Download or read book Assessment of Convergence in Habitat Function Flora and Vegetation of Created and Natural Vernal Pools written by Virginia C. Meyer and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vernal pools are ephemeral wetlands that form in depressions underlain with soils that include a water-restricting horizon. These depressions fill with water during the winter in Mediterranean-type climates, and then rapidly dry during the late spring. Vernal pools are diminished in California, due to habitat loss from land-use conversion. The biota endemic to vernal pool habitats includes many rare and endangered species. Creation of vernal pools has been used as mitigation since the mid 1980s. Whether creation can reliably result in vernal pools with the range of biotic characteristics found in natural vernal pools remains unclear. Evaluation of created vernal pool attributes that reflect ecological function over the long-term is needed to inform management of existing mitigation projects and the planning of future projects. The vegetation, hydrology, soils, and plant communities of created vernal pools were compared with natural vernal pools at three mitigation sites in the Great Valley of California that differed in climate and substrate. Vegetation attributes and parameters of hydrologic regime were measured in the first years following construction, and again when the created pools at each site were 12-14 years old. Soil samples were taken during the last year of the study to assess basic soil characteristics. Finally, plant communities of created vernal pools were identified during the last two years of the study period and compared with natural vernal pool communities. The values of vernal pool species attributes increased with increasing maximum water depth and period of inundation. Fluctuations and downward trends in the values of vernal pool species attributes correlated with increased exotic species cover, and exotic species cover was highest in years of lowest annual precipitation. Trends of decreasing maximum water depth, inundation period, and vernal pool species cover, as well as increasing exotic species cover, correlated with release from cattle grazing at two sites. At a third site where light-to-moderate grazing occurred, vernal pools species attributes of created pools matched or were higher than those of natural pools, and maximum water depth was higher in created than in natural pools throughout the study period. Thus, grazing may be of primary importance in the ability of created vernal pools to maintain hydrologic function and vernal pool species attributes over the long-term. Soil texture, color, bulk density, and redox concentrations did not differ between created and natural pools. However, differences in soil pH and depth to hardpan were found between created and natural vernal pools. Natural vernal pool plant communities were found in created pools at two sites, but were those of deeper, longer-inundated habitats compared to the natural pools on-site. This may lead to a greater proportion of deeper, longer-inundated vernal pool habitats over time with continued use of creation as mitigation. Only one natural vernal pool community was identified at one site, where most created pools supported exotics-dominated, non-wetland communities. Site characteristics and management practices of mitigation projects lead to differences in outcomes in ecological function in created vernal pools.
Download or read book Science and Conservation of Vernal Pools in Northeastern North America written by Aram J. K. Calhoun and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2007-08-13 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Synthesizes Decades of Research on Vernal Pools Science Pulling together information from a broad array of sources, Science and Conservation of Vernal Pools in Northeastern North America is a guide to the issues and solutions surrounding seasonal pools. Drawing on 15 years of experience, the editors have mined published literature,
Download or read book Vernal Pools written by Elizabeth A. Colburn and published by McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company. This book was released on 2004 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation. The first book-length synthesis of the natural history, ecology, and conservation of the seasonally wet pools that occur in and near the formerly glaciated portions of eastern North America (incldues both Canada and the US).
Download or read book Creating and Restoring Wetlands written by Christopher Craft and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2022-05-12 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Creating and Restoring Wetlands: From Theory to Practice, Second Edition describes the challenges and opportunities relating to the restoration of freshwater and estuarine wetlands in natural, agricultural, and urban environments in the coming century. This second edition is structured by clearly defined chapters based on specific wetland types (e.g. Peatlands, Mangroves) and with a consistent and coherent organization for ease of discoverability. The table of contents is divided into four main subjects: Foundations, Restoration of Freshwater Wetlands, Restoration of Estuarine Wetlands, and From Theory to Practice, each with multiple chapters. Part 1, Foundations, contains chapters describing definitions of wetlands, ecological theory used to guide restoration, and considerations on where to implement restoration on the landscape. In Parts 2 and 3, restoration of specific freshwater (marshes, forests, peatlands) and estuarine (tidal marshes, mangroves) wetlands are described. Part 4, From Theory to Practice, contains chapters describing performance standards to gauge success of projects and case studies describing small-scale and large-scale restoration projects of various freshwater and estuarine wetlands. Each chapter contains clearly labeled sections which assist the reader to quickly and easily key in on the subject matter that they are seeking. The approach of Creating and Restoring Wetlands is unique in that, in each chapter, it links ecological theory important to ecosystem restoration with practical techniques to undertake and implement successful wetland restoration projects, including recommendations for performance standards to gauge success as well as realistic expectations and timescales for achieving success. Each chapter ends with a summary table describing keys to ensure success for a given wetland ecosystem. Each chapter ends with a summary table describing keys to ensure success for a given wetland ecosystem Written by a single author, providing a consistent structure that is coherent, cohesive and well referenced Contains case studies of small- and large-scale restoration activities ensuring relevance to individuals and organizations
Download or read book United States Marine Corps F 35B West Coast Basing written by and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 936 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1992-01-01 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.
Download or read book Riparian Areas written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-10-10 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that wetlands be protected from degradation because of their important ecological functions including maintenance of high water quality and provision of fish and wildlife habitat. However, this protection generally does not encompass riparian areasâ€"the lands bordering rivers and lakesâ€"even though they often provide the same functions as wetlands. Growing recognition of the similarities in wetland and riparian area functioning and the differences in their legal protection led the NRC in 1999 to undertake a study of riparian areas, which has culminated in Riparian Areas: Functioning and Strategies for Management. The report is intended to heighten awareness of riparian areas commensurate with their ecological and societal values. The primary conclusion is that, because riparian areas perform a disproportionate number of biological and physical functions on a unit area basis, restoration of riparian functions along America's waterbodies should be a national goal.
