March 2017 Wetland Science & Practice

Many coastal wetlands display degradation attributable to various factors including land development, erosion, salinization, and a lack of sediment inputs (Barras et al. 2003; Baumann et al. 1984). However, studies document marsh fragmentation and subsequent degradation by examining an increase in the conversion of vegetated areas to open water (Turner 1997; Day et al. 2000).

Vernal ponds are broadly defined as ephemeral wetlands that predictably form in permanent basins during the cooler part of the year. They are considered to be vernal since they dry up during the summer months. Vernal ponds serve an important local biodiversity function due to their situation within surrounding terrestrial habitats. As with other wetlands in Ontario, vernal ponds are threatened by numerous anthropogenic stressors (Mahaney and Klemens 2008).