Aquatic Condition Index: optimization of a rapid wetland assessment tool for evaluating urban wetland health

Abstract

Urbanization poses significant threats to wetland ecosystems, leading to habitat loss, hydrological alterations, and the introduction of invasive species that adversely affect essential ecosystem services. This widespread threat underscores the need to develop a robust management tool for gauging urban wetland health. The Aquatic Condition Index (ACI) was developed as a diagnostic tool for monitoring urban wetland health in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ACI evaluates wetland health by incorporating functional indicators (i.e., hydrological, ecological, and water quality functions) chosen by scientific experts to provide municipal wetlands with relative condition scores that can inform citywide habitat management budgeting and prioritization. Gathering the data necessary to generate wetland indicators for the ACI requires substantial financial resources, time, and a high degree of analytical expertise for data collection (e.g., field surveys). This investigation aimed to enhance the widespread applicability and cost-efficiency of wetland monitoring by optimizing the ACI. This optimization entailed a sensitivity-driven indicator reduction, which strategically minimizes the number of indicators essential for ACI calculations. Our findings demonstrate that the refined selection of indicators produces comparable results to the original ACI. This highlights the potential of transitioning to more rapid and cost-efficient monitoring methods, creating a streamlined approach to enhance the efficiency of monitoring and assessment processes. Ultimately, this approach can facilitate long-term urban wetland assessments and promote the sustainability and management of these vital urban features .