| The scope was to determine if metrics used in previous indicies of biological integrity were appropriate for wetland assessment in Oklahoma. A comparison between natural and created wetlands was also completed. In central Oklahoma, the vegetation, macroinvertebrate, and avian assemblages were surveyed in 18 depressional wetlands that ranged across a gradient of human disturbance between 2003 and 2005.; Natural and created wetlands appear to have assemblages with similar characteristics because only size metrics were significantly different between wetland type. Jaccard's similarity of species present between wetland types was 38% for plants, 56% for macroinvertebrates, and 65% for birds.; Overall, the avian assemblage and the macroinvertebrate assemblage had the most metrics exhibiting a significant relationship with disturbance scores, while only 7 of 12 vegetation metrics indicated a significant linear relationship with disturbance. The number and type of metrics that had a significant relationship with disturbance varied seasonally and with wetland size. |
