Establishing Baseline Hydrologic Conditions of Forested Wetlands in Nova Scotia

Abstract

In order to effectively restore altered wetland ecosystems to their natural state, it is critical to understand and identify the baseline hydrologic function of natural forested wetlands. An extensive dataset of water level measurements taken from 18 wetlands in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, was used to characterize water level dynamics in forested wetlands and how they vary by wetland type (wooded peatland, shrub swamp, and treed swamp), and geographic region (Western ecoregion, and Valley and Central Lowlands ecoregion). The resulting physiographic characteristics, and climate factors, were statistically compared to the water level metrics and determined that the percentage of watershed area classified as forest cover, drainage area (Ha), and wetland topographic position index (TPI) were the key factors that influence the hydrologic regime of forested wetlands.