In response to the continuing degradation of water resources within Tampa Bay, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and Tampa Bay Water (TBW), the region’s wholesale water supplier, created a strategic management approach to ensure the needs of legal users are met while recovering the integrity and functionality of water resources. Under a Consolidated Water Use Permit, the SWFWMD entrusted TBW with oversight and management of 13 regional wellfields with the stipulation of continuous data collection and reporting requirements. To meet biological monitoring requirements, the Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP) was developed to quantify wetland function and health in response to natural stressors as well as anthropogenic disturbance. This District recognized method has since been applied to more than 360 isolated wetlands within Tampa Bay Water’s service area for a continuous period of 20 years. Using annual WAP data from 2005-2025, we evaluate long-term trends in wetland health in a rapidly urbanizing region at 19 wetlands within the Morris Bridge Wellfield in Thonotosassa, Florida. We highlight the application of the WAP method for informing adaptive management of wellfield production to balance the needs of healthy ecosystems and an increasing water supply demand.
Francisco J. Faria, PWS, Michael T. Pshar, PWS
Mahpara Mashiyat
Microbial
Community Responses to
Acute Saltwater Intrusion and
Implications
for Methane Cycling in Freshwater Wetlands
Acute saltwater intrusion (SWI) can alter the biogeochemical conditions of coastal freshwater wetlands by introducing saltwater, affecting soil redox conditions and microbial processes. Understanding whether SWI drives shifts in soil microbial communities is important for explaining potential changes in carbon dioxide and methane cycling. We investigated microbial community responses to experimental SWI in mineral soil wetlands at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Experimental Farm. Soil cores were collected from ecosites dominated by two vegetation species dominant in freshwater wetlands in coastal Louisiana, Typha domingensis and Panicum hemitomon. The cores were collected at surface (0–5 cm) and deep (20–25 cm) depths before and after ~5 ppt SWI events of two durations (3-day and 17-day). Microbial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing across 192 samples. Alpha diversity metrics showed limited response to SWI, with richness, evenness, and Shannon diversity primarily structured by depth and vegetation rather than the length of SWI intrusion. In contrast, beta diversity analyses revealed subtle but significant shifts in community composition following SWI (p = 0.004), although the disturbance explained a small proportion of total variation (R2 = 0.013). Depth remained the dominant driver of community structure (~8.5% of variation), while vegetation type explained additional variation (~1.7%). Also, SWI reduces the correlation between methanogens and methane in the short term, while longer exposure shifts methane dynamics by weakening redox associations and strengthening links with salinity. Notably, the anaerobic bacterial phylum Firmicutes increased consistently following SWI across both plant ecosites. Together, these results suggest that while microbial diversity remains relatively stable, acute saltwater intrusion reorganizes microbial functional relationships and methane cycling processes within wetland soils.
Jorge Villa, Diana Taj, Sophie Jurgensen, Madeline Moore, Kelly Wrighton
Camille Mench
Biogeochemical Impact of Non-Plastic Coastal Restoration Materials
Coastal wetland restoration projects often include nature-based shoreline protection, such as the placement of oyster shell bags to act as wave-breaks, reduce erosion, and facilitate oyster recruitment and growth. Historically, inexpensive and durable polyethylene (PE) mesh bags were widely used as shell bags, but the potential release of microplastics has become a concern for the environment and public health. This research investigated the impact of three alternative materials (basalt fiber mesh bags, BESE biopolymer mesh bags, cement-infused jute rings) and traditional PE plastic mesh bags on sediment biogeochemical properties over a one-year period in St. Charles Bay, TX and Mosquito Lagoon, FL. Every six months material mass loss, total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content was analyzed for the deployed materials and surrounding sediment. Current analysis of in-field (Texas) sediment samples 6 months post-restoration revealed an increase in total nitrogen around BESE mesh materials. The field study was complemented by a laboratory incubation to quantify the release of nutrients from each material into surrounding surface water. Preliminary results indicate basalt fiber, BESE biopolymer, and cementinfused jute all released dissolved organic carbon into the surrounding water, while cement-infused jute can release dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Findings will help inform restoration practitioners of the best non-plastic materials to use for coastal shoreline protection.
Cadie Barnes, Lisa G. Chambers
Beth Middleton
Typhoons and the Regeneration of Forest Vegetation in Guam, Northern Mariana Islands
Typhoon Mawar (25 May 2023) caused widespread structural damage across Guam’s forests, from coastal mangroves to upland ridge-top Acacia stands. In disturbance-prone island systems where tropical cyclones and human-caused wildfires are recurrent, quantifying aboveground biomass (AGB) is essential for evaluating ecosystem resilience and recovery trajectories. We quantified AGB across major forest types in Guam in 2024-25, including mangrove (dominated by Avicennia and Rhizophora), freshwater forest, secondary Leucaena–Acacia stands, Vitexdominated systems, and savanna grasslands. Biomass ranged from 46 to 674 Mg ha-1, reflecting substantial structural variability across vegetation types. PostMawar regeneration was rapid in canopy gaps, with early successional species expanding into stormcreated openings, while mangrove and freshwater forests exhibited species-specific recovery patterns. By comparing live and dead biomass pools across forest types, we provide a baseline for evaluating post-disturbance recovery and information to support management and watershed restoration decisions, with a focus on soil conservation measures. These fieldbased estimates fill a critical data gap for the Northern Mariana Islands, where robust biomass measurements remain limited. Our results support management decisions that support watershed protection, erosion mitigation and nature-based resiliency in a region experiencing intensifying environmental hazards.
