Assessing Climate Vulnerability and Adaption Opportunities in Apostle Islands Wetlands

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Master Cooperative Agreement P12AC31164 was entered into by and between a unified group of federal and non-federal partners to provide for the operation and maintenance of the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GLNF-CESU). The purpose of this task agreement is to conduct studies to determine which Apostle Islands wetlands are most at risk of climate change, which wetland biota will be most affected by climate change, and how the Apostle Islands can serve as a coastal wetland sentinel site to monitor climate-induced changes within the broader Great Lakes ecosystem. Task Agreement P16AC01387 original agreement was for $75,921.00 and a modification to add additional funding in the amount of $2,500.00 is required to fund the current project activities. STATEMENT OF WORK: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) is comprised of a mainland unit and 21 islands in Lake Superior. The park supports several types of coastal wetlands including lagoons, bogs, freshwater estuaries, fringing marshes, and peatlands on the mainland and on several islands. Because these wetlands are on protected lands and many are on islands, they are high quality systems and may serve as sentinel sites for the Great Lakes. However, despite their protection from many forms of anthropogenic disturbance, they are vulnerable to impacts associated with climate change (e.g., changing Lake Superior water levels, increased storm frequency and intensity, increasing wave energy, increased air and water temperatures). Currently, our ability to proactively and adaptively manage these wetlands in a changing climate is limited by a lack of sufficient data on wetland hydrology, water quality, and biotic communities. The proposed project will address this information gap through a comprehensive assessment of 11 of the park’s major coastal wetlands (see attached site list) and, where data are available, compare current to historic conditions to elucidate trends. Data and analyses generated during this project will provide critical information on how the park’s coastal wetlands will likely respond to climate change, bolstering NPS’ capacity to adaptively manage these critical habitats. Northland College offers a unique mix of expertise, experience specific to the Apostle Islands and close geographic proximity that will enable them to meet the objectives of this project. RECIPIENT AGREES TO: The Recipient agrees to: Provide project oversight and professional guidance; develop study design and conduct fieldwork and analysis to answer the following questions: • Which APIS wetlands are most at risk of climate related changes? Specifically which wetlands have the highest potential for change in terms of hydroperiod size, shape, and connectivity with Lake Superior? • Which wetland biota (both individual species and community types) will be most affected by climate change? Are any of these species or communities rare or unique? What can be done to facilitate adaptation of coastal wetland biota? • How can APIS serve as a coastal wetland sentinel site to monitor climate-induces changes within the broader Great Lakes ecosystem? Which wetlands and biota should be used as indicators of climate impacts and how should these indicators be efficiently measured over the long term? Provide data and an overall project synthesis that includes specific recommendations for long-term adaptive management of the park’s coastal wetlands in a changing climate, as well as results of bird and amphibian sampling conducts by project partners. Communicate results to other interested researchers and agencies as appropriate and to the broader scientific and wetland management communities via presentations at conferences and symposia and through publications in the peer-reviewed literature. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AGREES TO: NPS agrees to: Participate and collaborate jointly with Northland College in developing the Scope of Work; provide a NPS technical representative to assist with specifics of the project as needed; review and approve proposed modifications or sub-grants, prior to award; direct or redirect the work because of interrelationships with other projects; immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; oversee Northland College discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structures, staffing, mode of transportation and other management processes, combines with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance.

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