Our vegetation surveys went more smoothly than last year, as we let iNaturalist and PictureThis take the lead on most of our plant IDs, while using our resources to check that the IDs made sense. We checked our app IDs against photos and descriptions of the plants from iNaturalist, field guides, and our own prior knowledge of plant ID.
June monitoring: Wetland warriors spent long days in the wetlands with plants, amphibians, and water, oh my!
chase.bergeson • June 9, 2023
We just wrapped up our second monitoring event of the year and were happy to see returning faces, new volunteers, and our plant lovers show up! We conducted our usual water quality and hydrology monitoring, but also surveyed for amphibians and plants.
We also used our best practices for photographing plants in iNaturalist so that it will be easier for citizen scientists outside of our organization to check our IDs. This included taking multiple photos of many features of the plants and using centimeter grids for contrast and size reference. Thanks to PI Thomas Reed for these great additions!
We got lots of practice with our rushes, sedges, and grasses. Luckily there were some seed heads to guide us.
We found lots of hydrophytic plants that are obligate (OBL) or facultative wetland (FACW) species, meaning that if you find them, you are likely to be in a wetland! Some of these included, lizard’s tail (OBL), jewelweed (FACW), fowl mannagrass (OBL), and false nettle (FACW).
You can check out the wonderful Common Wetland Plants of North Carolina book, updated by one of our previous board members, Kristie Gianopulos, here: https://www.ncwetlands.org/plantguide/
You can learn more about a plant and check its wetland status, here: https://plants.usda.gov/home
We also monitored for amphibians, but didn’t find much. This may be because our large groups spooked them, but could also be because our drier sites caused juveniles to metamorphosize early, before their pools dried up and head to upland areas. We actually found some already hatched spotted salamander eggs. Don’t worry they’ll be back next Spring!
We did find an Eastern Narrow-mouthed toad, Three-lined salamander, Southern Leopard Frog, and Northern Cricket Frogs!
You can check out everything we found on the data page of our website.
It was much drier than our March monitoring event with almost no standing water at our Mason Farm Biological Reserve monitoring site, that was 8 inches deep in March, and very little water left in the vernal pools of Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. Even though we didn’t have much surface water, there were still many indicators that we could use to confirm that our sites were wet in the recent past.
For a wetland to be considered jurisdictional by the US Army Corps of Engineers, it must have hydrophytic vegetation (plants that can tolerate being wet), hydric soils (soils that show signs of prolonged saturation), and wetland hydrology. Vegetation and soils can help determine that a site has been wet for long periods in the past, but wetland hydrology indicators can help us determine if the site continues to be wet. Learn more here.
For our monitoring sites, our monitoring wells help us track wetland hydrology all year round, but looking for other indicators of wetland hydrology can help us confirm our well measurements and can be used in sites without wells to help determine whether our wetlands are really wet.
We saw several of these indicators at our field sites this month including:
Crayfish burrows, water-stained leaves, drift deposits, and we even smelled hydrogen sulfide!
All of these indicate to us that our wetlands are wet, even when we don’t see the surface water.
I had a wonderful time with all of you this weekend. Thanks to all of our wetland warriors for volunteering! I can’t wait to see you at our next event. Mark your calendars for our September sampling!
Photo credits: Thomas Reed
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Even during the cold weather we have been experiencing this winter, wetlands are quietly at work. Beneath the surface, wetland soils remain biologically active, and plants store energy in their roots. Wetlands provide refuge and are among the first parts of the landscape to signal seasonal renewal.  Early Voices of Spring: Amphibians on the Move As daylight increases and temperatures rise, one of spring’s most joyful heralds is the sound of amphibians awakening from winter slumber. In ephemeral ponds and forested swamps, the spring peeper ( Pseudacris crucifer ) announces the season with its whistle-like call. Though tiny, their choruses can carry across the land. Spotted salamanders ( Ambystoma maculatum ) and marbled salamanders ( Ambystoma opacum ) also migrate on warm, rainy nights to breed in fish-free seasonal pools.
On February 2, wetland lovers across the globe come together to recognize World Wetlands Day. As we raise awareness of rapid loss and ongoing damage to wetlands, we also shine light on the dedicated teams and individuals working to conserve, protect, and share knowledge about these vital ecosystems. By supporting wetlands within our communities, we help ensure they continue to support life for generations to come.