Kevin J. Buffington, Ken W. Krauss, Sheeka A. Tareyama, Angelica C. Perez, Karen M. Thorne
Lidia Molina Serpas
Nitrogen Mineralization Patterns Vary Across Terrestrial-Aquatic Interfaces in Freshwater
Wetlands
Freshwater wetlands serve as important control points for organic matter and nitrogen (N) processing in forested headwater ecosystems. Mineralization is a crucial process for N processing in wetlands as it increases sources of reactive N through the transformation of organic N into bioavailable inorganic forms. Inundation regimes, or the patterns of soil wetting and drying, impact N mineralization in wetlands by influencing soil moisture and redox conditions that regulate organic matter decomposition and nutrient availability. However, it is unclear how changes in inundation regimes alter patterns in N mineralization processes across terrestrial-aquatic interfaces (uplandwetland gradients) in forested freshwater headwater wetlands. To address this uncertainty, we quantified spatial and temporal patterns of N mineralization rates across three wetlands that range from subsurface to surface water connected systems (i.e., hillslope, riparian, and floodplain-connected wetlands). We measured in situ net nitrification, ammonification, and total N mineralization rates along terrestrial-aquatic interfaces using modified ion-exchange resin cores. Water level, solute availability, soil moisture, and soil organic matter measurements were taken across terrestrial-aquatic gradients to quantify hydrologic processes and identify potential impacts of respective environmental factors on N mineralization rates. We found that net ammonification and mineralization rates are higher during the dry season in terrestrial soils with variable soil moisture change and surface inorganic N loading. Net nitrification rates were constant across temporal scales with greater variation at the wetland scale. Subsurface-connected wetlands had greater net nitrification rates in response to declining bulk soil moisture conditions and increasing inorganic N loading. Surface-connected wetlands were characterized by variable soil moisture conditions and inorganic N loading which promoted higher ammonification and N mineralization rates. Our preliminary results suggest that increasing variability in soil moisture conditions and surface inorganic N loading promotes greater ammonification contributions to N mineralization, suggesting reactive N retention.
C. Nathan Jones, S. Elaine Rice, Jasmine Morejon, Corianne Tatariw, Ashleigh Kirker, Behzad Mortazavi
John Moran
Effects of Blue Crab Predator Size and Sex on the Consumption of Ribbed Mussel Prey
Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) play an important role in estuary food webs and represent both a commercial and artisanal fishery across the northeast. In most states, collecting egg-bearing (i.e., sponge) female crabs and individuals with a carapace width (CW) < 5 inches is illegal, leading to uneven harvesting of blue crab populations. This artificial pressure has been linked to declines in blue crab mean body size and shifts in the sex ratios of blue crab populations, including evidence of sperm limitation due to overexploitation of largebodied male crabs. Given the critical role that blue crabs play as predators in coastal ecosystem food webs, harvesting-mediated declines in blue crab abundance and shifts in blue crab population demographics (i.e., fewer large-bodied males) may have important consequences for the biological structure and ecosystem functions of estuarine habitats. To start understanding the downstream effects of harvesting-mediated changes on blue crab population demographics (i.e., sex and size), we sought to assess how blue crab size [i.e., legal (> 5 inch CW) vs. illegal (< 5 inch CW)] and sex (i.e., male vs. female) affect feeding rates on a common prey resource, the ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa). Specifically, we are conducting a fully-factorial study in outdoor flow-through seawater tanks, manipulating blue crab sex (i.e., male vs. female) and crab size (i.e., legal vs. illegal) to assess the differences in feeding rates on ambient densities of ribbed mussels. At the conclusion of the study, we will conduct a 2-way ANOVA to compare the effects of blue crab sex and size on blue crab feeding rates on ribbed mussels. We hypothesize that large-bodied female crabs will have the highest total feeding rate on the ribbed mussels. This hypothesis is due to the size advantage in cracking large shelled ribbed mussels as well as their familiarity with ribbed mussels as a food source. Compared to male crabs, females tend to use higher salinity habitats where ribbed mussels live more often. If the experimental groups are shown to be significantly different from each other, it would indicate that fishing practices that selectively
remove large male crabs from the population have potential downstream consumptive effects on the marsh ecosystem. These potential downstream effects could include reduced marsh edge stability and lower rates of sediment accretion due to lower ribbed mussel density from increased consumption by blue crabs.
Maja Nielsen, Shelby Rinehart
Andrew Nelson
Ecosystem Impacts of Vegetation Dieback in the Birdsfoot Delta, Louisiana
Vegetation dieback, characterized by large areas of dead plants during the growing season, can have prolonged consequences on ecosystem functions. In coastal wetlands, vegetation plays an important role in maintaining a surface elevation above sea-level by trapping sediment and contributing soil organic matter. A recent vegetation dieback in the lower Mississippi River Delta affected large stands of marsh vegetation dominated by Phragmites australis was attributed to a combination of chronic flood stress and a severe drought, which allowed salt water intrusion and likely caused sulfide toxicity. P. australis has persisted in some dieback areas but has been replaced by other species or open water in others. Using long-term monitoring data and field measurements collected 8 years after the die-off at sites with vegetation that stayed healthy during the dieback and sites that experienced the dieback, we assessed impacts on marsh structure and elevation dynamics. Total vegetation cover did not differ between pre- and post-dieback periods, but P. australis declined significantly. Elevation change rates were similar across periods, although accretion and subsidence were higher before dieback, with subsidence offsetting 94% of accretion, indicating strong compaction. Bulk density decreased after dieback due to reduced mineral density, suggesting that loss of P. australis, an effective sediment trapper, reduced mineral sediment deposition. However, field measurements showed no differences in elevation, vegetation cover, or soil properties between presumed healthy and known dieback stands, indicating the potential for ecosystem conditions to converge across the landscape following dieback.
