The past, present, and future of prairie potholes in the United States

Johnson, Rex R.; Oslund, Fred T.; Hertel, Dan R.

doi:10.2489/jswc.63.3.84a

Cited by 51 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Since European settlement, these wetlands have been converted to cropland with wetland losses greatest in the eastern portion of the PPR. Concordantly, the PPR in Minnesota and Iowa have experienced the greatest wetland losses, 85% and 95% respectively, while North and South Dakota have retained many more wetlands, with losses of 49% and 35%, respectively (Dahl 1990;Johnson et al 2008). Losses of surrounding prairie habitats have been even greater than wetland losses (Beyersbergen et al 2004).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 94%

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of Waterbirds in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

Steen

Powell

2012

Waterbirds

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 94%

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of Waterbirds in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

Steen

Powell

2012

Waterbirds

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“…Approximately half of the natural wetland basins in the PPR were drained many decades ago for agricultural and urban uses (Tiner 1984; Dahl 2000, 2006, 2011). The proportion of wetlands drained follows the moisture (and hence cropland productivity) gradient; nearly all prairie wetlands in the subhumid climate of Iowa and western Minnesota have been drained, while at present the majority remain intact in the drier, central Dakotas and in the western Canadian Prairies (Johnson et al 2008), although drainage has continued in both areas (Environment Canada 1991; Dahl and Watmough 2007; Bartzen et al 2010; Oslund et al 2010). Furthermore, the ecological functions of many remaining wetlands have been impacted by invasive species, habitat conversion, overgrazing, and by farming in dry years (Gleason and Euliss 1998; Guntenspergen et al 2002; Gleason et al 2003; van der Valk 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for 20th century climate warming and wetland drying in the North American Prairie Pothole Region

Werner

Johnson

Guntenspergen

2013

Ecology and Evolution

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The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America is a globally important resource that provides abundant and valuable ecosystem goods and services in the form of biodiversity, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood attenuation, and water and forage for agriculture. Numerous studies have found these wetlands, which number in the millions, to be highly sensitive to climate variability. Here, we compare wetland conditions between two 30-year periods (1946–1975; 1976–2005) using a hindcast simulation approach to determine if recent climate warming in the region has already resulted in changes in wetland condition. Simulations using the WETLANDSCAPE model show that 20th century climate change may have been sufficient to have a significant impact on wetland cover cycling. Modeled wetlands in the PPR's western Canadian prairies show the most dramatic effects: a recent trend toward shorter hydroperiods and less dynamic vegetation cycles, which already may have reduced the productivity of hundreds of wetland-dependent species.

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“…Confidence intervals were based on random draws using the sample size of the comparison study b As our study did not extend into Montana, our comparison is with nearby North Dakota Missouri Coteau wetlands however, suggest increases in annual precipitation that are in agreement with our wettest model (CSIRO), with the greatest increases occurring in spring when newly tilled landscapes are susceptible to erosion. The ability of prairie pothole wetlands to support vertebrate communities is influenced by land use modification, changing agricultural practices, pothole drainage systems, and climate change, which collectively result in altered patterns of wetland inundation (Johnson et al 2005;Johnson et al 2008;Oslund et al 2010;Anteau 2012). Functionality will be lost by the sizeable percentage of wetlands likely to lose at least half of their volume.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sediment Accumulation in Prairie Wetlands under a Changing Climate: the Relative Roles of Landscape and Precipitation

2016

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Sediment accumulation threatens the viability and hydrologic functioning of many naturally formed depressional wetlands across the interior regions of North America. These wetlands provide many ecosystem services and vital habitats for diverse plant and animal communities. Climate change may further impact sediment accumulation rates in the context of current land use patterns. We estimated sediment accretion in wetlands within a region renowned for its large populations of breeding waterfowl and migrant shorebirds and examined the relative roles of precipitation and land use context in the sedimentation process. We modeled rates of sediment accumulation from 1971 through 2100 using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with a sediment delivery ratio and the Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition model (USPED). These models predicted that by 2100, 21-33 % of wetlands filled completely with sediment and 27-46 % filled by half with sediments; estimates are consistent with measured sediment accumulation rates in the region reported by empirical studies. Sediment accumulation rates were strongly influenced by size of the catchment, greater coverage of tilled landscape within the catchment, and steeper slopes. Conservation efforts that incorporate the relative risk of infilling of wetlands with sediments, thus emphasizing areas of high topographic relief and large watersheds, may benefit wetland-dependent biota.

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The past, present, and future of prairie potholes in the United States

Cited by 51 publications

References 4 publications

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of Waterbirds in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of Waterbirds in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

Evidence for 20th century climate warming and wetland drying in the North American Prairie Pothole Region

Sediment Accumulation in Prairie Wetlands under a Changing Climate: the Relative Roles of Landscape and Precipitation

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