Development, application, and refinement of a systems model for prairie wetlands Active
NPWRC is developing, applying, and refining an integrated, process-based, systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands to facilitate forecasts of how climate and land-use change will affect wetland processes and biota. The Pothole Hydrology Linked System Simulator model (PHyLiSS) simulates changes in hydrology, water chemistry, plant communities, invertebrates, and other biota as a result of altered temperature and precipitation inputs. We use extensive biotic and abiotic datasets from the Missouri Coteau Wetland Ecosystem Observatory to parameterize, calibrate, and validate the model. Once completed, PHyLiSS will allow us to explore important scientific questions related to (1) how changes in climate will affect water levels and hydroperiods of prairie-pothole wetlands; (2) how these hydrological changes will affect chemical characteristics of various wetland types; (3) how plant communities, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, waterfowl, and other biota will likely be affected; (4) how alternate land uses will interact with climate to alter wetland processes; and (5) how potential effects of climate change on prairie-wetland ecosystems might be mitigated.
Below are publications associated with this project.
The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands
Aquatic-macroinvertebrate communities of Prairie-Pothole wetlands and lakes under a changed climate
From "Duck Factory" to "Fish Factory": Climate induced changes in vertebrate communities of prairie pothole wetlands and small lakes
Cannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in unexpected ecological contexts
Chemical and biotic characteristics of prairie lakes and large wetlands in south-central North Dakota—Effects of a changing climate
Placing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations
Hydrogeochemistry of prairie pothole region wetlands: Role of long-term critical zone processes
Potential for parasite-induced biases in aquatic invertebrate population studies
The Cottonwood Lake study area, a long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring site
A multi-year comparison of IPCI scores for prairie pothole wetlands: implications of temporal and spatial variation
The wetland continuum: A conceptual framework for interpreting biological studies
- Overview
NPWRC is developing, applying, and refining an integrated, process-based, systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands to facilitate forecasts of how climate and land-use change will affect wetland processes and biota. The Pothole Hydrology Linked System Simulator model (PHyLiSS) simulates changes in hydrology, water chemistry, plant communities, invertebrates, and other biota as a result of altered temperature and precipitation inputs. We use extensive biotic and abiotic datasets from the Missouri Coteau Wetland Ecosystem Observatory to parameterize, calibrate, and validate the model. Once completed, PHyLiSS will allow us to explore important scientific questions related to (1) how changes in climate will affect water levels and hydroperiods of prairie-pothole wetlands; (2) how these hydrological changes will affect chemical characteristics of various wetland types; (3) how plant communities, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, waterfowl, and other biota will likely be affected; (4) how alternate land uses will interact with climate to alter wetland processes; and (5) how potential effects of climate change on prairie-wetland ecosystems might be mitigated.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands
The North American Prairie Pothole Region covers about 770,000 square kilometers of the United States and Canada (including parts of 5 States and 3 provinces: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta). The Laurentide Ice Sheet shaped the landscape of the region about 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. The retreat of the ice sheet left behind low-permeabiliAuthorsOwen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Eric J. Scherff, Kyle McLean, Christopher T. MillsFilter Total Items: 22Aquatic-macroinvertebrate communities of Prairie-Pothole wetlands and lakes under a changed climate
Understanding how aquatic-macroinvertebrate communities respond to changes in climate is important for biodiversity conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region and other wetland-rich landscapes. We sampled macroinvertebrate communities of 162 wetlands and lakes previously sampled from 1966 to 1976, a much drier period compared to our 2012–2013 sampling timeframe. To identify possible influences ofAuthorsKyle I. McLean, David M. Mushet, David A. Renton, Craig A. StockwellFrom "Duck Factory" to "Fish Factory": Climate induced changes in vertebrate communities of prairie pothole wetlands and small lakes
