Assessing the potential of integrating distribution and structure of permanent open-water wetlandscapes in reclamation design: a case study of Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Wetlands are multi-functional systems that provide a disproportionatenumber of ecosystem services given the spatial extent they occupy bothnationally and globally. The ecological functioning of these wetlands isdependent on the structure of the landscape, which poses unique challenges whenreclaiming wetlands in areas where resource extraction is occurring. Resource extraction mega-projects requirethat entire wetlandscapes be reclaimed and often involve timelines thatnecessitate the consideration of climate projections to create self-sustaining,naturally appearing wetlandscapes that meet policy objectives. To understandwetlandscape structure and guide reclamation planning and closure permittingevaluation, a random sample of 13,676 1-km2 landscapes weresubselected to identify 1684 permanent open-water wetlandscapes. A parsimoniousset of landscape metrics were applied and compared across levels ofanthropogenic disturbance and across natural regions (i.e., Grassland, Parklandand Boreal). Results demonstrated that permanent open-water wetlands arerelatively rare (12.3% of our total random sample) and typically occupy lessthan 8% of wetlandscapes when present. The majority of wetlands in the study area are lesspermanent and more variable in nature than the permanent open waterwetlandscapes created by megaproject reclamation, which has the potential to alter thedistribution and size of open-water wetlands beyond their natural occurrence.Comparison across disturbance levels and natural regions yield statisticaldifferences among landscape structure. General wetland landscapes representinga combination of disturbance level and natural region can be created for eachmetric to guide reclamation design and closure planning approval.