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Cottonwood Lake Study Area

Study Plan

May 7, 1998

U. S. Geological Survey

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Work Unit Study Proposal

WORK ELEMENT 140:

WORK UNIT 02:

The Cottonwood Lake Study Area: Long-term Monitoring of the Dynamics in Hydrology, Chemistry, and Biology of a Prairie Wetland Complex.

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

The prairie pothole region (PPR) of North America covers approximately 715,000-km², extending from north-central Iowa to central Alberta. The landscape of the PPR is largely the result of glaciation events during the Pleistocene Epoch. The last glaciers retreated from the PPR approximately 12,000 years ago, leaving behind a landscape dotted with numerous small depressional wetlands called potholes or sloughs. The present climate of the mid-continent PPR is dynamic, characterized by inter-annual variation between wet and dry periods in which abundant precipitation can be followed by drought (i.e., the wet/dry cycle). The association between prairie wetlands and groundwater tables of the region is complex and dynamic. Hydrologically, prairie wetlands can function as groundwater recharge sites, flow-through systems, or as groundwater discharge sites. The hydrologic function that a particular wetland performs is determined by variations in climate, its position in the landscape, the configuration of the associated water table, and the type of underlying geological substrate. The unique hydrology and climate of this region have a profound influence on the water chemistry, hydroperiod, and ultimately the biotic communities that inhabit prairie wetlands.

The PPR is in the mid-continent of North America and is subject to the climatic extremes of this region (Winter 1989). Temperatures can exceed 40°C in summer and -40°C in winter. Isolated, summer thunderstorms may bring several inches of rain in small localized areas while leaving adjacent habitats entirely dry. Also, winds of 50 to 60 km hr-1 can quickly dry wetlands during the summer or create windchills below -60°C during winter. Besides the normal seasonal climatic extremes, the semi-arid PPR also undergoes periods of drought followed by periods of abundant rainfall. These wet/dry cycles can persist for 10 to 20 years (Duvick and Blasing 1981; Karl and Koscielny 1982; Karl and Riebsame 1984; Diaz 1983, 1986). During periods of severe drought, most wetlands go dry during summer and many remain completely dry throughout drought years. Exposure of mud flats upon dewatering is necessary for the germination of many emergent macrophytes, and it facilitates the oxidation of organic sediments and nutrient releases that maintain high productivity. When abundant precipitation returns, wetlands fill with water and much of the emergent vegetation is drowned. Changes in water permanence and hydroperiod by normal seasonal drawdown and long inter-annual wet/dry cycles has a profound influence on all PPR biota, but is most easily observed in the hydrophytic community (van der Valk and Davis 1978).

Despite the harsh climate, the PPR is an extremely productive area for both agricultural products and wildlife. The landscape has been substantially altered since settlement of the PPR in the late 1800s. Economic incentives to convert natural landscapes to agriculture are great and have resulted in the loss of over half of the original 8 million ha of wetlands (Tiner 1984; Dahl 1990; Dahl and Johnson 1991). Land-use impacts on wetland biota include enhanced siltation rates, contamination from agricultural chemicals, altered hydrology, the spread of exotic plants, and habitat fragmentation due to wetland drainage and conversion of native prairie grasslands into agricultural fields.

It is important that researchers and managers work within a framework that considers the impact of the dynamic hydrology, climate, and chemistry on prairie wetland biota. Studies or conservation efforts that do not consider the spatial variability of wetlands (i.e, different chemical and biological characteristics of wetlands due to different hydrologic functions) will have a low probability of yielding satisfactory results as will efforts that do not consider temporal variability (i.e., annual freezing, seasonal drawdowns, and widespread drawdowns in relation to long-term drought). Because the normal wet/dry cycle of the PPR is on a 10-20 year schedule, it is clear that long-term research projects are needed to develop a complete understanding of how these systems function and how wetland biota respond.

The Cottonwood Lake Study Area (CLSA) in western Stutsman county, North Dakota has an extensive history of research that dates back to 1967. Research topics have addressed various aspects of wetlands ecology (see http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/clsa) including hydrology (Winter and Carr 1980, LaBaugh et al. 1987), ground-water dynamics (Winter and Carr 1980), soil and water chemistry (LaBaugh et al. 1987, Swanson 1990), primary production (investigation by North Dakota State University in progress), vegetation dynamics (G. Swanson, unpubl. data), seed banks of hydrophytes (Poiani and Johnson 1988), global climate change (Poiani 1990), waterfowl foraging ecology (Swanson et al. 1979), and invertebrate ecology (Hanson and Swanson 1987, Nelson and Butler 1987).

