Wild and wonderful West Virginia wetlands: First iteration of a plot-based vegetation classification

Background/Question/Methods

A statewide vegetation classification has the potential to positively impact biodiversity conservation and resource management.  Plot-based inventory work at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) and compilation of existing plot data from researchers outside the WVDNR has resulted in a georeferenced database of 4,220 vegetation plots, of which 1,650 are wetlands.  Non-parametric multivariate statistical techniques were used to classify the wetland dataset into associations at the standard of the National Vegetation Classification.  Floristic data provide the basis of the analysis, and environmental variables are overlain to aid in describing the habitats of the floristic groups.

Results/Conclusions

The wetland classification for West Virginia represents a quantitative first iteration delineating the biodiversity of the state's major wetland systems.  Associations range from the ancient marl fens of the Shenandoah Valley to the spruce bogs of the Allegheny summits and the pin oak swamps of the Ohio River floodplain.  Environmental descriptors of each community type help to define the ecological niches occupied by present vegetation, and are designed to extend the usefulness of the classification as plant species respond individualistically to climate change.  The classification brings significant new conservation opportunities through linkage to a new Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund and a state map of "irreplaceable wetlands".  The raw plot data feed into a newly designed database tool to guide restoration action on public and private lands.  The plot data also continue to be useful in determining the distribution and abundance of plant species, and are a primary source for recent records of rare species tracked by the West Virginia Natural Heritage Program.