The Prairie Pothole Region’s myriad wetlands and small lakes contribute to its stature as the “duck factory” of North America. The fishless nature of the region’s aquatic habitats, a result of frequent drying, freezing, and high salinity, influences its importance to waterfowl. Recent precipitation increases have resulted in higher water levels and wetland/lake freshening. In 2012–13, we sampled cAuthorsKyle I. McLean, David M. Mushet, Craig A. StockwellCannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in unexpected ecological contexts
Barred tiger salamanders [Ambystoma mavortium (Baird, 1850)] exhibit two trophic morphologies; a typical and a cannibalistic morph. Cannibalistic morphs, distinguished by enlarged vomerine teeth, wide heads, slender bodies, and cannibalistic tendencies, are often found where conspecifics occur at high density. During 2012 and 2013, 162 North Dakota wetlands and lakes were sampled for salamanders.AuthorsKyle I. McLean, Craig A. Stockwell, David M. MushetChemical and biotic characteristics of prairie lakes and large wetlands in south-central North Dakota—Effects of a changing climate
The climate of the prairie pothole region of North America is known for variability that results in significant interannual changes in water depths and volumes of prairie lakes and wetlands; however, beginning in July 1993, the climate of the region shifted to an extended period of increased precipitation that has likely been unequaled in the preceding 500 years. Associated changing water volumesAuthorsDavid M. Mushet, Martin B. Goldhaber, Christopher T. Mills, Kyle I. McLean, Vanessa M. Aparicio, R. Blaine McCleskey, JoAnn M. Holloway, Craig A. StockwellPlacing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations
We evaluated the efficacy of using chemical characteristics to rank wetland relation to surface and groundwater along a hydrologic continuum ranging from groundwater recharge to groundwater discharge. We used 27 years (1974–2002) of water chemistry data from 15 prairie pothole wetlands and known hydrologic connections of these wetlands to groundwater to evaluate spatial and temporal patterns in chAuthorsNed H. Euliss, David M. Mushet, Wesley E. Newton, Clint R.V. Otto, Richard D. Nelson, James W. LaBaugh, Eric J. Scherff, Donald O. RosenberryHydrogeochemistry of prairie pothole region wetlands: Role of long-term critical zone processes
This study addresses the geologic and hydrogeochemical processes operating at a range of scales within the prairie pothole region (PPR). The PPR is a 750,000 km2portion of north central North America that hosts millions of small wetlands known to be critical habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. At a local scale, we characterized the geochemical evolution of the 92-ha Cottonwood Lake study areAuthorsMartin B. Goldhaber, Christopher T. Mills, Jean Morrison, Craig A. Stricker, David M. Mushet, James W. LaBaughPotential for parasite-induced biases in aquatic invertebrate population studies
Recent studies highlight the need to include estimates of detection/capture probability in population studies. This need is particularly important in studies where detection and/or capture probability is influenced by parasite-induced behavioral alterations. We assessed potential biases associated with sampling a population of the amphipod Gammarus lacustris in the presence of Polymorphus spp. acaAuthorsJustin D.L. Fisher, David M. Mushet, Craig A. StockwellThe Cottonwood Lake study area, a long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring site
The Cottonwood Lake study area is one of only three long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring sites in the prairie pothole region of North America; the other two are Orchid Meadows in South Dakota and St. Denis in Saskatchewan. Of the three, Cottonwood Lake has, by far, the longest continuous data-collection record. Research was initiated at the study area in 1966, and intensive investigations of theAuthorsDavid M. Mushet, Ned H. EulissA multi-year comparison of IPCI scores for prairie pothole wetlands: implications of temporal and spatial variation
In the prairie pothole region of North America, development of Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) to detect anthropogenic impacts on wetlands has been hampered by naturally dynamic inter-annual climate fluctuations. Of multiple efforts to develop IBIs for prairie pothole wetlands, only one, the Index of Plant Community Integrity (IPCI), has reported success. We evaluated the IPCI and its ability tAuthorsNed H. Euliss, David M. MushetThe wetland continuum: A conceptual framework for interpreting biological studies
We describe a conceptual model, the wetland continuum, which allows wetland managers, scientists, and ecologists to consider simultaneously the influence of climate and hydrologic setting on wetland biological communities. Although multidimensional, the wetland continuum is most easily represented as a two-dimensional gradient, with ground water and atmospheric water constituting the horizontal anAuthorsN.H. Euliss, J. W. LaBaugh, L.H. Fredrickson, D.M. Mushet, Murray K. Laubhan, G.A. Swanson, T. C. Winter, D. O. Rosenberry, R.D. Nelson