T. Elsey-Quirk, JA Nyman, J. White
Maja Nielsen
Blue Crabs’ Cascading Impacts on Salt Marsh Multifunctionality
Predator communities in salt marshes are being affected by multiple anthropogenic effects (e.g., harvesting), leading to declines in their abundance and changes to their population demographics. In the case of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), fishing regulations limit harvesting to primarily large-bodied male crabs, which has been linked to shifts in blue crab population's sex ratio and relative body size. Changes in the relative abundance of blue crab predator traits, including sex and size, may impact the ‘top-down’ effects of blue crabs on salt marshes by altering the behavior of prey species, such as the ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa), with cascading impacts to ecosystem multifunctionality (e.g. primary productivity, sediment accretion, and carbon sequestration). Here, we aim to (1) evaluate the relative importance of blue crab functional traits (i.e., size, sex) on ribbed mussel behavior, physiology, and morphological defenses and (2) assess how blue crab functional traits influence their cascading effects on ecosystem multifunctionality. We hypothesize that blue crab size will have a greater effect on ribbed mussel defensive phenotypes (i.e., behavior, physiology, morphology) than crab sex. Furthermore, large-bodied male and female crabs will have stronger cascading effects than small-bodied blue crabs, with changes in ribbed mussel behavior (i.e., filter feeding), physiology (body and byproduct stoichiometry), and morphology (growth and byssal thread strength) increasing C and N sequestration, plant productivity, and sediment accretion and stability. We test these hypotheses using a combination of observational field surveys and mechanistic laboratory mesocosm experiments. Using mixed effect models, we quantify the effects of blue crab functional traits on ribbed mussel and ecosystem response. Efforts to counter tidal marsh loss have largely focused on mitigating ‘bottom-up’ factors, such as nutrient enrichment. Our work aims to highlight that overlooked ‘top-down’ factors may be especially important for preserving salt marsh ecosystems and their functions.
John Moran, Shelby Rinehart
Thomas O'Halloran
Potential Energy Balance Implications of Cropland to Wetland Transitions
Wetland restoration across intensively managed agricultural regions of the Midwestern United States is intended to recover ecosystem services such as water storage, nutrient retention, habitat, and carbon benefits. However, the climatic effects of restoring croplands to wetlands are not completely understood. Previous work has focused largely on soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas exchange. Here, we focus on the surface energy balance, which influences both the quantity and quality of energy returned to the atmosphere after interacting with vegetation, wet soils, and surface water.
We present a synthesis of AmeriFlux eddy covariance observations from wetland, cropland, and open water sites in the Midwestern US to identify differential controls on energy processing. Consistent with past work, we find that wetlands differ systematically from croplands in several aspects of normalized biophysics. Relative to croplands, wetlands generally exhibit a lower Bowen ratio through most of the year, indicating a greater share of turbulent energy partitioned to latent heat rather than sensible heat. This contrast narrows in midsummer, when crop evapotranspiration peaks. Wetlands also exhibit lower albedo year-round, implying greater absorption of incoming shortwave radiation. Despite this, wetlands show lower normalized outgoing longwave radiation from late winter into early summer, consistent with cooler radiometric surface conditions during that period.
Taken together, these initial results suggest that restored wetlands may be darker but more thermally buffered than croplands, absorbing more radiation while returning less energy as sensible heat over much of the year. Ongoing work will evaluate the role of soil and water heat storage, hydroperiod, open-water fraction, and vegetation structure in explaining these differences.
Megan Podolinsky, Jessica L. O'Connell
Lucas Pender
Taking Stock of Blue Carbon in Black Mangroves (Avicennia germinans)
Coastal wetlands play a critical role in climate regulation by storing and cycling “blue carbon,” yet the net greenhouse gas balance of many wetland types remains poorly understood. Mangroves are widely recognized for their exceptional carbon sequestration capacity, but recent studies suggest that they may also be significant sources of methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas with a greater warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2). Black mangroves (Avicennia germinans), the dominant mangrove species along the Gulf of Mexico, have expanded poleward in recent decades due to warming temperatures. In regions such as South Texas, this expansion is transforming salt marsh and tidal flat landscapes into mangrovedominated wetlands, raising questions about how these shifts influence carbon storage, greenhouse gas fluxes, and the climate benefits of coastal wetlands. Understanding these dynamics is critical to informing wetland management and blue carbon policy within the broader context of wetland science, policy, and people.
This study aims to quantify carbon stocks and fluxes in black mangrove ecosystems to determine whether they function as net carbon sinks or sources. Specifically, we will evaluate (1) the magnitude of aboveground, belowground, and sediment carbon stocks; (2) spatial and seasonal variability in CO2 and CH4 fluxes; (3) environmental drivers influencing greenhouse gas dynamics; and (4) the overall net ecosystem carbon balance of mangrove stands. Field measurements will be conducted in black mangrove thickets across representative coastal wetlands in South Texas. Carbon stocks will be estimated through destructive sampling of vegetation to quantify above and belowground biomass, and through soil core analyses to quantify sediment organic carbon. Greenhouse gas fluxes will be measured using chamber-based approaches to quantify CO2 uptake and CH4 release from mangrove plants and soils. Environmental parameters, including soil moisture, salinity, and temperature, will be measured to evaluate drivers of carbon cycling. Preliminary results indicate that measurable CH4 emissions from mangrove soils partially offset known CO2 uptake. These data highlight the complex role of mangrove wetlands as both carbon
sinks and sources. By quantifying the full blue carbon budget of black mangroves, this research will improve the accounting of coastal wetland carbon dynamics and support science-based decision-making for wetland conservation and climate mitigation.
