Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

An integrated approach to assess broad-scale condition of coastal wetlands—the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Wetlands pilot survey

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a two-year regional pilot survey in 2007 to develop, test, and validate tools and approaches to assess the condition of northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coastal wetlands. Sampling sites were selected from estuarine and palustrine wetland areas with herbaceous, forested, and shrub/scrub habitats delineated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Status and Trends (NWI S&T) program and contained within northern GOM coastal watersheds. A multi-level, stepwise, iterative survey approach is being applied to multiple wetland classes at 100 probabilistically-selected coastal wetlands sites. Tier 1 provides information at the landscape scale about habitat inventory, land use, and environmental stressors associated with the watershed in which each wetland site is located. Tier 2, a rapid assessment conducted through a combination of office and field work, is based on best professional judgment and on-site evidence. Tier 3, an intensive site assessment, involves on-site collection of vegetation, water, and sediment samples to establish an integrated understanding of current wetland condition and validate methods and findings from Tiers 1 and 2. The results from this survey, along with other similar regional pilots from the Mid-Atlantic, West Coast, and Great Lakes Regions will contribute to a design and implementation approach for the National Wetlands Condition Assessment to be conducted by EPA’s Office of Water in 2011.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bartoldus, C. (1999). A comprehensive review of wetland assessment procedures: A guide for wetland practitioners. St Michaels, MD: Environmental Concern.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. T., & Vivas, M. B. (2005). Landscape development intensity index. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 101, 289–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coastal America (2005). Conserving America’s wetlands. Implementing the President’s goal. Washington, DC: Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.coastalamerica.gov/text/pubs/consensus/Conserving_Americas_Wetlands.pdf.

  • Collins, J. N., Stein, E. D., Sutula, M., Clark, R., Fetscher, A. E., Grenier, L., et al. (2007). California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) for wetlands and Riparian areas. Version 5.0. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.cramwetlands.org/documents/.

  • Cowardin, L. M., Carter, V., & Golet, F. (1979). Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. Washington, DC: US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, T. E. (2000). Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States, 1986 to 1997. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, T. E. (2006). Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States, 1998 to 2004. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, T. E., & Johnson, C. E. (1991). Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States, Mid-1970’s to Mid-1980’s. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, T. E., & Pywell, H. R. (1989). National status and trends study: Estimating wetland resources in the 1980’s. In D. W. Fisk (Ed.), Wetlands: Concerns and successes. Symposium proceedings (pp. 25–31). Tampa, FL: American Water Resources Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebert, D. W., & Wade, T. G. (2004.) ATtILA user guide, version 2004. EPA/600/R-04/083. Las Vegas, NV: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. National Exposure Research Laboratory. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/nerlesd1/land-sci/attila/manual/userman.htm.

  • ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.) (1999). ArcView 3.2 ESRI ® (computer program). Redlands, CA.

  • Fennessy, M. S., Gray, M. A., & Lopez, R. D. (1998). An ecological assessment of wetlands using reference sites, volume 1: Final report. Columbus, OH: State of Ohio EPA Final Report to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

  • Fennessy, M. S., Jacobs, A. D., & Kentula, M. E. (2004). Review of rapid methods for assessing wetland condition. EPA/620/R-04/009. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennessy, M. S., Jacobs, A. D., & Kentula, M. E. (2007). An evaluation of rapid assessment methods for assessing condition of wetlands. Wetlands, 27, 543–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frayer, W. E., Monahan, T. J., Bowden, D. C., & Graybill, E. A. (1983). Status and trends of wetlands and deepwater habitats in the conterminous United States, 1950’s to 1970’s. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulf of Mexico Alliance (2006). Governors’ action plan for healthy and resilient coasts: March 2006–March 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gulf/files/files/GulfActionPlan_Final.pdf.

  • Hein, L., van Koppen, K., de Groot, R. S., & van Ierland, E. C. (2006). Spatial scales, stakeholders and the valuation of ecosystem services. Ecological Economics, 57, 209–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heinz Center (The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment) (2002). The state of the nation’s ecosystems: Measuring the lands, waters, and living resources of the United States. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heitmuller, P. T. (2007). Gulf of Mexico Coastal wetlands—pilot survey quality assurance project plan. Interagency agreement DW-1492230501: Support for National Coastal Assessment—Wetlands. Gulf Breeze, FL: U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mack, J. J. (2001). Ohio rapid assessment method for wetlands v. 5.0: User’s manual and forms. Columbus, OH: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water, 401/Wetland Ecology Unit, Technical Report WET/2001-1. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/401/.

  • McDonald, M. E., Blair, R., Dlugosz, J. J., Hale, S. S., Hedtke, S., Heggem, D. T., et al. (2002a). Environmental protection agency’s environmental monitoring and assessment program (EMAP) in the 21st century. Hydrological Science and Technology, 18, 133–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, M. E., Paulsen, S., Blair, R., Dlugosz, J., Hale, S., Hedtke, S., et al. (2002b). Research strategy: Environmental monitoring and assessment program. EPA 620/R-02/002. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://www.epa.gov/emfjulte/html/pubs/docs/resdocs/resstrat02.html.

  • Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Ecosystems and human well-being: Wetlands and water synthesis: A report of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx.

  • National Research Council (NRC) (2001). Compensating for wetland losses under the Clean Water Act. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • NWQMC (National Water Quality Monitoring Council) (2006). A national water quality monitoring network for U.S. coastal waters and their tributaries. Final Report to the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality, and the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://acwi.gov/monitoring/network/design.