A recent publication by Euliss et al. (1998) synthesized current knowledge of wetland invertebrates in the PPR; existing literature from CLSA and data from the previous research cycle by NPWRC formed the basis of the ecological discussion in this contribution. Ongoing research at the CLSA includes a long-term hydrologic investigation that is designed to facilitate a better understanding of the influence of climate on subsurface and surface water interactions, water chemistry, and the diverse biological communities. This is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-Water Resources Division (WRD), USGS-Biological Resources Division, and the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). A recent article (People, Land, and Water 1996; see http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/clsa) provides an overview of the history of the scientific collaboration at CLSA. In the cooperative effort, 5 wetlands (of 17 present at the CLSA complex) selected across a hydrologic gradient are being sampled for a wide array of abiotic and biotic attributes. Each wetland was selected as representing a stage in a wetland hydrologic continuum extending from seasonal recharge sites, flow-through systems, to local discharge sites. The hydrologic regime of each wetland is monitored as is the influence of parent geologic material on water quality in each wetland; hydrologic and water quality aspects of this portion of the effort are being conducted by USGS-WRD and USBR, respectively. This work unit encompasses the existing efforts of all collaborators and extends the collection of biotic data to document vertebrate wildlife and macroinvertebrate responses to long-term climatic cycles. This work is expected to facilitate a more complete understanding of the ecological relationships among small spatial scale landscape features and associated abiotic factors, aquatic macroinvertebrates and vertebrate wildlife and the impact of long-term hydrologic and climatic cycles on prairie wetlands.

GOAL:

To continue monitoring chemical, physical, and biotic characteristics of CLSA wetlands to document the effects of long-term hydrologic, climatic, and chemical cycles on biota and abiotic components of prairie wetlands.

OBJECTIVES:

Estimate response of wildlife (i.e., macroinvertebrates, birds, and amphibians) and macrophytes to dynamic shifts in hydrology and chemistry induced by climate.
Continue to support and oversee hydrologic and climate data acquisition for USGS-WRD; this effort has been ongoing since 1978.

STUDY AREA:

The CLSA (Figure 1) is located in a stagnation moraine and is included in a complex of Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The CLSA is a regional ground-water recharge area but contains wetlands that function as local ground-water recharge, flow-through, and discharge sites (LaBaugh et al. 1987). Detailed descriptions of climate (Rosenbery 1987), location and vegetation (Swanson 1987, Poiani 1990), hydrologic setting (Winter and Carr 1980), and hydrology and chemistry (LeBaugh et al. 1987, Swanson 1990) have been published for the CLSA. A complete listing of 31 journal articles, 3 published data reports, 5 theses, and 40 abstracts generated from CLSA can be found at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/clsa.

Location of wetlands and permanent transects at the CLSA.

Figure 1. Location of wetlands and permanent transects at the Cottonwood Lake Study Area, Stutsman County, ND.

PROCEDURES:

Overview:

Procedures for this study have been operational through an existing effort initiated in the mid-1970's but were expanded to include aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and bird use in 1992 (Table 1). Detailed descriptions of the hydrological, climatological, and chemical analyses and procedures used at CLSA are provided by Swanson et al. (1988), LaBaugh et al. (1987), LaBaugh and Swanson (1988), Rosenberry (1987), and Winter and Carr (1980) and are briefly outlined below.

Use of the wetlands by waterfowl, nongame birds, amphibians, and aquatic macroinvertebrates are estimated using techniques listed below for each major group of organism. Each response variable (e.g., waterfowl numbers ) will be statistically evaluated in relation to various hydrological, abiotic, and biotic factors (Table 1) using various uni- and multivariate procedures.

Table 1. Temporal data structure of CLSA investigation.

