Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Sampling and Analyzing Wetland Vegetation
Amanda Little
Abstract Effectively sampling and analyzing wetland vegetation is an important part
of wetland science, as an indicator of wetland health and quality, and jurisdictional and
mitigation success determinations. This chapter explains spatiotemporal vegetation
sampling considerations by addressing key questions, such as which wetlands should
be sampled and when and at what scale sampling should occur. It also plainly
discusses the advantages and disadvantages of basic sampling techniques, such as
different types of plot-based, plotless, and relev ยด systems. Methods of assessing
different vegetation and environmental attributes, such as cover and functional groups
are discussed in detail. The chapter then describes methods of analyzing wetland
vegetation, including simple summary analyses and more complex multivariate
methods, such as classification, ordination, and floristic quality indices. Explanations
of different types of these analyses and their advantages and disadvantages are
provided. Finally, both field and laboratory-based exercises in sampling and analysis
are provided for faculty and students studying wetland vegetation.
5.1 The Importance of Wetland Vegetation
There are many reasons to investigate wetland vegetation. Aside from purely
scientific interest, wetland vegetation has long been used as an indicator of wetland
health and quality (U.S. EPA 2002 ), a basis of comparison between reference and
restored or mitigated states (Matthews et al. 2009a ), and as one of the three
indicators of jurisdictional wetlands (Environmental Laboratory 1987 ). It also
provides valuable ecosystem services as habitat for fish (Gabriel and Bodensteiner
2011 ), birds (Valente et al. 2011 ), amphibians (Hamer and Parris 2011 ), and insects
(Molnar et al. 2009 ), and is a component of biodiversity in its own right. In addition,
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