Evaluation of the Wetland Resources of Illinois by Basin

Wetlands are a severely diminished natural resource in Illinois in terms of quantity. Among the remaining wetlands, a wide range of quality exists. Characterization and classification of wetlands can be an important management tool for resource managers, scientists, and citizens. The objective of this project was to develop a classification model for biological function based on the characteristics of wetland complexes. The basic unit of analysis was the wetland complex from the Illinois Wetlands Inventory (IWI). Wetland complexes as defined in the IWI are groups of wetland polygons which are adjacent to each other. Complexes range from individual, monotypic wetlands to large complexes comprised of multiple systems, vegetative and substrate groups, and water regimes. For this analysis, wetland complexes were characterized by a several parameters and then classified into four categories. Information available in the IWI that was utilized in the analysis were general type, vegetation or substrate type, and hydrology. The Illinois Natural Areas Invent01y (INAI) provided information on locations of significant wetland communities and the Natural Heritage database on locations of threatened and endangered species and colonial nesting birds. The ability to perform a statewide assessment required criteria that could be derived from statewide digital databases. Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was utilized to analyze the data.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Resource Conservationunpublishednot peer reviewedOpe