Temporal Unit

Variables¹

AMP²

INV²

BBC²

TBC²

NUT

ION

GWD

WWD

CLI

PHOT

Yearly

Monthly

Weekly

Biweekly

X³

Daily

X⁴

Continuously

X⁵

¹ AMP = amphibians, INV = aquatic macroinvertebrates, BBC = breeding bird count, TBC = total bird count and density, PH = pH, EC = electrical conductivity, NUT = nutrients, ION = cations and anions, GWD = ground water depth, WWD = wetland water depth, CLI = climatological data, PHOT = aerial photographs of wetland basin vegetation.
² Added in 1992
³ Ground water depths are measured biweekly during the ice free portions of the year and at monthly intervals when wetlands are frozen.
⁴ Data collected daily during a short time span but data reported as a yearly measurement.
⁵ Data collected from wetland P

Hydrology:

Sixty water table wells have been installed at CLSA to define the water-table configuration and the vertical hydrologic-head gradient within the ground-water system. Wells are measured biweekly during the open water season and monthly when wetlands are frozen.

Water levels of all 17 wetlands are measured and recorded weekly during the open-water period by manually reading staff gauge water levels. Also during the open water period, the water-level of wetland P1 is continuously monitored to document wetland response to individual precipitation events and data are recorded on a micrologger.

Climate:

Precipitation is measured with a constant recording tipping-bucket rain gauge and a nonrecording rain and snow gauge. The tipping-bucket rain gauge is wired into a micrologger; rainfall captured in nonrecording gauges is measured, recorded, and emptied weekly during the open water season and monthly during the period when wetlands are frozen.

Air temperature, relative humidity, surface-water temperature, and wind speed are constantly recorded during the open water season to calculate evaporation rates. All measurements are recorded by a micrologger that computes hourly and daily means for computer input.

Water Chemistry:

Cations and anions (Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Sulfates, Carbonates, and Chlorides), major nutrients (Nitrates and Phosphates), pH and specific conductivity are analyzed by USBR scientists from water samples collected with a water column sampler (Swanson 1978a) at monthly intervals on wetlands T3, T8, P1, P8, and P11 (Figure 1) located along a south-east to north-west topographic and hydrologic gradient. Samples are randomly collected from established transects in the open water zone on semipermanent wetlands and in the center of the shallow-marsh zone in seasonal wetlands. Transect locations have been described by LaBaugh et al. (1987).

Plants:

Changes in wetland vegetative zones are documented with aerial photographs taken of each wetland during mid-summer. Vertical aerial photographs will be taken through the belly hole of an aircraft using a 35mm camera equipped with a 50 mm lens and 25 ASA film. Altitudes of photography range from 1000 to 6000 feet above-ground-level and are dependant upon the size of the particular wetland being photographed. Aerial photographs are scanned into georeferenced computer databases and major vegetative zones are delineated using Mapping and Image Processing Software (MIPS). Vegetative zones identified from photographs are confirmed by ground truthing. Briefly, a 0.25m² plot is randomly located within each vegetative zone bisected by permanently established transects (Figure 1). The number of stems of each plant species within plots are recorded and used to describe the composition of plant species within each vegetative zone.

Birds:

Monthly Bird Counts: All birds are counted in each CLSA wetland at monthly intervals from 1 April to 30 September. We count every bird observed in each wetland by first counting birds in open water zones and then flushing remaining birds from vegetated areas. Three observers tally birds present in the open water and in dense emergent vegetation; counts of birds present in open water zones are accomplished from high vantage points prior to walking through the emergent vegetation to flush remaining birds. One observer remains stationed at a high vantage point to record the number and species of flushed birds that land in noncensused wetlands (i.e., those wetlands remaining to be censused during a given sample day) while the other observers flush remaining birds from vegetated areas. Flushed birds that land on noncensused wetlands are subtracted from final counts of individual wetlands. Mobile radios are used to facilitate effective communication and enhance our ability to identify the location of flushed birds. For each species, sex and number of individuals in each wetland are recorded. Wetlands at the CLSA are small and/or open enough (e.g., P-11) that complete counts are achievable for most species. However, we recognize that complete counts of some small passerines (e.g., marsh wrens) or rails may not be obtained. To avoid bias resulting from differential temporal use of wetlands, total bird surveys are conducted during the same time frames on sample days.

