Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Comparing the hydrology of newly established and remnant wetlands over time
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Fisheries/Aquatic Biology
Minor
Geographic Information Science
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. JB Moon
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) was developed by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the USDA to reverse the conversion of wetlands to cropland that has occurred in the past two centuries. The importance of wetlands is something that is more understood in recent years, inspiring the efforts to restore and protect wetlands that were previously destroyed. Landowners can participate in the WRP to allow those wetlands to be restored and provide the ecosystem services that they once offered. These pieces of land can then be studied to investigate the functioning of these restored wetlands. Monitoring two WRP sites along the Obion Creek and two along the Bayou de Chien in Western Kentucky, we studied how hydrology differs in remnant bottomland forests compared to newly established forests. Remnant areas are those that contain secondary forests while newly established areas contain younger tree plantings (within the last 10 years). Hydrology is an important aspect of wetlands and can alter the biotic communities present and how the wetland functions. We examined water level data from four different WRP sites and calculated hydrologic metrics including median water level, mean monthly water level, stage duration, return time, hydrologic flashiness, and stage excursion frequency. We found that there was a statistically significant difference in the hydrology between the remnant and newly established forests at all four sites. There was also a significant difference in the hydrology at each site based on the time of year the sample was taken. This indicates that hydrology differs between remnant and newly established forests, creating a variable environment within restored wetlands. It also shows that hydrology changes seasonally in the restored wetlands.
Spring Scholars Week 2025
Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Comparing the hydrology of newly established and remnant wetlands over time
The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) was developed by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the USDA to reverse the conversion of wetlands to cropland that has occurred in the past two centuries. The importance of wetlands is something that is more understood in recent years, inspiring the efforts to restore and protect wetlands that were previously destroyed. Landowners can participate in the WRP to allow those wetlands to be restored and provide the ecosystem services that they once offered. These pieces of land can then be studied to investigate the functioning of these restored wetlands. Monitoring two WRP sites along the Obion Creek and two along the Bayou de Chien in Western Kentucky, we studied how hydrology differs in remnant bottomland forests compared to newly established forests. Remnant areas are those that contain secondary forests while newly established areas contain younger tree plantings (within the last 10 years). Hydrology is an important aspect of wetlands and can alter the biotic communities present and how the wetland functions. We examined water level data from four different WRP sites and calculated hydrologic metrics including median water level, mean monthly water level, stage duration, return time, hydrologic flashiness, and stage excursion frequency. We found that there was a statistically significant difference in the hydrology between the remnant and newly established forests at all four sites. There was also a significant difference in the hydrology at each site based on the time of year the sample was taken. This indicates that hydrology differs between remnant and newly established forests, creating a variable environment within restored wetlands. It also shows that hydrology changes seasonally in the restored wetlands.