EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021

(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)

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5/26/2021  |   8:30 AM - 10:30 AM   |  Punching above their weight: Wetlands moderate nutrient delivery to streams despite comprising just 5% of the conterminous US land area   |  Virtual Platform

Punching above their weight: Wetlands moderate nutrient delivery to streams despite comprising just 5% of the conterminous US land area

Wetlands can mediate the transfer of materials between uplands and streams through flow interception and connectivity to streams. We classified the connectivity of 6.7 million wetlands to 2.6 million stream segments across the conterminous US (CONUS). We defined flowpaths from wetlands to receiving streams and classified wetland units as riparian vs. non-riparian, likely dominant flow (surface vs. subsurface), and soil drainage (poorly vs. well-drained) along paths. Riparian was the dominant wetland type (71% by area). We delineated wetland drainage basins and quantified the nitrogen (N) each receives. Maps reveal profound spatial mismatches between N inputs and intercepting wetlands across the CONUS. Despite comprising just 5% of the landscape, wetlands potentially intercept 25% of upland N inputs. Regression analysis with 1,779 sample sites showed that instream total N was weakly associated with N inputs intercepted by non-riparian surface-connected wetlands and strongly associated with wetland-bypassed inputs. Conversely, instream total N was not associated with N inputs intercepted by both riparian and non-riparian subsurface-connected wetlands, suggesting they function as N sinks. Results from our maps and model suggest that wetlands could help to safeguard the water quality of CONUS watersheds.

  • Stream
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Freshwater continuum

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Presenters/Authors

Ryan Hill (), US EPA, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, hill.ryan@epa.gov;


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Scott Leibowitz (), US EPA, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, leibowitz.scott@epa.gov;


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Marc Weber (), US EPA, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, weber.marc@epa.gov;


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Jana Compton (), US EPA, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, compton.jana@epa.gov;


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Mark Rains (), School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, mrains@usf.edu;


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Irena Creed (), School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, irena.creed@usask.ca;
Irena Frances Creed is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Watershed Sciences at Western University in Canada. Her research leadership and activity have improved our understanding of watershed hydrological and biogeochemical functions under present and predicted climate scenarios. By coupling this understanding with innovative techniques in geographic information systems, remote sensing and modeling to characterize these functions, she has enabled governments to develop planning and regulatory tools in support of innovative policies designed to ensure the sustainability of watershed systems.


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Charles Jones (), Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Corvallis, OR, cejones@usgs.gov;


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Jay Christensen (), US EPA, Watershed & Ecosystem Characterization Division, Cincinnati, OH , christensen.jay@epa.gov;


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Rebecca Bellmore (), Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition, rebecca@sawcak.org;


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E. Henry Lee (), US EPA, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, Lee.EHenry@epa.gov;


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Heather Golden (), US EPA, Watershed & Ecosystem Characterization Division, Cincinnati, OH , golden.heather@epa.gov;


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Charles Lane (), US EPA, Watershed & Ecosystem Characterization Division, Cincinnati, OH , lane.charles@epa.gov;


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