Breeding Bird Surveys: Breeding bird surveys are conducted daily on each wetland at the CLSA from late May to early June (12 surveys total) using the Williams spot-mapping method (Van Velzen 1972, Biddy et al 1992). Briefly, locations of singing male songbirds and all waterfowl are mapped on aerial photographs of each wetland. Aerial markers, woody vegetation, large rocks and other identifying features of the landscape are used to facilitate accurate placement of locations on the photographs. Surveys are initiated immediately before daybreak and are completed before 10:00 hrs. Central Standard Time to coincide with optimal times of singing by territorial males. Further, surveys are concentrated during a 12-15 day period to avoid bias resulting from temporal shifts in territorial boundaries (Biddy et al. 1992). Breeding bird surveys will not be conducted during high winds (i.e., >15mph), precipitation events, or high temperatures (i.e., >27°C). Data will consist of the number of territories for each species associated with individual wetland basins and will be used as a yearly measurement of breeding bird response to CLSA wetlands.

Amphibians:

Amphibians, including tiger salamanders, toads, and frogs will be sampled one week each month during the open water, ice-free period in each CLSA wetland using amphibian funnel traps (Mushet et al. 1997) placed in the central zones of wetlands. Funnel traps are constructed of 0.25 inch galvanized hardware cloth and have a 5-cm aperture at the funnel opening. Funnel traps will be set on Monday mornings and are checked each morning, Tuesday through Friday, at which time each trap is deactivated until the following month. All captured animals will be handled as little as possible and in strict accordance to Guidelines For Use Of Live Amphibians And Reptiles In Field Research (1987). Data collected will consist of numbers of individuals, sex, and developmental stage (larval, adult) of animals caught per sampling effort by species.

Aquatic macroinvertebrates:

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are quantified in all wetlands at CLSA containing water using a variety of standard sampling devices. Sampling is stratified to provide separate estimates of invertebrate biomass and abundance in all major vegetative zones of each wetland. Samples will be collected at random locations along the 3 established transects in each wetland that were established earlier and used to collect other biotic and abiotic data (LaBaugh et al. 1987). The length of each vegetation zone as bisected by transects is measured and a computer-generated set of random numbers is used to identify sample points for the collection of invertebrate samples in each vegetative zone. One sample is collected from each major vegetative zone from each transect.

Vertically oriented funnel traps (Swanson 1978b) and benthic corers (Swanson 1983) are used to assess invertebrate densities and biomass within vegetative zones in each of the 17 wetlands. Beginning in 1998, straight-tube sediment traps (Euliss and Mushet 1996) also will be used to index annual productivity of invertebrates for each wetland. An improved self-cleaning screen (Euliss and Swanson 1989) is used to concentrate sample residues of benthic samples.

With the exception of the new straight-tube sediment traps which sample countinuously for one year (installation, sample collection, and replacement traps are reinstalled immediately following ice-out each year), invertebrate samples will be collected monthly from all CLSA wetlands. Data will be analyzed from the 5 intensively sampled wetlands in relation to the detailed abiotic data being collected by USGS-WRD and USBR; data from the remaining wetlands will be analyzed in relation to wetland class, vegetative zone, and hydroperiod.

Statistical Methods:

Two basic statistical analyses will be employed. The primary statistical analysis will be restricted to the 5 wetlands where extensive abiotic and biotic data are collected during the open-water ice-free portion of the year. In that analysis, we will examine total numbers and densities of birds, macroinvertebrates, and amphibians in relation to wetland class and other explanatory variables (e.g. vegetative zone, hydroperiod, water chemistry, etc.). We anticipate using various multivariate descriptive statistical tools, to include canonical correlation and/or multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The secondary statistical analysis will include all CLSA wetlands. Data from the 5 intensively sampled wetlands will be averaged as needed to facilitate statistical comparisons. In the secondary analysis, we may use cluster and/or canonical variate analysis to descriptively relate our faunal measurements to wetland classes and possibly vegetative zones. MANOVA and/or canonical variate analysis will be used to compare the community of vertebrate and invertebrate fauna between wetland classes and vegetative zones. Finally, we hope to use path analysis (Loehlin 1987) to examine the relationship among certain abiotic variables (e.g., pH, etc.), invertebrate data, and vertebrate densities or counts. Statistical approaches proposed were outlined by Digby and Kempton (1987), Ludwig and Reynolds (1988), among others.

