Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2016ND309B

A Comparison of Wetlands across the Urban - Peri-Urban - Rural Gradient

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2016 Start Date: 2016-03-01 End Date: 2017-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,650 Total Non-Federal Funds: $11,300

Principal Investigators: Christina Hargiss

Project Summary: Wetlands throughout the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) have been impacted by anthropogenic activities, including various agricultural practices and urbanization. The Glacial Lake Agassiz Basin Sub-Ecoregion (GLAB) of the PPR, on the eastern edge of North Dakota, has endured increased urbanization and anthropogenic disturbances when compared with the rest of the state. Nationally, studies have shown that as urbanization increases there is a loss in vital habitat and available forage for wildlife and increased non-native plant species. The main goal of this project is to assess the wetlands across the urban, peri-urban, and rural gradient within the GLAB of eastern North Dakota. The specific objectives of this project are to: 1) obtain baseline water quality data for urban wetlands and assess water quality changes across the urban-rural gradient; 2) assess wetland condition across the urban-rural gradient using the Index of Plant Community Integrity and North Dakota Rapid Assessment Method; 3) gauge wetland function across the urban-rural gradient using the Hydrogeomorphic model; and 4) evaluate changes in vegetation composition (annual/perennial, introduced/native, invasive) across the urban-rural gradient.