Kam W. Tang, Loretta L. Battaglia, PhD
Ashley Peterson
Fiddler Crab Bioturbation Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Sea level rise is predicted to rise at least 0.3 meters by 2100, leading to increased and chronic flooding of low-lying coastal ecosystems. Although coastal wetlands only make up 5-8% of the earth, they play a disproportionately important role in numerous ecosystem services, including protection from storm surge, nursery habitat for many species, and biogeochemical cycling. Fiddler crabs (Family Ocypodidae) are detritivores that live in the intertidal zone and burrow into the sediment for shelter and mating. In doing so, they aerate rhizospheres, which can lead to enhanced CO2 and CH4 emissions when they create and maintain their burrows. The conditions under which these emissions are stimulated and the degree to which they offset carbon storage is poorly understood. Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions in association with fiddler crab bioturbation highlights the role of fiddler crabs as ecosystem engineers and their significance in natural greenhouse gas cycling. This study will be conducted in multiple salt marshes across the Texas Coastal Bend. We will compare CO2 and CH4 emissions in areas spanning a fiddler crab activity gradient. There will be replicated 8 cm PVC collars established across locations that differ in burrow density, with a total of 60 collars (20 in high burrow density, 20 in low burrow density, and 20 with no burrows). We will attach a LI-COR soil gas flux survey chamber to the collars to measure CO2 and CH4 emissions. This study aims to quantify the greenhouse gas fluxes released from the sediment at areas of high fiddler crab bioturbation. The expected outcome is that greenhouse gas emissions will be positively related to burrow density/activity, but these releases will be limited by organic matter and decomposition rates. Understanding fiddler crab activity is necessary due to their important role in wetlands and, by improving
our knowledge, we can increase conservation for these ecosystem engineers.
Loretta Battaglia
Brianna Rice
Assessing Damage and the Ecological Impacts of Nutria (Myocastor coypu) Across Marshes of the Louisiana Gulf Coast
Invasive nutria (Myocastor coypus) poses a significant threat to Louisiana marshes, due in part to their high proliferation rates which has led to explosive population growth outside of their native habitat. Many federal and state control programs exist in an effort to manage nutria populations along the Gulf Coast, however the lack of ability to accurately estimate nutria populations prevent most states and agencies from eradication. To quantify the damage to coastal wetlands caused by nutria, we set up exclosures within marshes across the coast in both areas of nutria removal and no removal, with paired control plots. On North Breton Island, paired exclosures and control plots have been present since Spring 2025 in both mangrove and dune marsh communities. No significant difference in cover and species present has been found between exclosure and control in the dune plots. Preliminary results for the mangrove exclosures and control plots show a difference in both cover and species present, which suggests nutria herbivory has had a significant impact on the island's ecosystem. Further work on North Breton Island, as well as other sites along the state, are necessary to fully illustrate the impact nutria have had on coastal ecosystems.
Andy Nyman, Tracy Quirk, Drew Fowler
Bo Tian
Detecting Wetland Changes in Shanghai Mega City, China Using Sentinel and Landsat TM Imagery
Understanding the state of wetland ecosystems and their changes at the national and local levels is critical for wetland conservation, management, decision-making, and policy development practices. This study analyzed the wetlands in Shanghai, a province-level city, using remote sensing, image processing, and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques based on the Chinese national wetland inventory procedure and
standards. Sentinel and Landsat imagery acquired from 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020 and 2025, in conjunction with object-oriented segmentation, expert interpretation, and field validation to determine wetland status and trends. In 2025, Shanghai contained 439,800 ha of wetlands, and 80% of all wetlands were in marine or estuarine systems. Estuarine waters comprised the single largest wetland category. From the first national wetland inventory in 2003 and the second national wetland inventory in 2013 to 2025, Shanghai lost about 50,000 ha of wetlands, amounting to a mean annual loss rate of 1% or an 10% loss over the decade. Declines were proportionately higher in marine and estuarine wetlands, with an annual loss of 2%, while there was a sharp increase in constructed water storage areas for human uses. Diking, filling, impoundment and reclamation, which are all attributable to the economic development and urbanization associated with population increases, were the major factors that explained the gain and loss of wetlands. Additional factors affecting wetland losses and gains include sediment trapping by the hydropower system, which reduces supply to the estuary and erodes wetlands, and sediment trapping by the jetties, spur dikes, and diversion bulwark associated with a navigation channel deepening project.
Oliwier Urbanek
Restricted and Shared Bryophyte Species of the Wet Pine Forest Molinio-Pinetum
Although the Habitats Directive standardizes the list of protected ecosystems in the European Union, the classification systems and monitoring methods differ among Member States. Regardless of the classification framework, vegetation composition remains the primary criterion for distinguishing habitat types. Moreover, the most frequently assessed parameter in ecosystem monitoring is species composition, particularly the occurrence of indicator, keystone, umbrella, or typical species. Bryophytes are especially valuable in this regard because of their high sensitivity to environmental conditions, habitat types and substrates; yet they are often underrepresented in vegetation surveys.
