Assessing Important Biological Functions Provided by the Wetlands Reserve Program in Oklahoma, USA

Abstract

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a conservation program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to reverse the loss of wetlands in the United States by protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands. To determine if these goals have been achieved, the biotic functions of maintaining (1) waterbird communities, (2) plant communities, and (3) wetland interspersion in WRP wetlands were evaluated to assess whether they are performing similarly to natural wetlands. This research compared eight naturally occurring wetlands to eight WRP wetlands along the Deep Fork River in Oklahoma. Waterbird communities were monitored from June 2009 to May 2010 and plant communities were sampled during the late summer of 2009 and 2010. Waterbird abundance, richness, evenness, and diversity were used to assess waterbird communities. Plant species richness, evenness and diversity were used to assess plant communities. The area of wetland habitat within 3 km of study sites was used to assess wetland interspersion, which is the ability of a wetland to allow organisms continuous access to food and cover. Waterbird community parameters, plant species evenness, and interspersion were similar between WRP wetlands and natural wetlands. However, plant species richness and diversity were significantly higher in WRP wetlands than natural wetlands. Overall, hydrologically managed WRP wetland restorations along the Deep Fork River are providing similar waterbird communities, plant communities, and wetland interspersion to natural wetlands.