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Effects of large-scale wetland loss on network connectivity of the Rainwater Basin, Nebraska

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Abstract

Context

The Rainwater Basin region in south-central Nebraska supports a complex network of spatially-isolated wetlands that harbor diverse floral and faunal communities. Since European settlement, many wetlands have been lost from the network, which has increased distances among remaining wetlands. As a result, populations of wildlife species with limited dispersal capabilities may have become isolated and face greater local extinction risks.

Objectives

We compared the pre-European settlement and current extent of the Rainwater Basin network to assess the effects of wetland losses on network connectivity for a range of maximum dispersal distances.

Methods

We constructed network models for a range of maximum dispersal distances and calculated network metrics to assess changes in network connectivity and the relative importance of individual wetlands in regulating flow.

Results

Since European settlement, the number of wetlands in the Rainwater Basin has decreased by > 90%. The average distance to the nearest neighboring wetland has increased by 150% to ~ 1.2 km, and the dispersal distance necessary to travel throughout the whole network has increased from 3.5 to 10.0 km. Last, relative importance of individual wetlands depended on the maximum dispersal distance. Which wetlands to preserve to maintain connectivity might therefore depend on the dispersal capabilities of the species or taxa of interest.

Conclusions

To preserve a broad range of biodiversity, conservation efforts should focus on preserving dense clusters of wetlands at fine spatial scales to maintain current levels of network connectivity, and restoring connections between clusters to facilitate long-range dispersal of species with limited dispersal capabilities.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative research and National Science Foundation Macrosystems (1544083) grants administered through the U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center and Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. We are grateful for additional support provided by Gene Albanese, Chris Wright, and the Division of Biology at Kansas State University. We thank J.S. Lamb, L.E. Rosen, B.E. Ross, E.L. Weiser, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful suggestions and feedback on previous versions of the manuscript. The use of trade names or products does not constitute an endorsement by the United States Government, the United States Department of Interior, or other sponsoring or participating agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

    Bram H. F. Verheijen

  2. Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Grand Island, NE, 68803, USA

    Dana M. Varner

  3. U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

    David A. Haukos

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  1. Bram H. F. Verheijen
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  2. Dana M. Varner
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  3. David A. Haukos
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Correspondence to Bram H. F. Verheijen.

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Verheijen, B.H.F., Varner, D.M. & Haukos, D.A. Effects of large-scale wetland loss on network connectivity of the Rainwater Basin, Nebraska. Landscape Ecol 33, 1939–1951 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0721-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0721-1

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