![]() Groundwater Discharge on Semi-Arid Inland Ephemeral Wetlands: Lessons from Holocene. You can keep track of this program’s progress by checking out the Blog Posts page. The Lagunas Reales, in central Spain, is a semi-arid inland wetland. ![]() With almost 90 citizens involved, including 38 kids, the program has far exceeded our expectations. Last year was our first year for the Adopt an Ephemeral Wetland program. They then select their wetland from the Wetland Adoption book and are provided with all surveying equipment and supplies. Ephemeral wetlands how to#Volunteers attend a training, at which they learn sampling methodology and how to ID amphibian larvae. Periodically, these wetlands dry up, often in mid to late summer. Ephemeral wetlands are depressional wetlands that temporarily hold water in the spring and early summer or after heavy rains. Volunteers adopt a wetland (or 2) and agree to survey the amphibians in that wetland at least 4 times a year. Ephemeral Wetlands may also be referred to as ephemeral ponds, seasonal ponds, temporary ponds or vernal pools. ![]() Termed hydroperiod, the duration a pond holds water can. Fish and some aquatic insects devour eggs and tadpoles. Ephemeral wetlands are usually small, isolated ponds with a cyclic nature of drying and refilling. Despite the risks, ephemeral wetlands are also sanctuaries where hungry fish cannot encroach. In ephemeral streams, surface runoff from precipitation is the primary source of stream flow. Runoff from rainfall supplements the stream flow, but intermittent streams may dry up part of the year. Intermittent streams are those where groundwater provides stream flow for part of the year. These data contribute important information about species diversity, wetland water levels, and help us detect any declines in amphibian populations early before costly and less effective measures are needed. If ephemeral wetlands dry out before the tadpoles develop lungs and become froglets or toadlets, an entire cohort dies. Wetlands are often associated with these stream systems. We are engaging the community to help us keep an eye on these amphibians and the unique wetlands on which they depend. Over the past 50 years, some of these species have declined and one, the striped newt, has gone extinct within the Apalachicola National Forest. ![]() Map depicting the Adopt an Ephemeral Wetland study area. ![]()
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