Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Plains CESU

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to support investigations into identifying and evaluating upland vegetation management techniques with potential to mitigate climate change effects on prairie pothole wetlands. Recent wetland simulation modeling efforts suggest that global climate change may result in increased drying of prairie pothole wetlands as increased evaporation rates associated with warmer temperatures outpace potential increases in precipitation. Effects may include reduced water depths and volumes, and shorter hydroperiods with seasonal wetlands being most vulnerable. Manipulating plant communities and vegetative structure in uplands surrounding wetlands has potential to influence snow distribution and increase spring runoff of melt waters into basins. Research conducted under this funding opportunity should use a controlled experimental design to evaluate effects of upland management techniques (e.g., grazing, burning, invasive species control) on wetland water levels/volumes and hydroperiods.

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