Beyond wetland boundaries: Characterizing forested wetland-upland transitions using LiDAR and passive acoustic monitoring
Abigail Lewis1, Jesse Mihevc2
¹Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, Kempt, Nova Scotia
2Nova Scotia Community College, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Forested wetlands provide important habitat for biodiversity, yet their ecological characteristics are often poorly represented by conventional wetland classifications and mapped boundaries. This study investigated use of LiDAR-derived hydrogeomorphic descriptors to characterize 7 forested wetlands in southwestern Nova Scotia and explore relationships with avian communities. At each wetland, three autonomous recording units were positioned along a transect extending from 100 m into upland forest, through the wetland boundary, to 100 m into the wetland interior. Using the provincial 1-m LiDAR-derived digital elevation model, we developed multiscale descriptors including slope, topographic position, topographic wetness, local relief, and wetland morphology. Terrain characteristics were assessed at individual recording locations, across wetland-upland transitions, and at the whole-wetland scale. Passive acoustic monitoring data will be used to examine changes in bird-community composition along these gradients. This approach will help evaluate whether remotely sensed hydrogeomorphic transitions correspond with changes in avian communities and whether commonly used wetland metrics adequately describe on-the-ground conditions we experience. By integrating terrain analysis with biodiversity monitoring, our work aims to inform ecologically meaningful approaches to wetland characterization and buffer management in working forest landscapes.
Keywords: avian communities, forested wetlands, hydrogeomorphology, LiDAR, passive acoustic monitoring, wetland buffers
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