The objective of this study was to identify shared and restricted bryophyte species of Molinio-Pinetum. To achieve this, the association was not only researched,
but it was compared to other pine communities: Cladonio-Pinetum and Leucobryo-Pinetum.
Surveys were conducted in well-preserved stands, in 47 plots total. In each site, a representative patch was selected and a 10 × 10 m subplot used to record epigeic bryophytes. Individual turfs up to 20 × 20 cm and separated by at least 20 cm were counted as separate records; continuous carpets were quantified using standardized units of the same size. Plot similarity was assessed using Bray–Curtis distances and UPGMA clustering, and indicator species were identified with the IndVal index.
In total, 26 bryophyte species were recorded. MolinioPinetum showed the highest diversity with 19 species, including 13 exclusive to this community, but the lowest number of occurrences (1270 records), compared to Leucobryo-Pinetum (3663) and Cladonio-Pinetum (3440). Molinio-Pinetum supported bryophyte species associated with wet habitats, such as Plagiomnium affine, Sphagnum capillifolium and S. fallax, which were not recorded in the other phytocoenoses. In contrast Dicranum polysetum, D. scoparium, and Hypnum jutlandicum occurred in all phytocoenoses, but were most frequent in the drier communities. Pleurozium schreberi, also recorded in all communities, showed a higher frequency in Leucobryo-Pinetum.
Considering both IndVal results and species frequencies, 13 bryophytes were indicative of Molinio-Pinetum, including Aulacomnium palustre, Plagiomnium affine, Sphagnum capillifolium, S. girgensohnii and S. fallax However, it must be recognized that these results are limited to Poland and further data acquisition is required to broaden the scope.
Grzegorz J. Wolski
Ryan Usai
Plant Species Effects on Marsh Platform Erodibility in the Mississippi River Delta
Efforts to model and predict future changes to the Mississippi River Delta have primarily focused on lateral erosion of the marsh edges and erosion within the channel beds of the delta and the continental shelf, with very little work focusing on surface erosion on the marsh platform. Plants are known to influence erosion through several mechanisms including stabilization of sediments through root action and flow hindrance from aboveground stems. The purpose of this study was to conduct both soil and vegetation surveys within the Bird Foot Delta to determine the impact of vegetation on soil erodibility. In January 2026, study sites were established in the Brant’s Pass Splay at 9 locations that contained mudflats, and monospecific communities of Phragmites australis (common reed or Roseau cane) and Typha spp. (cattails) within 50 m of each other. Sediment cores were collected both at the riverbank and 30 m inland at each site for each community type. Each sediment core was accompanied by species composition surveys, stem density counts, and shear strength measurements. Erodibility analysis of sediment cores was conducted using the Gust Erosion Microcosm System (GEMS) which simulates shear stress over the sediment surface and measures suspended sediment. Any stems that were present within the cores were trimmed to be even with the sediment surface, and loose detritus was removed prior to analysis. Eroded mass was then filtered and weighed. Results illustrate an appreciable difference in erodibility between different plant community types, with Typha being the least erodible, Phragmites intermediate, and unvegetated mudflats being the most erodible. Shear strength did not vary significantly between community types. These results suggest that vegetation influences the erodibility of marsh sediments, and that the magnitude of affect varies between plant species. This project provides a framework for follow up studies to be conducted during the spring and summer to determine the impact of seasonality on the erodibility of marsh surfaces, further increasing our ability to accurately model land loss rates within the delta.
Abigail Coldwell, Emma Jacobs, Kacey Lange, Bek Markel, Abigail Heck, Kehui Xu, Giulio Mariotti, Emily Farrer
Madelynn Williams
Enhancing
Riparian Vegetation Community
Assessments to Support Restoration Efforts Following Dam Removal in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
The Lowney Creek Watershed is located within the Beaver Basin Wilderness area of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PIRO), Michigan, USA. Prior to the establishment of PIRO, the previous landowner created four on-channel dams and two off-channel dams within Lowney Creek Watershed for recreation purposes. Managers at PIRO are pursuing dam removal to promote fish passage and to restore stream functions within the wilderness. The primary purpose of this research is to provide PIRO resource managers with restoration guidance to revegetate riparian corridors following dam removal by focusing on two of the onchannel dams scheduled for removal during fall 2027. Several spatial datasets were integrated to produce an enhanced riparian corridor resource assessment, and were further used to compare vegetation conditions along natural river corridor segments with dam-affected riparian corridor segments. Preliminary results will be presented to characterize vegetation communities along dam-affected and unaffected riparian corridors by integrating National Park Service Vegetation Inventory Program spatial database with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory dataset, USGS National Hydrography Dataset Plus, and USDA Soil Survey Geographic Database. Future work, planned for summer 2026, will include field vegetation surveys to support accuracy assessment. This enhanced riparian vegetation community assessment will ultimately be integrated with high resolution LiDAR data to provide resource managers with a comprehensive spatial dataset of the Lowney Creek Watershed to help optimize riparian restoration outcomes following dam removal.
Madelynn Williams, Delany Frank, Adam T. Naito, Andrew Bishop, Matthew Van Grinsven,
Zuzana Zabkova
Swampires: Wetlands, Folklore, Emotional Hydrology of Drying Planet
Wetlands are landscapes of moisture, preservation, and transformation. Historically they functioned as ecological refrigerators: cool, saturated environments capable of conserving organic matter for centuries. Archaeological discoveries of so-called bog bodies in Northern Europe demonstrate the remarkable preservative power of peat wetlands, where even the contents of a person’s last meal may remain intact for millennia. Wetlands therefore operate not only as ecological systems but also as archives of cultural and biological memory.
