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Montane Wetlands By Jacob Wigginton
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What is a montane wetland?
Montane means of mountains High altitude pulustrine wetlands with emergent vegetation
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How do montane wetlands compare to prairie potholes?
Similar yet contrasting wetlands
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Similarities Pulustrine Similar in appreance
Some are created by a similar glacial process provide important habitat for water fowl
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Differences Montane wetlands are typically less disturbed
Montane wetlands are still dominated by native vegetation Montane wetlands almost always have enough rainfall to acommidate ducks and geese They also differ in soil types making the vegetation very different Succession happens much slower in montane wetlands Montane wetlands do not have as many high concentrations of waterfowl
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What different types on montane wetlands are there?
Intermountain Basin Wetlands Beaver ponds Glacial Ponds Montane Depression Wetlands Montane woodland seeps
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Intermountain Basin Wetland
Flat or rolling areas created by tectonic and volcanic action Thick underlying layers of alluvial material eroded from the mountains High water tables are recharged in the spring by impoundments and artesian flow
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Plants of intermountain basin wetlands
Monument Plant Mint Arrow Grass Additional Species Black greesewood, saltgrasses, wheatgrass, bluegrass, sedges, rushes, sage brush, rabbit brush
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Waterfowl of intermountain basins
Canada Goose Cinnamon teal Additional species Gadwall, Northern Pintails, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, and Lesser Scaulp
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Invertebrates of Intermountain basins
Odonate larvae Freshwater Shrimp Midges Diptera
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Beaver Ponds mid-elevation on gradients less than 15%
Water levels maintained by percipitation and run off Nutrients sinks trapping organic matter and sediments Ideal waterfowl breeding area
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Waterfowl of beaver ponds
Barrow’s Goldeneye Bufflehead Additional species Gadwalls, ring-necked ducks
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Plants of Beaver ponds Wild Licorice Alder Additional Species
Flooded willows, sedges, burreeds
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Invertebrates of Beaver Ponds
Gastropods Caddisflies Dragonflies Freshwater shrimp
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Glacial Ponds Formed either behind moraines or by a glacial process similar to the prairie potholes Only occur in mountains and prairies Only water sources are summer percipitation and spring runoff Very old wetlands, peat accumulations in some are 7,000 years old Although absence of fish competition allows an abundant invertebrate population landscape makes it a difficult habitat for some birds
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Waterfowl of glacial ponds
Ring-necked Duck Gadwall Additional Species Bufflehead, Barrow’s Goldeneye
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Southern Maidenhair fern
Plants of glacial ponds Southern Maidenhair fern scouring rush Additional species Pondweeds, watermilfoils, cowlilies
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Invertebrates of Glacial Ponds
Dragonfly Caddisfly larvae Misquitos Coleoptera
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Montane Depression Wetlands
Saturated, seasonally and semipermanently flooded vegetation Occur in the eastern U.S. Prononced seasonal water fluctuations Important breeding habitat for amphibians and odonates
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Plants of montane depression wetlands
3-way sedge Winter berry common green brier High-bush Blueberry Additional Species Virginia sneezwart, Virginia quillwort, St. John’s Wart, Robbins’ Spikerush, Black-fruited Spikerush
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Trees of montane depression wetlands
Red Maple Black Gum
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Amphibians of montane depression wetlands
Salamander Eggs Tiger Salamander Spotted Salamander Additional species Jefferson’s salamander, four-toed salamander, marbled salamander, wood frogs, Upland Chorus frog
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Invertebrates of montane depression wetlands
Crayfish Odonate Larvae Freshwater shrimp
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Montane woodland seeps
Saturated herbacous wetlands Occur in sinkholes or on steep, bouldered slopes at the site of water discharge Western Virginia mountains Above 2500 ft.
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Plants of montane woodland seeps
watercarpet Oswego-tea marsh blue violet Additional Species Cut-leaved coneflower, spotted jewelweed, Rough golden rod, golden rag wart, American false-hellbore, marsh marigold, bluejoint reedgrass white turtle head
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Threats to montane wetlands
Proposed changes to the Clean Water Act Overgrazing of Elk Invasive Species
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Clean Water Act Changes
Before the Clean water act only a third of the nations waters were safe and clean Now half are clean and safe Redefining wetlands to exclude montane wetlands would be a step in the wrong direction Changes would leave Colorado with only fifteen miles of protected water
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Overgrazing by Elk This increase in has caused the problem of overgrazing of riparian vegetation in the Rocky Mountain region In the 1960’s a policy of natural regulation which has led to an upsurge in the Elk population.
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Invasive plant species of montane wetlands
lepidium latifolium pittosporum_undulatum Russian olive
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Introduce trout Brook trout Brown Trout tadpoles
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Threatened, Endangered, or Endemic Species montane wetlands.
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Criteria for selecting wetlands of importance
Area that provides habitat for rare or endemic species Area of rich biota Area which provides habitat for considerable numbers of a specific species Area that is indespensible in the life history of an organism
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