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Assessment of wetland condition on the Rio Grande National Forest

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dc.contributor.authorLemly, Joanna M., author
dc.contributor.authorColorado Natural Heritage Program, publisher
dc.coverage.spatialRio Grande National Forest (Colo.)
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T08:12:31Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T08:12:31Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.descriptionPrerpared for: USDA Forest Service, Rio Grande National Forest.
dc.descriptionOctober 2012.
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (pages 41-43).
dc.description.abstractThe Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) covers 1.83 million acres in south central Colorado and contains the very headwaters of the Rio Grande River. The Forest’s diverse geography creates a template for equally diverse wetlands, which provide important ecological services to both the RGNF and lands downstream. Though now recognized as a vital component of the landscape, many wetlands have been altered by a range of human land uses since European settlement. Across the RGNF, mining, logging, reservoirs, water diversions, grazing, and recreation have all impacted wetlands. In order to adequately manage and protect wetland resources on the RGNF, reliable data are needed on their location, extent and condition. In total, 77 wetland sites were surveyed across the RGNF. Nearly 500 plant taxa were encountered during the surveys, including 445 identified to the species level. Wetland condition measures indicate that wetlands on the RGNF are in excellent to good condition. Floristic quality assessment indices were high for most wetlands, though did vary by both elevation and wetland type. Multi-metric Ecological Integrity Assessment (EIA) scores rated most wetlands with an A- or B-rank, indicating that wetlands were either in reference condition or deviated only slightly from reference condition. A handful of wetlands received C-ranks, due to stressors including grazing, hydrologic modifications, and surrounding land use.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumreports
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/68397
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartofPublications
dc.rights©2012 Colorado State University, Colorado Natural Heritage Program. All rights reserved.
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectColorado
dc.subjectwildlife
dc.subjectwatershed management
dc.subjectwetlands monitoring
dc.subjectwetland ecology
dc.titleAssessment of wetland condition on the Rio Grande National Forest
dc.typeText

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