Despite their ecological importance, wetlands have long been culturally framed as dangerous or uncanny territories. In Eastern European folklore they are inhabited by ambiguous beings such as the Vodník (waterman) and the Rusalka, spirits associated with the depths of standing water. These myths reflect a cultural ambivalence: wetlands sustain life and preserve it, yet they also absorb bodies, memories, and emotions.
This project introduces the concept of emotional hydrology. Just as wetlands absorb, store, and slowly release water, cultural memory and collective affect circulate through landscapes, stories, and rituals. Tears themselves follow a similar logic: salty water through which emotions accumulate and flow. In this sense, the human body mirrors hydrological processes—wet eyes becoming miniature wetlands that absorb and transform experience.
Across Central and Eastern Europe, however, many wetlands have been systematically drained through agricultural expansion and large-scale water management infrastructures. When wetlands disappear, moisture that would normally return to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration and contribute to local rainfall cycles instead flows rapidly through rivers toward distant oceans, intensifying regional drying.
Positioned between artistic research, environmental humanities, and community engagement, the project reinterprets figures such as the Vodník, the Rusalka, and the vampire as symbolic guardians of hydrological memory. Through participatory storytelling and
speculative role-play practices, the project explores how folklore can function as a shared cultural language for engaging communities with wetland conservation and the restoration of local water cycles.
The poster is developed in dialogue with Slovak ecologist Michal Kravčík and the organization Ľudia a voda (People and Water), as well as with artist and researcher Tilman Aumüller (Germany).
Xiaochen Zhao
Investigating Hurricane-Induced Salt Variation in Tidal Wetlands Using a Dynamically Coupled Hydrological-Ocean Model
Hurricanes can dramatically alter salinity regimes in coastal tidal wetlands, affecting vegetation distribution, ecosystem functioning, and biogeochemical processes. However, evaluating these rapid salinity variations is challenging due to the complex interactions of terrestrial and oceanic processes, including river discharge, winds, tides, sea level rise, and storms. This study investigates hurricane-induced salinity variation across tidal wetlands and adjacent estuarine and coastal waters using a newly developed dynamically two-way coupled hydrological-ocean model on the COAWST platform. To our knowledge, this is the first processbased modeling approach that enables seamless land-ocean water and salt exchanges across the Land–Estuary–Ocean (LEO) continuum, facilitating realistic simulations of landward salt transport and wetland salinity dynamics during extreme storms. Using Hurricane Florence (2018) as a case study, we examined how various physical processes influence salinity dynamics and freshwater plume development in the Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina. The model simulated saltwater intrusion into freshwater wetlands upstream of the estuary and demonstrated that salinity in the estuary was initially regulated by wind-driven water level gradients, followed by a dominant influence from river runoff. In the coastal ocean, runoff created a large freshwater plume that moved westward, driven by the interplay between runoff, winds, and the estuary’s geomorphology. The excellent performance of the coupling approach for salinity simulation underscores the importance of the two-way exchanges of water and salt at the land-ocean interface. This study demonstrates that the coupled model is a valuable tool for examining salinity change, assessing wetland exposure to saltwater
intrusion, and understanding water and material exchange across the LEO continuum.
Z. George Xue, Daoyang Bao, John Warner, Yanda Ou
Angelina Zitelli
Examination of the Reproductive Ecology of Pistia stratiotes L. in Florida
Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) is one of the world's most problematic aquatic weeds, yet its reproductive ecology remains poorly understood. While vegetative propagation via stolons is documented, sexual reproduction, pollination mode, and floral microbiome contributions to population dynamics have received little attention. This knowledge gap limits management strategy effectiveness.
This study investigates reproductive phenology, pollination mechanisms, and floral microbiome composition in two Florida haplotypes: Type A (invasive) and Type E (native).
Preliminary seed production studies compared Type A (n=10) and Type E (n=15) plants over 18 months in mesocosms. Pollination experiments exposed 100 tagged plants (50 per haplotype) to five treatments:
open pollination, pollinator exclusion, manual self and cross pollination, and emasculated control. Seed set was quantified 14 to 21 days post anthesis. Pollinator identity was assessed using Tangle Trap adhesive on spathes. Floral microbiome composition was characterized via culture based methods.
Reproductive phenology peaked Feb to May, with Type A producing more fruits and seeds per fruit than Type E. Winter showed low reproduction, indicating pollen limitation under natural conditions. Pollinator visitation appeared dominated by small arthropods, consistent with P. stratiotes' reliance on vegetative reproduction. Culture based microbiome screening revealed no difference in microbial assemblages between haplotypes, suggesting environmental conditions drive floral microbial composition.
Sexual reproduction in P. stratiotes is functionally present but pollinator limited. Understanding these dynamics offers novel strategies for reducing water lettuce spread and protecting native freshwater biodiversity.
F. Allen Dray Jr., Evelyn Frazier
Latest from the Journal Wetlands
To find the latest technical articles on wetlands from our companion journal Wetlands, go to https://link.springer.com/journal/13157.
WETLANDS IN THE NEWS
Listed below are some links to news articles that may be of interest. Links from past issues can be accessed on the SWS website news page (Wetlands in the News - Society of Wetland Scientists). This section includes links to mostly newspaper, magazine, and news articles. Members are encouraged to send links to articles about wetlands in their local area. Please send the links to the WSP Editor at chrstphrcrft@gmail.com and reference “Wetlands in the News” in the subject box. Thanks for your support.
