ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CREATED WETLANDS IN ILLINOIS Report Prepared by John A. Crawford1, Andrew R. Kuhns2, annd Paige Mettler‐Cherry3 1. Department of Biological Sciences, Lindenwood U,iversity, St. Charles, Mo 2. Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 South Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820 3. Department of Biological Sciences, Lindenwood Universtiy, Belleville, IL Report Prepared For Contract: CD00E00730 United States Environmental Proteection Agency Region 5 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60604‐3590 Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2014 (20): 1‐200 30 June 2014 Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign William Shilts, Executive Director Illinois Natural History Survey Brian D. Anderson, Director 1816 South Oak Street Champaign, IL 61820 217‐333‐6830 Table of Contents Table of Contents........................................................................................................................................ 1 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ 2 List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Amphibian Sampling ...................................................................................................................... 10 Plant Sampling .................................................................................................................................. 10 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Results .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Amphibian Sampling ...................................................................................................................... 14 Plant Sampling .................................................................................................................................. 17 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................... 20 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................. 81 Appendix 1. Site localities for sampled wetlands .............................................................. 82 Appendix 2. Environmental metrics of sampled wetlands. ........................................... 95 Appendix 3. Anuran occupancy of wetlands ........................................................................ 98 Appendix 4. Salamander occupancy of wetlands ............................................................. 101 Appendix 5. Plant species lists for 80 wetlands ............................................................... 104 Appendix 6. Plant richness, type and wetland indicator status for wetlands ..... 200 1 List of Tables Table 1. Conservation coefficients for the amphibian assemblage across the study area ............................................................................................................................ 24 Table 2. Ecological assessment of amphibians encountered in east-central Illinois (PI assessment – J.A. Crawford) ....................................................................25 Table 3. Ecological assessment of amphibians encountered in east-central Illinois (PI assessment – A.R. Kuhns). .......................................................................26 Table 4. Ecological assessment methodology for water quality using nitrate (NO3-N) and nitrite (NO2-N) levels ...............................................................27 Table 5. Occupancy rates of the amphibian assemblage across the study area ..............28 Table 6. Estimated detection rates of the amphibian assemblage across the study area .................................................................................................................29 Table 7. Model selection results of A. crepitans occupancy in breeding ponds .............30 Table 8. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. crepitans ......................................................31 Table 9. Model selection results of A. jeffersonianum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois ....................................................................................32 Table 10. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. jeffersonianum .............................................33 Table 11. Model selection results of A. maculatum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois. ...................................................................................34 Table 12. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. maculatum. ..................................................35 Table 13. Model selection results of A. opacum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................36 Table 14. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. opacum. ........................................................37 Table 15. Model selection results of A. platineum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................38 Table 16. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. platineum .....................................................39 2 Table 17. Model selection results of Ambystoma polyploid complex occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois ............................................................40 Table 18. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for Ambystoma polyploidy complex ......................41 Table 19. Model selection results of A. texanum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................42 Table 20. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. texanum ........................................................43 Table 21. Model selection results of A. tigrinum occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois ......................................................................................................44 Table 22. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for A. tigrinum .......................................................45 Table 23. Model selection results of B. americanus occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois ....................................................................................46 Table 24. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for B. americanus ...................................................47 Table 25. Model selection results of P. crucifer occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................48 Table 26. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for P. crucifer .........................................................49 Table 27. Model selection results of R. catesbeiana occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................50 Table 28. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for R. catesbeiana ..................................................51 Table 29. Model selection results of R. clamitans occupancy in breeding ponds in east-central Illinois .....................................................................................52 Table 30. Model-averaged β estimates and 95% confidence intervals for parameters in the occupancy models for R. clamitans ......................................................53