A Call for Action to Protect Vernal Ponds in Ontario

Abstract

Vernal ponds are broadly defined as ephemeral wetlands that predictably form in permanent basins during the cooler part of the year. They are considered to be vernal since they dry up during the summer months. According to Zedler (2003) they are particularly abundant on the Pacific Coast and in various forms in the glaciated landscapes of the north and northeast of the United States. In Ontario, they are generally situated in shallow depressions within forested terrain. Vernal ponds serve an important local biodiversity function due to their situation within surrounding terrestrial habitats. As with other wetlands in Ontario, vernal ponds are threatened by numerous anthropogenic stressors