Visible-near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for rapid, nondestructive assessment of wetland soil quality.

Recent evidence supports using visible-near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIRS) for sensing soil quality; advantages include low-cost, nondestructive, rapid analysis that retains high analytical accuracy for numerous soil performance measures. Research has primarily targeted agricultural applications (precision agriculture, performance diagnostics), but implications for assessing ecological systems are equally significant. Our objective was to extend chemometrics for sensing soil quality to wetlands.

Effects of the herbicide imazapyr on benthic macroinvertebrates in a logged pond cypress dome.

Increased herbicide use in silviculture over the last several decades has led to concern over potential water contamination, which may affect biotic health. In the southeastern United States, pine flatwoods are important for timber production and are often interspersed with cypress wetlands. Cypress domes are isolated, shallow basins that collect surficial waters from adjacent forested areas and therefore might be expected to contain pesticide from storm runoff.