LITERATURE CITED:
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologist's League, and Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 1987. Guidelines for use of live amphibians and reptiles in field research. J. Herpetology Supp. No.4., 1-14. Bibby, C. J., N. D. Burgess, and D. A. Hill. 1992. Bird Census Techniques. Academic Press, San Diego, Ca. 257 pp. Dahl, T. E. 1990. Wetland losses in the United States 1780's to 1980's. U.S. Dept. Interior., Fish and Wildl. Serv., Wash., D.C. 21pp. Dahl, T. E. and C. E. Johnson. 1991. Status and trends of wetlands in the coterminous United States, mid-1970's to mid-1980's. U. S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C., USA. Diaz, H. F. 1983. Some aspects of major dry and wet periods in the contiguous United States, 1895-1981. Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology 22:3-16. Diaz, H. F. 1986. An analysis of twentieth century climate fluctuations in northern North America. Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology 25:1625-57. Digby, P. G. N., and R. A. Kempton. 1987. Multivariate analysis of ecological communities. Chapman and Hall, New York. 206pp. Duvick, D. N. and T. J. Blasing. 1981. A dendroclimatic reconstruction of annual precipitation amounts in Iowa since 1680. Water Resource Research 17:1183-1189. Euliss, N. H. Jr. and D. M. Mushet. 1996. Development and evaluation of an invertebrate sampling device and a water-level recorder for EMAP. In S. A. Peterson, L. Carpenter, G. Guntenspergen, and L. M. Cowardin, editors, Pilot Test of Wetland Condition Indicators in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA/620/R-97/002. Euliss, N. H., Jr., and G. A. Swanson. 1989. Improved self-cleaning screen for processing benthic samples. Calif. Fish Game 75:124-128. Euliss, N. H., Jr., D. A. Wrubleski, and D. M. Mushet. 1998. Invertebrates in Wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region - Species Composition, Ecology, and Management. In D. Batzer, R. B. Rader, and S. A. Wissinger, editors. Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America - Ecology and Management. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, NY. Hanson, B. A., and G. A. Swanson. 1987. The aquatic coleoptera of Cottonwood Lake wetlands. Proc. North Dakota Acad. Sci. 41:30. Karl, T. R. and A. J. Koscielny. 1982. Drought in the United States: 1895-1981. Journal of Climatology 2:313-329. Karl, T. R. and W. E. Riebsame. 1984. The identification of 10 to 20 year temperature and precipitation fluctuations in the contiguous United States. Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology 23:950-966. LaBaugh, J. W., and G. A. Swanson. 1988. Algae and invertebrates in the water column of selected prairie wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman county, North Dakota, 1984. U. S. Geological Survey Open-file Rep. 88-451. LaBaugh, J. W., T. C. Winter, V. A. Adomaitis, and G. A. Swanson. 1987. Hydrology and chemistry of selected prairie wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman County, North Dakota. 1979-82. U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 1431. Loehlin, J. C. 1987. Latent variable needs: an introduction to factor, path, and structural analysis. Lawrence Erlbaun Assoc. Publ., Hillsdale. 273pp. Ludwig, J. A. and J. F. Reynolds. 1988. Statistical ecology: a primer on methods and computing. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, NY. 337pp. Mushet, D. M., N. H. Euliss, Jr., B. H. Hanson, and S. G. Zodrow. 1997. A funnel trap for sampling salamanders in wetlands. Herpetological Review 28:132-133. Nelson, R. D., and M. G. Butler. 1987. Seasonal abundance of larval and adult chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae) in four prairie wetlands. Proc. N. D. Acad. Sci. 41:31. People, Land, and Water. 1996. The new face of science at interior. 3-7:10-11. Poiani, K. A. 1990. Response of a semi-permanent prairie wetland to climatic change: a spatial simulation model. Ph.D. Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Blacksburg, VA. 100pp. Poiani, K. A., and W. C. Johnson. 1988. Evaluation of the emergence method in estimating seed bank composition of prairie wetlands. Aquat. Bot. 32:91-97. Rosenberry, D. O. 1987. Climatic characteristics of the Cottonwood Lake area, North Dakota. Proc. North Dakota Acad. Science 41:26. Swanson, G. A. 1978a. A water column sampler for invertebrates in shallow wetlands. J. Wildl. Manage. 42:670-672. Swanson, G. A. 1978b. Funnel trap for collecting littoral aquatic invertebrates. Prog. Fish Cult. 40:73. Swanson, G. A. 1983. Benthic sampling for waterfowl foods in emergent vegetation. J. Wildl. Manage. 47:821-823. Swanson, G. A. 1987. An introduction to the Cottonwood Lake area. Proc. North Dakota Acad. Science 41:25. Swanson, G. A., G. L. Krapu, and J. R. Serie. 1979. Foods of laying female dabbling ducks on the breeding grounds. Pages 47-57 in T. A. Bookhout, ed. Waterfowl and wetlands - an integrated review. Proc. Symp. N. Cent. Sect., The Wildlife Society. Swanson, G. A., T. C. Winter, V. A. Adomaitis, and J. W. LaBaugh. 1988. Chemical characteristics of prairie lakes in south-central North Dakota - Their potential for influencing use by fish and wildlife. U. S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Tech. Rep. 18. 44pp. Swanson, K. D. 1990. Chemical evolution and ground water in clay till in a prairie wetland setting in the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman county, North Dakota. M.S. Thesis. Univ. Wisconsin, Madison. 230pp. Tiner, R. W. 1984. Wetlands of the United States: current status and recent trends. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C., USA. van der Valk, A. G. and C. B. Davis. 1978. The role of seed banks in the vegetation dynamics of prairie glacial marshes. Ecology 59:322-335. Van Velzen, W. T. 1972. Breeding bird census instructions. Am. Birds. 26:1007-1010. Winter, T. C. 1989. Hydrologic studies of wetlands in the Northern Prairie. Pages 16-54 in A. van der Valk, ed. Northern Prairie Wetlands. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA. Winter, T. C., and M. R. Carr. 1980. Hydrologic setting of wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman county, North Dakota. U. S. Geol. Surv. Water-Resources Invest. 80-99.

