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The Identification, Mapping, and Management of Seasonal Ponds in Forests of the Great Lakes Region

  • Wetland Ecology
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Abstract

Seasonal ponds are small, isolated wetlands with variable hydrology, often occurring embedded in upland forests, which provide habitat for amphibians and invertebrates uniquely adapted to fishless waters. Seasonal ponds are challenging to identify due to their small size, ephemeral hydrology, diverse vegetation, and occurrence across a range of settings, yet in order to inform their conservation and management, it is essential to understand their distribution and how management impacts them. We conducted a systematic review to define and quantify attributes of seasonal ponds, summarize mapping and inventory methods, and synthesize forest harvesting impacts on ponds in the western Great Lakes and northeastern United States. Definitions of seasonal ponds differ regionally and for scientific vs. regulatory purposes; the necessity of documenting pond-dependent indicator species (e.g., fairy shrimp) is one of the most vexing inconsistencies. Seasonal ponds are most effectively mapped in the spring, using a combination of aerial photographs or radar imagery and topographic information, especially in settings with small ponds or heavy canopies. Combining these mapping efforts with carefully stratified field validation is essential for developing a regional inventory of seasonal ponds. Most guidelines intended to reduce impacts of forest harvesting on pond ecosystems rely on buffers, which most effectively minimize physical or biological impacts when most lightly treated, although some impacts (particularly water levels) appear unavoidable when any harvesting occurs adjacent to seasonal ponds. Overall, distinct physical and biological impacts of harvesting differ in magnitude and direction, though most appear to subside over multi-decadal timescales.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the USDA Forest Service Chippewa and Superior National Forests in Minnesota, the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, and Michigan Technological University. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of scientists and managers from the United States Forest Service, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and The Nature Conservancy in developing the key questions for this review. We also wish to thank the journal editor and two reviewers for their comments and suggestions, which improved this review. This systematic review is built upon the work of researchers who conducted the original studies, and we want to recognize their contributions to the body of evidence about seasonal ponds.

Data availability

All data produced from this study are provided in this manuscript or supplementary material.

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Funding

Funding for this work was provided by the United States Forest Service Chippewa and Superior National Forests and Northern Research Station, and Michigan Technological University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA

    Kathryn L. Hofmeister

  2. Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Grand Rapids, MN, USA

    Sue L. Eggert, Brian J. Palik & Randall K. Kolka

  3. Chippewa National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Walker, MN, USA

    David Morley

  4. Superior National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Ely, MN, USA

    Emily Creighton

  5. Superior National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Duluth, MN, USA

    Marty Rye

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  1. Kathryn L. Hofmeister
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  7. Randall K. Kolka
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Contributions

R. Kolka, S. Eggert and B. Palik had the initial idea for the article with input from D. Morley, E. Creighton, M. Rye, and K. Hofmeister. K. Hofmeister performed the literature search, synthesis, and wrote the first draft of the work and revised the manuscript. All authors provided comments on versions of the manuscript and read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kathryn L. Hofmeister.

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Hofmeister, K.L., Eggert, S.L., Palik, B.J. et al. The Identification, Mapping, and Management of Seasonal Ponds in Forests of the Great Lakes Region. Wetlands 42, 9 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-021-01526-2

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