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Identifying Small Depressional Wetlands and Using a Topographic Position Index to Infer Hydroperiod Regimes for Pond-Breeding Amphibians

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Abstract

Small, seasonal pools and temporary ponds (<4.0 ha) are the most numerous and biologically diverse wetlands in many natural landscapes. Thus, accurate determination of their numbers and spatial characteristics is beneficial for conservation and management of biodiversity associated with these freshwater systems. We examined the utility of a topographic position index (TPI) landscape classification to identify and classify depressional wetlands. We also assessed relationships between topographic characteristics and ponded duration of known wetlands to allow hydrological characteristics to be extended to non-monitored locations in similar landscapes. Our results indicate that this approach was successful at identifying wetlands, but did have higher errors of commission (10%) than omission (5%). Additionally, the TPI procedure provided a reasonable means to correlate general ponded duration characteristics (long/short) with wetland topography. Although results varied by hydrologic class, permanent/long ponded duration wetlands were more often classified correctly (80%) than were short ponded duration wetlands (67%). However, classification results were improved to 100 and 75% for permanent/long and short ponded duration wetlands, respectively, by removing wetlands occurring on an abrupt marine terrace that erroneously inflated pond topographic characteristics. Our study presents an approach for evaluating wetland suitability for species or guilds that are associated with key habitat characteristics, such as hydroperiod.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (USGS ARMI) and the USGS/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Science Support Partnership (SSP). Thanks to John W. Jones (USGS), the associate editor of Wetlands, and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that improved this manuscript. The use of trade, firm, or product names does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. This is contribution 566 of USGS ARMI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA, 30093, USA

    Jeffrey W. Riley & Daniel L. Calhoun

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, 7920 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA

    William J. Barichivich & Susan C. Walls

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  1. Jeffrey W. Riley
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  2. Daniel L. Calhoun
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  3. William J. Barichivich
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  4. Susan C. Walls
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Correspondence to Jeffrey W. Riley.

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Riley, J.W., Calhoun, D.L., Barichivich, W.J. et al. Identifying Small Depressional Wetlands and Using a Topographic Position Index to Infer Hydroperiod Regimes for Pond-Breeding Amphibians. Wetlands 37, 325–338 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-016-0872-2

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