  • Olsen, A. R., Sedransk, J., Edwards, D., Gotway, C. A., Liggett, W., Rathbun, S., et al. (1999). Statistical issues for monitoring ecological and natural resources in the United States. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 54, 1–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reiss, K. C., & Brown, M. T. (2007). Evaluation of Florida Palustrine wetlands: Application of USEPA Levels 1, 2, and 3 assessment methods. EcoHealth, 4, 206–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter, B. D., Baumgartner, J. V., Braun, D. P., & Powell, J. (1998). A spatial assessment of hydrologic alteration within a river network. Regulated Rivers, 14, 329–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter, B. D., Baumgartner, J. V., Powell, J., & Braun, D. P. (1996). A method for assessing hydrologic alteration within ecosystems. Conservation Biology, 10, 1163–1174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scozzafava, M. E., Dahl, T. E., Faulkner, C., & Price, M. (2007). Assessing status, trends, and condition of wetlands in the United States. National Wetlands Newsletter, 29, 24–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, D. L., Jr., & Olsen, A. R. (2004). Spatially-balanced sampling of natural resources. Journal of American Statistical Association, 99, 262–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steyer, G. D., Sasser, C. E., Visser, J. M., Swenson, E. M., Nyman, J. A., & Raynie, R. C. (2003). A proposed coast-wide reference monitoring system for evaluating wetland restoration trajectories in Louisiana. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 81, 107–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutula, M. A., Stein, E. D., Collins, J. N., Fetscher, A. E., & Clark, R. (2006). A practical guide for development of a wetland assessment method: The California experience. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 42, 157–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, R. E., Swenson, E. M., & Summers, J. K. (1995). Coastal wetlands indicator study: EMAP-Estuaries Louisianian Province—1991. EPA/620/R-95/005. Gulf Breeze, FL: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Research Laboratory.

  • Twilley, R. R. (2007). Coastal wetlands and global climate change: Gulf Coast wetland sustainability in a changing climate. In K. L. Ebi, G. A. Meehl, D. Bachelet, J. M. Lenihan, R. P. Neilson, R. R. Twilley, et al. (Eds.), Regional impacts of climate change: four case studies in the United States (pp. 42–56). Prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, VA.) Retrieved January 7, 2008 from http://www.pewclimate.org/regional_impacts.

  • U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (2004). An ocean blueprint for the 21st century final report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Washington, DC: ISBN#0-9759462-0-X, Chapter 26. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://www.oceancommission.gov/documents/full_color_rpt/000_ocean_full_report.pdf.

  • USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2003). Draft report on the environment. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development and the Office of Environmental Information. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/indicators/roe/pdf/EPA_Draft_ROE.pdf.

  • USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2006). Application of elements of a state water monitoring and assessment program for wetlands. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Wetlands Division. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/monitor.

  • USGAO (U.S. General Accounting Office) (2000). Water quality: Key EPA and state decisions limited by inconsistent and incomplete data. GAO/RCED-00-54. Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO/RCED-00-54.

  • Wardrop, D. H., Kentula, M. E., Stevens, D. L. Jr., Jensen, S. F., & Brooks, R. P. (2007). Assessment of wetland condition: An example from the Upper Juniata Watershed in Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands, 27, 416–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, W. A., Tremblay, T. A., Waldinger, R. L., & Calnan, T. R. (2002). Status and trends of wetland and aquatic habitats on Texas Barrier Islands Matagorda Bay to San Antonio Bay. Webster, TX: Coastal Coordination Division, Texas General Land Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/statustrends/matagorda-sanantonio/index.html.

  • White, W. A., Tremblay, T. A., Waldinger, R. L., & Calnan, T. R. (2004). Status and trends of wetland and aquatic habitats on barrier islands, Upper Texas Coast Galveston and Christmas Bays. Webster, TX: Coastal Coordination Division, Texas General Land Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/statustrends/galveston-christmas/index.html.

  • White, W. A., Tremblay, T. A., Waldinger, R. L., & Calnan, T. R. (2006). Status and trends of wetland and aquatic habitats on Texas Barrier Islands, Coastal bend. Webster, TX: Coastal Coordination Division, Texas General Land Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/statustrends/coastalbend/index.html.

  • White, W. A., Tremblay, T. A., Waldinger, R. L., & Calnan, T. R. (2007). Status and trends of wetland and aquatic habitats on Texas barriers: Upper Coast Strandplain-Chenier system and Southern Coast Padre Island National seashore. Webster, TX: Coastal Coordination Division, Texas General Land Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/statustrends/chenier-pins/index.html.

  • White, W. A., Tremblay, T. A., Waldinger, R. L., Hepner, T. L., & Calnan, T. R. (2005). Status and trends of wetland and aquatic habitats on barrier islands, freeport to East Matagorda Bay, and South Padre Island. Webster, TX: Coastal Coordination Division, Texas General Land Office. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/statustrends/freeport-spi/index.html.

  • Wigand, C., McKinney, R. A., Chintala, M. M., Charpentier, M. A., & Groffman, P. M. (2004). Denitrification enzyme activity of fringe salt marshes in New England (USA). Journal of Environmental Quality, 33, 1144–1151.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, FL, 32561, USA

    Janet A. Nestlerode, Virginia D. Engle & John M. Macauley

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Gulf Breeze Project Office, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA

    Pete Bourgeois, Paul T. Heitmuller & Yvonne C. Allen

Authors
  1. Janet A. Nestlerode
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Virginia D. Engle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pete Bourgeois
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paul T. Heitmuller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John M. Macauley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yvonne C. Allen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Janet A. Nestlerode.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nestlerode, J.A., Engle, V.D., Bourgeois, P. et al. An integrated approach to assess broad-scale condition of coastal wetlands—the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Wetlands pilot survey. Environ Monit Assess 150, 21–29 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0668-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0668-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation