Depressional Wetland Quality Baseline (Wq-Bwm1-06)

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Depressional Wetland Quality Baseline (Wq-Bwm1-06) z c Status and Trends of Wetlands in Minnesota: Depressional Wetland Quality Baseline March 2012 Authors The MPCA is reducing printing and mailing costs John Genet by using the Internet to distribute reports and information to wider audience. Visit our website Contributors / acknowledgements for more information. Mark Gernes MPCA reports are printed on 100% post-consumer Michael Bourdaghs recycled content paper manufactured without Dan Helwig chlorine or chlorine derivatives. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 520 Lafayette Road North | Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194 | www.pca.state.mn.us | 651-296-6300 Toll free 800-657-3864 | TTY 651-282-5332 This report is available in alternative formats upon request, and online at www.pca.state.mn.us Document number: wq-bwm1-06 Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5 Assessing wetland quality ....................................................................................................................... 6 Methods .................................................................................................................................. 7 Wetland classification ............................................................................................................................. 7 Scope of survey ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Geographic classification ........................................................................................................................ 9 Survey design ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Field methods ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Data analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Statewide Results and Discussion .......................................................................................... 18 Extent of depressional wetlands ........................................................................................................... 19 Wetland condition ................................................................................................................................ 21 Wetland stressors ................................................................................................................................. 26 Wetland functions ................................................................................................................................ 29 Function versus condition ..................................................................................................................... 32 Mixed Wood Plains ................................................................................................................ 36 Extent of depressional wetlands ........................................................................................................... 37 Wetland condition ................................................................................................................................ 37 Wetland stressors ................................................................................................................................. 40 Wetland functions ................................................................................................................................ 42 Temperate Prairies ................................................................................................................ 45 Extent of depressional wetlands ........................................................................................................... 46 Wetland condition ................................................................................................................................ 46 Wetland stressors ................................................................................................................................. 49 Wetland functions ................................................................................................................................ 51 Mixed Wood Shield ............................................................................................................... 54 Extent of depressional wetlands ........................................................................................................... 55 Wetland condition ................................................................................................................................ 55 Wetland stressors ................................................................................................................................. 58 Wetland functions ................................................................................................................................ 60 Interannual Variability ........................................................................................................... 62 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................. 64 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................. 65 Literature Cited ..................................................................................................................... 65 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................ 69 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................ 71 Appendix C ............................................................................................................................ 71 Appendix D ............................................................................................................................ 73 Figures Figure 1. Biological condition of Minnesota’s depressional wetlands and ponds according to macroinvertebrate and plant indices of biological integrity (IBIs), including the estimated number of wetlands within each condition category............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Figure 2. Extent of stressors and their relative risk to plant and macroinvertebrate communities in Minnesota depressional wetlands and ponds ...................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 3. Functional ratings for Minnesota depressional wetlands and ponds. Included for each function is a comparison of estimates for natural vs. man-made wetlands. ............................................................................ 4 Figure 4. Examples of depressional wetlands found in Minnesota ....................................................................... 9 Figure 5. Examples of man-made ponds found in Minnesota ............................................................................. 10 Figure 6. Omernik Level II ecoregions in Minnesota. .......................................................................................... 11 Figure 7. Locations of annual sites across the state. ........................................................................................... 13 Figure 8. Generalized depiction of the distribution (represented as a boxplots) of indicator values at reference sites and the process for using this information to categorize the (A) condition and (B) stressor levels of each sample site. ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 9. Estimates of the total number and total area of depressional wetlands in Minnesota and these estimates broken down into various subcategories. .......................................................................................... 20 Figure 10. The condition of Minnesota’s depressional wetlands based on plant and macroinvertebrate IBIs, reporting according to A) number of depressional wetland basins and B) area of depressional wetlands ........... 22 Figure 11. Comparison of condition estimates across wetland size categories, reporting based on the number of depressional wetlands (By Basin) and their area (By Acres). .............................................................................. 23 Figure 12. Comparison of condition estimates across wetland landowner categories, reporting based on the number of depressional wetlands (By Basin) and their area (By Acres). ............................................................. 25 Figure 13. Stressor levels in Minnesota depressional wetlands, reporting based on the number of depressional wetlands. .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 14. Extent of measured stressors and relative risk estimates for plant and
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