Drake & his dad are joined by Drake's little sister, Cricket, and their lab, Gunner, for an exciting waterfowl hunt at Cattail Point!

The first resource of its kind-essential practical guidance on wetlands bioassessment and management Although bioassessment has become a vital tool in the successful management of many aquatic ecosystems, to date there has been no single book that covers the application of bioassessment principles to wetland ecosystems. This contributed volume fills this important gap in the literature, with a multifaceted look at the issues and techniques involved in the successful bioassessment and management of freshwater wetlands. The book is divided into two parts-bioassessment and wildlife management. After a review of general bioassessment principles, Part I discusses the statistical issues related to sampling numerous sites, as well as the application of multivariate procedures and invertebrate functional groups to wetland bioassessment. A series of case studies examines bioassessment results using various organismal groups, followed by several chapters that trace the relationship between bioassessment and wetland restoration. Coverage also explores how to use and sample bacteria, algae, macrophytes, and invertebrates. Part II covers key management topics, including many that are frequently overlooked in other treatments of the subject. Separate chapters discuss how to manage fish, waterbirds, and mosquitoes in wetlands. Other chapters address timber harvest strategies and impact assessment, as well as the biological control of an invasive wetland plant. As wetland managers work to strike a vital balance between resource exploitation and resource protection, this book offers an important repository of practical information to use in meeting this formidable challenge. It will be welcomed by wetland managers and scientists, environmental engineers, ecologists, civil engineers, and others whose work involves wetlands study and management.

Wetlands - swamp, marsh, bayou, tundra and bog - are places that are rarely visited and often misunderstood but they have, in fact, conspicuous roles in the physical, biological and cultural geography of the world. They are intrinsically beautiful environments where one may see the natural and essential values in the interaction of water, soil, vegetation, wildlife, and humans. Wetlands occur at the confluence of unique terrestrial, hydrological and climatic conditions that give rise to some of the most biodiverse regions of the world. They also play vital roles in the cycling and storage of key nutrients, materials and energy through the Earth?s system. A complete study of wetland environments requires the assessment of their physical and biological attributes, properties and functions of these ecosystems, and the economic, political and social aspects that mediate their use globally. A systems approach is taken throughout this book which emphasizes the interactions between these elements of wetland ecosystems. Moreover, selected case studies from across the world are used to illustrate wetland characteristics and circumstances. This book is intended to foster a greater awareness and appreciation of wetlands, promote a culture of conservation and wise management, and spread the knowledge that wetlands are important, indeed crucial, elements of the global environment. Our attempts to understand, manage and enhance wetlands in the twenty-first century are part of the larger effort to maintain a sustainable Earth. Readership: Introductory or intermediate level undergraduates taking courses on wetland environments Additional resources for this book can be found at: www.wiley.com/go/aber/wetland