Comments on: Is there some sort of scale that ranks wetland quality? http://water--quality.com/water-quality-standards/is-there-some-sort-of-scale-that-ranks-wetland-quality/ Let's talk about water quality Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:35:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Alyssa http://water--quality.com/water-quality-standards/is-there-some-sort-of-scale-that-ranks-wetland-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Alyssa Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:47:07 +0000 http://water--quality.com/water-quality-standards/is-there-some-sort-of-scale-that-ranks-wetland-quality/#comment-595 Wetland classification isn't a very controversial area of study, expect when you attempt what you're doing, which is looking at the function of the wetland. So I guess the answer is, there IS no standard. Basically, there are over a hundred different methods of wetland quality assessment; pretty much every organization has their own. I would seriously suggest the source, even though it's a pdf. If the scientific jargon isn't working for you, drop me a lone and I can summarize. It would be fun to talk about as I'm actually discussing Water Quality Assessment in my Environmental Management Course :) Wetland classification isn’t a very controversial area of study, expect when you attempt what you’re doing, which is looking at the function of the wetland. So I guess the answer is, there IS no standard.

Basically, there are over a hundred different methods of wetland quality assessment; pretty much every organization has their own. I would seriously suggest the source, even though it’s a pdf. If the scientific jargon isn’t working for you, drop me a lone and I can summarize.

It would be fun to talk about as I’m actually discussing Water Quality Assessment in my Environmental Management Course :)

]]> By: oikos http://water--quality.com/water-quality-standards/is-there-some-sort-of-scale-that-ranks-wetland-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-594 oikos Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:57:13 +0000 http://water--quality.com/water-quality-standards/is-there-some-sort-of-scale-that-ranks-wetland-quality/#comment-594 Sort of. In terms of the protection they get, you can range from "ordinary wetlands" (Go ahead and fill in half an acre; we don't mind.) to "exceptional value wetlands". The latter category is for wetlands that feed a drinking water supply, are home to a population of an endangered or threatened species, etc. Your idea of ranking on the basis of diversity indices is a good one. With streams, we rank on the basis of numerous indices, not only those that measure diversity. The indices are then compared to those for a stream in the same general area that is considered to be in good shape. Prior to that, I had been using my own standards, a stream that was affected by a malfunctioning sewage treatment plant and one that not only had stoneflies, it was dominated by them. Sort of. In terms of the protection they get, you can range from “ordinary wetlands” (Go ahead and fill in half an acre; we don’t mind.) to “exceptional value wetlands”. The latter category is for wetlands that feed a drinking water supply, are home to a population of an endangered or threatened species, etc.

Your idea of ranking on the basis of diversity indices is a good one. With streams, we rank on the basis of numerous indices, not only those that measure diversity. The indices are then compared to those for a stream in the same general area that is considered to be in good shape. Prior to that, I had been using my own standards, a stream that was affected by a malfunctioning sewage treatment plant and one that not only had stoneflies, it was dominated by them.

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