Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Wetland ecosystems function as reservoirs of biodiversity for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms, while being among the most vulnerable ecosystems to degradation. The quality of two wetlands at Eastern Michigan University’s Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (FLEEC) was measured based on plant diversity, a northern peat moss bog and one of several vernal pools. The EMU Herbarium documents 122 wetland plant species from 44 families at FLEEC, with 55 species expected within the bog and 67 species expected within vernal pools; 32 species are expected to be shared between sites. The metrics used to assess plant community composition were coefficient of conservatism, a reflection of a plant’s rarity within the native landscape, and the Floristic Quality Index (FQI), which measures the quality of native plant communities. In the bog plants have an average coefficient of conservatism of 7.3, with no species assigned a value less than 5 and no invasive species observed, and an FQI value of 24.12. These data suggest that the FLEEC bog is a well-preserved and high functioning wetland. While the vernal pool had overall low average coefficient of conservatism of 3.8 and FQI value 15.03, likely due to a higher number of plants with low habitat specificity, it contained a significant number of total species. The FLEEC leadership team can use these assessments in demonstrating importance of the property and the wetlands within it, and to determine whether intervention is necessary to ensure the long-term health of these wetlands at FLEEC.
Included in
Functional evaluation of two wetland sites within Eastern Michigan University’s Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (FLEEC)
Wetland ecosystems function as reservoirs of biodiversity for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms, while being among the most vulnerable ecosystems to degradation. The quality of two wetlands at Eastern Michigan University’s Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (FLEEC) was measured based on plant diversity, a northern peat moss bog and one of several vernal pools. The EMU Herbarium documents 122 wetland plant species from 44 families at FLEEC, with 55 species expected within the bog and 67 species expected within vernal pools; 32 species are expected to be shared between sites. The metrics used to assess plant community composition were coefficient of conservatism, a reflection of a plant’s rarity within the native landscape, and the Floristic Quality Index (FQI), which measures the quality of native plant communities. In the bog plants have an average coefficient of conservatism of 7.3, with no species assigned a value less than 5 and no invasive species observed, and an FQI value of 24.12. These data suggest that the FLEEC bog is a well-preserved and high functioning wetland. While the vernal pool had overall low average coefficient of conservatism of 3.8 and FQI value 15.03, likely due to a higher number of plants with low habitat specificity, it contained a significant number of total species. The FLEEC leadership team can use these assessments in demonstrating importance of the property and the wetlands within it, and to determine whether intervention is necessary to ensure the long-term health of these wetlands at FLEEC.