HAZARD ASSESSMENT:

The study will require extensive walking in a remote area where the only anticipated hazards are from stepping in holes or tripping over objects. A thorough safety orientation will be provided to all crew members before beginning field work. First aid kits and a mobile phone will be provided to enhance our ability to deal effectively with minor and unanticipated emergencies. Additional hazards are associated with the need to use aircraft to obtain aerial photos of the wetlands. All aircraft missions will be conducted in accordance with Northern Prairie General Management Procedures and Office of Aircraft Services (OAS) regulations and procedures. Project personnel will be trained in safety procedures required by that office. There will be no missions flown at an altitude less than 500 feet Above-Ground-Level (AGL) and altitudes will normally range between 1000 and 6000 feet AGL dependant upon the size of the wetland basin being photographed.

ANIMAL WELFARE:

The study will involve capturing live amphibians. The funnel traps designed for use in this study have been shown to minimize injury rates (Mushet et al. 1997) and provide captured animals access to the surface. Additionally, traps will be checked daily to minimize the time captured animals spend in traps. Captured animals will be tallied by species and released immediatly in the wetland of capture. All caprtured amphibians will be handled in strict accordance to Guidelines for use of Live Amphibians and Reptiles in Field Research (1987).

COMPLETION PRODUCTS:

This research effort will insure the continuation of the only long-term dataset containing detailed data on both biotic and abiotic ecological components of a prairie wetland complex. This dataset provides an invaluable resource upon which future efforts can be attached to further our understanding of wetland ecosystems. Additionally, several scientific publications describing macroinvertebrate, vertebrate, and macrophyte response to various abiotic and biotic changes in response to long-term cycles are anticipated. We also anticipate that numerous lectures and seminars will be provided to general, semitechnical, and technical audiences. We are currently analyzing data collected from 1992-1997 and anticipate having draft manuscripts available by late 1998; see contributions since 1992 at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/clsa.

WORK SCHEDULE:

Data collection will be initiated at ice out (approximately 1 April) 1998 and will continue until freeze-up each year; a limited amount of field work is performed during the remaining months in support of our collaborative agreement with USGS-WRD.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Ned H. Euliss, Jr., Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND.

COINVESTIGATORS:

Donald O. Rosenberry and Thomas C. Winter, U. S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO.

James W. LaBaugh, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

Richard Nelson, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Bismarck, ND.

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