Download or read book The Nature of Plant Communities written by J. Bastow Wilson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive review of the role of species interactions in the process of plant community assembly.
Download or read book Suisun Marsh written by Peter B. Moyle and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2014-03-26 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of California's most remarkable wetlands, Suisun Marsh is the largest tidal marsh on the West Coast and a major feature of the San Francisco Estuary. This productive and unique habitat supports endemic species, is a nursery for native fishes, and is a vital link for migratory waterfowl. The 6,000-year-old marsh has been affected by human activity, and humans will continue to have significant impacts on the marsh as the sea level rises and cultural values shift in the century ahead. This study includes in-depth information about the ecological and human history of Suisun Marsh, its abiotic and biotic characteristics, agents of ecological change, and alternative futures facing this ecosystem.
Download or read book Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands written by Darold Batzer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-02-05 with total page 647 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wetlands are among the world’s most valuable and most threatened habitats, and in these crucially important ecosystems, the invertebrate fauna holds a focal position. Most of the biological diversity in wetlands is found within resident invertebrate assemblages, and those invertebrates are the primary trophic link between lower plants and higher vertebrates (e.g. amphibians, fish, and birds). As such, most scientists, managers, consultants, and students who work in the world’s wetlands should become better informed about the invertebrate components in their habitats of interest. Our book serves to fill this need by assembling the world’s most prominent ecologists working on freshwater wetland invertebrates, and having them provide authoritative perspectives on each the world’s most important freshwater wetland types. The initial chapter of the book provides a primer on freshwater wetland invertebrates, including how they are uniquely adapted for life in wetland environments and how they contribute to important ecological functions in wetland ecosystems. The next 15 chapters deal with invertebrates in the major wetlands across the globe (rock pools, alpine ponds, temperate temporary ponds, Mediterranean temporary ponds, turloughs, peatlands, permanent marshes, Great Lakes marshes, Everglades, springs, beaver ponds, temperate floodplains, neotropical floodplains, created wetlands, waterfowl marshes), each chapter written by groups of prominent scientists intimately knowledgeable about the individual wetland types. Each chapter reviews the relevant literature, provides a synthesis of the most important ecological controls on the resident invertebrate fauna, and highlights important conservation concerns. The final chapter synthesizes the 15 habitat-based chapters, providing a macroscopic perspective on natural variation of invertebrate assemblage structure across the world’s wetlands and a paradigm for understanding how global variation and environmental factors shape wetland invertebrate communities.
Download or read book Wetlands of Kenya written by Steven G. Njuguna and published by IUCN. This book was released on 1992 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A source book for future research and management activities, these 20 papers cover wetland issues in Kenya and underline the need for a national wetland program.
Download or read book The Balance of Nature and Human Impact written by Klaus Rohde and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-02-14 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores equilibrium and non-equilibrium in undisturbed and disturbed ecological systems, examining how human activities affect the balance/imbalance of nature.
Download or read book Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams written by Thibault Datry and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-07-11 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams: Ecology and Management takes an internationally broad approach, seeking to compare and contrast findings across multiple continents, climates, flow regimes, and land uses to provide a complete and integrated perspective on the ecology of these ecosystems. Coupled with this, users will find a discussion of management approaches applicable in different regions that are illustrated with relevant case studies. In a readable and technically accurate style, the book utilizes logically framed chapters authored by experts in the field, allowing managers and policymakers to readily grasp ecological concepts and their application to specific situations. Provides up-to-date reviews of research findings and management strategies using international examples Explores themes and parallels across diverse sub-disciplines in ecology and water resource management utilizing a multidisciplinary and integrative approach Reveals the relevance of this scientific understanding to managers and policymakers
Download or read book Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-11-06 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recognizing the importance of wetland protection, the Bush administration in 1988 endorsed the goal of "no net loss" of wetlands. Specifically, it directed that filling of wetlands should be avoided, and minimized when it cannot be avoided. When filling is permitted, compensatory mitigation must be undertaken; that is, wetlands must be restored, created, enhanced, and, in exceptional cases, preserved, to replace the permitted loss of wetland area and function, such as water quality improvement within the watershed. After more than a dozen years, the national commitment to "no net loss" of wetlands has been evaluated. This new book explores the adequacy of science and technology for replacing wetland function and the effectiveness of the federal program of compensatory mitigation in accomplishing the nation's goal of clean water. It examines the regulatory framework for permitting wetland filling and requiring mitigation, compares the mitigation institutions that are in use, and addresses the problems that agencies face in ensuring sustainability of mitigated wetlands over the long term. Gleaning lessons from the mixed results of mitigation efforts to date, the book offers 10 practical guidelines for establishing and monitoring mitigated wetlands. It also recommends that federal, state, and local agencies undertake specific institutional reforms. This book will be important to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of the "no net loss" issue: policy makers, regulators, environmental scientists, educators, and wetland advocates.
Download or read book To Life written by Linda Weintraub and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title documents the burgeoning eco art movement from A to Z, presenting a panorama of artistic responses to environmental concerns, from Ant Farms anti-consumer antics in the 1970s to Marina Zurkows 2007 animation that anticipates the havoc wreaked upon the planet by global warming.
Download or read book A Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species written by Robert A. Francis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-03-12 with total page 918 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate the spread of invasives. This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.
Download or read book Nature Conservation written by Dan Gafta and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-02-15 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a multi-disciplinary coverage of the broad fields of species, community and landscape conservation. The panel of contributors consider a range of topics in vegetation and biodiversity assessment, planning and management of conservation zones and protected areas, together with historical and social/legal issues of the environment and nature conservation. The book celebrates the life’s work of Professor Franco Pedrotti.
