Range-wide Wetland Associations of the King Rail: A Multi-scale Approach
Wesley J. Glisson1, Courtney J. Conway, Christopher P. Nadeau, Kathi L. Borgmann, and
Thomas A. Laxson
1
Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences,
University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1141, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, USA.
e-mail: wjglisson@gmail.com
Electronic Supplementary Material 1 National Wetland Inventory (NWI) wetland variables
used in analysis of wetland associations of King Rails. Descriptions of variables are derived from
Cowardin et al. (1979). NWI code refers to the letter/number used for each NWI wetland
variable in the combined string of NWI codes
References
Cowardin LM, Carter V, Golet FC, LaRoe ET (1979) Classification of wetlands and deepwater
habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C.
Table S1 NWI wetland system-subsystem variables. Phrases in italics identify characteristics that
separate subsystems of a given system
Variable
Estuarine Subtidal
NWI
code
E1
Estuarine Intertidal
E2
Deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands semienclosed by land but have access to the open ocean; ocean
water is diluted by freshwater runoff from the land and the
substrate is exposed and flooded by tides.
Lacustrine
L
Wetlands and deepwater areas that are situated in a topographic
depression or dammed river channel, lacking trees, shrubs, or
persistent emergent vegetation with > 30% cover, and with a
total area > 8 ha. (This code is typically given to smaller
wetlands where the subsystem cannot be distinguished)
Lacustrine Limnetic
L1
Deepwater habitats that are situated in a topographic depression
or dammed river channel, lacking trees, shrubs, or persistent
emergent vegetation with > 30% cover, and with a total area > 8
ha.
Lacustrine Littoral
L2
Wetland habitats extending from the shoreward boundary of the
Lacustrine system to a depth of 2 m that are situated in a
topographic depression or dammed river channel, lacking trees,
shrubs, or persistent emergent vegetation with > 30% cover,
and with a total area > 8 ha.
Marine Subtidal
M1
Open ocean overlying the continental shelf and its associated
high-energy coastline exposed to waves and open ocean
currents where the substrate is continuously submerged.
Marine Intertidal
M2
Open ocean overlying the continental shelf and its associated
high-energy coastline exposed to waves and open ocean
currents where the substrate is exposed and flooded by tides.
Palustrine
Riverine Tidal
P
R1
Description
Deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands semienclosed by land but have access to the open ocean; ocean
water is diluted by freshwater runoff from the land and the
substrate is continuously submerged.
All non-tidal wetlands dominated by trees, shrubs, and
persistent emergent vegetation, and similar tidal wetlands where
salinity is < 0.5 0/00
Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel,
where the gradient is low and the water velocity fluctuates
under tidal influence.
Riverine Lower-Perennial
R2
Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel
where some water flows year round, the gradient is low, water
velocity is slow, and there is no tidal influence.
Riverine Upper-Perennial
R3
Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel,
where some water flows throughout the year, the gradient is
high, water velocity is fast, and there is no tidal influence.
Riverine Intermittent
R4
Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel
that contains flowing water for only part of the year.
Riverine UnknownPerennial
R5
Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel
where some water flows throughout the year, and gradient and
water velocity is unknown.
Table S2 NWI wetland class variables. Phrases in italics identify characteristics that distinguish
that class from other, similar classes
Variable
Emergent
NWI
code
EM
Description
Forested
FO
Wetlands dominated by woody vegetation (broad- and
needle-leaved deciduous, broad- and needle-leaved
evergreen) greater than 6 m tall.
Scrub-shrub
SS
Wetlands dominated by woody vegetation (broad- and
needle-leaved deciduous, broad- and needle-leaved
evergreen) less than 6 m tall.
Shore
RS, US
Wetlands with less than 30% areal cover of vegetation,
and characterized by bedrock, stones, boulders, or
smaller unconsolidated materials which are exposed all
or most of the time.
Water
RB, UB, AB, SB
Wetlands and deepwater habitats with less than 30%
areal cover of vegetation and are submerged all or most
the time.
Wetlands characterized by perennial, erect, rooted,
herbaceous hydrophytic vegetation (excluding mosses
and lichens), where the vegetation is present for most
the growing season.
Table S3 NWI water regime variables. Persistence of water during the growing season is ranked
from 1 being the most persistent to 4 or 8 being the least persistent, depending on the type. FT =
freshwater tidal, NT = non-tidal, and T = saltwater or brackish tidal
Persistence
of water
during the
growing
season
1
Type
NWI
code
Permanently Flooded-Tidal
FT
V
Tidal freshwater covers the land surface
throughout the year in all years.
Semipermanently FloodedTidal
FT
T
Tidal freshwater persists throughout the
growing season in most years. When
surface water is absent, the water table is
usually at or very near the land surface
2
Seasonally Flooded-Tidal
FT
R
Tidal freshwater is present for extended
periods especially early in the growing
season, but is absent by the end of the
season in most years.
3
Temporarily Flooded-Tidal
FT
S
Tidal freshwater is present for brief
periods, but the water table usually lies
well below the soil surface.
4
Permanently Flooded
NT
H
Water covers the land surface throughout
the year in all years.
1
Intermittently Exposed
NT
G
Surface water is present throughout the
year, except in years of extreme drought.
2
Semipermanently Flooded
NT
F
Surface water persists throughout the
growing season in most years.
3
Seasonally Flooded
NT
C
Surface water is present for extended
periods especially early in the growing
season, but is absent by the end of the
season in most years. After flooding, water
table is variable.
4
Seasonally Flooded/Saturated
NT
E
Surface water present at some time during
the growing season exhibiting flooded
condition, especially early in the growing
season. Substrate remains saturated at or
near the surface for much of the growing
season.
5
Variable
Description
Saturated
NT
B
The substrate is saturated to the surface for
extended periods during the growing
season, but surface water is seldom
present.
6
Temporarily Flooded
NT
A
Surface water is present for brief periods
during the growing season, but the water
table usually lies well below the soil
surface for most of the season.
7
Intermittently Flooded
NT
J
The substrate is usually exposed, but
surface water is present for variables
periods without detectable seasonal
periodicity
8
Artificially Flooded
NT
K
The amount and duration of flooding is
controlled by means of pumps or siphons
in combination with dikes or dams.
NA
Subtidal
T
L
The substrate is permanently flooded with
tidal water.
1
Irregularly Exposed
T
M
The land surface is exposed by tides less
often than daily.
2
Regularly Flooded
T
N
Tidal water alternately floods and exposes
the land surface at least once a day.
3
Irregularly Flooded
T
P
Tidal water floods the land surface less
often than daily.
4
Table S4 NWI special modifier variables
Variable
Partially Drained/Ditched
NWI
Description
code
d
A wetland that has been hydrologically altered but
soil moisture is sufficient to support some
hydrophytes. This modifier is also used to indicate
wetlands connected by extensive ditch networks.
Beaver
b
These wetlands have been created or modified by
the action of beaver (Castor canadensis).
Diked/Impounded
h
Created or modified by a barrier or dam which
purposefully or unintentionally obstructs the
outflow of water.
Excavated
x
Wetland lies within a basin or channel excavated by
man.
Farmed
f
Wetlands that occur where the soil surface has been
mechanically or physically altered for production of
crops, but hydrophytes will become reestablished if
farming is discontinued
Spoil
s
Wetlands where deposition of spoil materials forms
the primary substrate type. By definition, spoil has
been artificially excavated by man.