Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Use of Macroinvertebrates to Identify Cultivated
Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region
Ned H. Euliss, Jr., David M. Mushet, and Douglas H. Johnson
Abstract: We evaluated the use of macroinvertebrates as a potential
tool to identify dry and intensively farmed temporary and seasonal wetlands
in the Prairie Pothole Region. The techniques we designed and evaluated used
the dried remains of invertebrates or their egg banks in soils as indicators
of wetlands. For both the dried remains of invertebrates and their egg banks,
we weighted each taxon according to its affinity for wetlands or uplands. Our
study clearly demonstrated that shells, exoskeletons, head capsules, eggs, and
other remains of macroinvertebrates can be used to identify wetlands, even when
they are dry, intensively farmed, and difficult to identify as wetlands using
standard criteria (i.e., hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils).
Although both dried remains and egg banks identified wetlands, the combination
was more useful, especially for identifying drained or filled wetlands. We also
evaluated the use of coarse taxonomic groupings to stimulate use of the technique
by nonspecialists and obtained satisfactory results in most situations.
Key Words: aquatic invertebrate signatures, delineation, macroinvertebrates,
prairie potholes, wetland identification
This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication
1136):
Euliss, Ned H., Jr., David M. Mushet, and Douglas H. Johnson. 2001.
Use of macroinvertebrates to identify cultivated wetlands in
the prairie pothole region. Wetlands 21(2):223-231.
This resource should be cited as:
Euliss, Ned H., Jr., David M. Mushet, and Douglas H. Johnson. 2001.
Use of macroinvertebrates to identify cultivated wetlands in
the prairie pothole region. Wetlands 21(2):223-231. Jamestown,
ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wetlands/macrouse/index.htm
(Version 05DEC2001).
Table of Contents
Tables and Figures
- Table 1 -- Evidence type used, habitat
affinity, frequency of occurrence, and mean count of taxa.
- Table 2 -- Simplified taxa evidence type
used, habitat affinity, frequency of occurrence, and average count.
- Table 3 -- Adjusted marginal means and
standard errors of numbers of species from field samples and LogCount.
- Table 4 -- Taxa, habitat affinity, frequency
of occurrence, and average number incubated.
- Table 5 -- Simplified taxa, habitat affinity,
frequency of occurrence, and average count incubated.
- Table 6 -- Adjusted marginal means and
standard errors of numbers of species incubated from samples and LogCount.
- Figure 1 -- Relationship of LogCount
and the number of invertebrate taxa.
- Figure 2 -- Relationship of LogCount
and the number of invertebrate taxa.
Ned H. Euliss, Jr., David M. Mushet, and Douglas
H. Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research
Center, 8711 37 Street SE, Jamestown, North Dakota, USA 58401
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