• Wild, Scenic, and Increasingly Rusty - NASA
• Southeast Asian mangroves shift from historic decline to net growth
• Volunteers gather to remove invasive plant that’s choking waterway in Greece
• Protecting the protectors: racing to save Philippine mangroves
• Dredging the Columbia River at the expense of tribal and aquatic communities - High Country A Holistic Perspective on Florida’s Wetland Emissions - NASA
• A marine scientist in Southern California has turned restaurant waste into coastal restoration by collecting more than 24,000 pounds of discarded oyster shells, curing them in the sun, and using them to rebuild reefs that protect shorelines and filter water
• A plan to preserve wetlands without stopping development | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Model of Complex Blanket Bog Improves Prediction of Peat Expansion
• Georgia wildlife haven forged by fire and peat nears UNESCO recognition | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• In the Land of Infrastructure Projects, Activists and Nature Lovers Saved Endangered Spoonbill Habitat
• Union County Commissioners issue letter of support for removal of Conley Lake Wetland Reserve Program designation - Elkhorn Media Group
• Mangroves May Be Losing Their Grip on Carbon Storage as Sea Levels Rise
• Oysters Clean Up More Nitrogen Pollution Than We Thought
• In Indonesia’s Lombok, fishers find food security tied to mangrove reforestation
• Tropical heron spotted in UK for first time as more exotic birds arrive to thrill birdwatchers | Birds | The Guardian
• China's public stewardship delivers crested ibis conservation miracle-Xinhua
• Côte d’Ivoire’s tree-climbing crocodile needs to be protected, scientist says
• Rising Waters Swamp Lake Naivasha - NASA
• Can globally essential mangroves bounce back from deforestation? New study gives hope
• Cattail Removal to Continue in Voyageurs National Park to Restore Wetland Habitat - Source: National Park Service (.gov)
• Global high-resolution mapping of seagrass to support conservation | Nature
• Hundreds of ‘seagrass cores’ planted to revitalise iconic waterway - Oceanographic
• Baiyangdian Lake's remarkable ecological revival in north China's Xiong'an-Xinhua
• Wetlands Rebound Signals Hope for Waterfowl Breeding Season — Ducks Unlimited Canada
• How Beavers Gnawed Their Way into the Arctic
• To Restore Montana’s Prairie Streams, Smithsonian Researchers Are Thinking Like Beavers | Smithsonian Voices | National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Smithsonian Magazine
• The bogs of war: landscapes play a huge part in conflict –and restoring them can strengthen security
• 8 Fascinating Facts About the Whooping Crane, the Tallest Bird in North America | Smithsonian Voices | National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Smithsonian Magazine
• Warm Waters Disrupt Seagrasses’ Microbial Environment
• Giant aquatic plants blanket the Dourados River in Lins, block boats, and wreck docks, while 400+ inspections and about $2.7 million in fines spotlight a fast-moving waterquality crisis
• Once stripped from the landscape, rivercane is returning to WNC as a climate solution
• Murray-Darling inflow laws secure water for delicate ecosystems, ecologist says - ABC News
• La Rioja and the drained reservoir: protected species emerge, and experts are worried about what could come next
• 5 Saltwater crocodiles tracked through the misty mangroves of Bangladesh. Here's what scientists found–and why it matters | Discover Wildlife
• Salt Water Restores Native Queensland Ecosystems After Dozens of Tidal Gates Removed
• Interior Department Announces More Than $67 Million for Wetland Conservation Projects and National Wildlife Refuges | U.S. Department of the Interior
• The English community that brought its river back from the brink: ‘If we can get it right here, we can do it everywhere’ | Rivers | The Guardian
• He built a five-acre lake to raise fish and ended up creating a wild sanctuary where eagles, deer, owls, and ducks arrived in just 1,000 days
• Invasive plant threatens livelihoods in Colombia’s largest coastal wetland
• Environmentalists oppose new Vermont housing rulesValley News
• Up to half the bird species using the African-Eurasian flyway are declining
• The ‘ghost lake’ returns: California’s largest lost water body resurfaces after 130 years | World News - The Times of India
• Reform UK council backs release of beavers amid party row over rewilding
• ‘We don’t hear the frogs, we don’t see the birds’: government repeatedly delayed water to NSW wetlands, documents reveal
• Why this tribe is buying up hundreds of acres of farmland — and flooding it
• Nature’s Kidneys: The Role of Wetland Reserve Easements in Restoring Water Quality | Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists: Vol 13, No 2
• How salt water is restoring life to parts of the Queensland coast
• Couple donates southeastern Manitoba peatland to honour late uncle's wish to protect it
Please help us add new books and government wetland reports to this listing. If your agency, organization, or institution has published new publications on wetlands, please send the information to the Editor of Wetland Science & Practice. Your cooperation is appreciated.
BOOKS
• The Atchafalaya River Basin: History and Ecology of an American Wetland
• Bayou D’Arbonne Swamp: A Naturalist’s Memoir of Place
• Bayou-Diversity: Nature and People in the Louisiana Bayou Country
• Black Swan Lake – Life of a Wetland
• Coastal Wetlands of the World: Geology, Ecology, Distribution and Applications
• Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Development
• Creating and Restoring Wetlands: From Theory to Practice
• Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
• Fenland Nature
• Florida’s Wetlands
• Ghosts of Iraqi Marshes, A Conflict of History, Tragedy and Restoration
• History of Wetland Science: A Perspective from Wetland Leaders
• An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (5th Edition)
• Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Wetlands: Science, Management, Policy, and Practice
• Remote Sensing of Wetlands: Applications and Advances
• Salt Marsh Secrets. Who uncovered them and how?
