The Response of Atlantic White Cedar Wetlands to Varying Levels of Disturbance from Suburban Development in the New Jersey Pinelands

Abstract

The effects of suburban development on wetlands dominated by Atlantic white cedar were studied in the New Jersey Pinelands. Four groups of 4–5 sites each, representing different intensities of development impact, were sampled for hydrological regime, water quality, species composition and community structure. Hydrological regime was strongly affected by the proximity of dams, ditches or channels constructed in association with housing, but roads and housing had little effect alone. Levels of ammonia, ortho-phosphate, chloride, lead, and pH were elevated in developed sites compared with the very low values of all parameters in control sites. Species native to cedar swamps, particularly herbs, disappeared from impacted sites, while a diverse group of non-Pineland species, weeds, and exotics became established in these sites. Sites receiving direct road runoff were much more strongly affected than were sites near housing and/or roads but without direct stormwater inputs; however, the complexity of the gradient of suburban impact was reflected in the high variability among sites in each group. Target values for water quality parameters and species composition are given for use in assessing the quality of cedar wetlands subject to human disturbance.KeywordsWater TableControl SiteSite TypeWater Table DepthWater Table LevelThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.