• Sedges of Maine
• Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota
• Tidal Wetlands Primer: An Introduction to their Ecology, Natural History, Status and Conservation
• Tussock Sedge: A Wetland Superplant
• Wading Right In: Discovering the Nature of Wetlands
• Waubesa Wetlands: New Look at an Old Gem
• Wetland Ecosystems
• Wetland Indicators – A Guide to Wetland Formation, Identification, Delineation, Classification, and Mapping
• Wetland Landscape Characterization: Practical Tools, Methods, and Approaches for Landscape Ecology
• Wetlands (5th Edition)
• Wetland Restoration: A Handbook for New Zealand Freshwater Systems
• Wetland Soils: Genesis, Hydrology, Landscapes, and Classification
• Wetland & Stream Rapid Assessments: Development, Validation, and Application
• Wetland Techniques (3 volumes)
• Wildflowers and Other Plants of Iowa Wetlands
About WETLAND SCIENCE & PRACTICE (WSP)
Wetland Science & Practice (WSP) is the SWS quarterly publication aimed at providing information on select SWS activities (technical committee summaries, chapter workshop overview/abstracts, and SWS student activities), articles of ongoing or recently completed wetland research, restoration, or management projects, freelance articles on the general ecology and natural history of wetlands, and highlights of current events. The July issue typically is dedicated to publishing the proceedings of our annual conference. WSP also serves as an outlet for commentaries, perspectives, and opinions on important developments in wetland science, theory, management, and policy. Both invited and unsolicited manuscripts are reviewed by the WSP editor for suitability for publication. When deemed necessary or upon request, some articles are subject to scientific peer review. We welcome submission of student papers, including research in progress. Please see publication guidelines below. Electronic access to all WSP issues is included in your SWS membership. All issues published, except the recent issue, are available to the public on the SWS website. The most recent issue is available 30 days (1 month) after publication. WSP is an excellent choice to convey the results of your projects or interest in wetlands to others. Also note the WSP will publish advertisements. Check the last page of any issue for instructions.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you read something you like in WSP, or that you think someone else would find interesting, be sure to share. Share links to your Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. Make sure that all of your SWS colleagues are checking out our most recent issues, and help spread the word about SWS to non-members! Questions? Contact editor Christopher Craft (chrstphrcrft@gmail.com).
WETLAND SCIENCE & PRACTICE MANUSCRIPT – GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR AUTHOR AND ARTICLES
AUTHOR ETHICS AND DECLARATION:
The work is original and has not been published elsewhere. Data reported in submission must be author’s own and/or data that the author has permission to use. Inclusion of results from previously published studies must be appropriately credited. It is vital that all contributing authors review the initial submission and subsequent versions. Upon submission of the final manuscript, the lead author must submit a declaration stating that all contributing authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript. Failure to do this will lead to rejection of the manuscript. Also please include a statement of originality in the article after the Acknowledgements and before the References section. Such statement should be something like this:
Declaration of Originality
This is an original work that has not been published before. Images, figures, and quotations included in the article have been properly cited and permission has been granted for any that are not those of the author.
LENGTH:
Approximately 5,000 words; can be longer if necessary.
STYLE:
See existing articles from 2014 to more recent years available online at: https://members.sws.org/wetland-science-and-practice. Standard format/outline for articles: Title, authors (include affiliations and correspondence author email in footnotes), followed by Abstract, then Text (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion), and ending with References. All articles must have an abstract. Keywords are optional.
TEXT:
Word document, 12 font, Times New Roman, single-spaced; keep tables and figures separate, although captions can be included in text. For reference citations in text use this format: (Smith 2016; Jones and Whithead 2014; Peterson et al. 2010). Do not perform formatting (e.g., capitalization of headings and subheadings). For example, do not indent paragraphs… just separate paragraphs by lines.
FIGURES:
Please include color images and photos of subject wetland(s) as WSP is a full-color e-publication. Image size should be less than 1MB; 500KB may work best for this e-publication. Figures should be original (not published elsewhere) or in the public domain. If the figure was published elsewhere (copyrighted), it is the responsibility of the author to secure permission for use. Be sure to provide proper credit in the caption.
Reference Citation Examples:
• Clements, F.E. 1916. Plant Succession: An Analysis of the Development of Vegetation. Carnegie Institution of Washington. Washington D.C. Publication 242.
• Colburn, E.A. 2004. Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation. McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Blacksburg, VA.
• Cole, C.A. and R.P. Brooks. 2000. Patterns of wetland hydrology in the Ridge and Valley Province, Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands 20: 438-447. https://doi.org/10.1672/02775212(2000)020<0438:POWHIT>2.0.CO;2
• Cook, E.R., R. Seager, M.A. Cane, and D.W. Stahle. 2007. North American drought: reconstructions, causes, and consequences. Earth-Science Reviews 81: 93-134.
• Cooper, D.J. and D.M. Merritt. 2012. Assessing the water needs of riparian and wetland vegetation in the western United States. U.S.D.A., Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ft. Collins, CO. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRSGTR-282.
• van der Valk, A. 2023. The beginnings of wetland science in Britain: Agnes Arber and William H. Pearsall. Wetland Science & Practice 41(1): 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1672/ ucrt083-01
Please be sure to add the doi link to citations where possible. If you have questions, please contact the editor, Christopher Craft, at chrstphrcrft@gmail.com
