Range-wide Wetland Associations of the King Rail: A Multi-scale Approach

Wesley J. Glisson1, Courtney J. Conway, Christopher P. Nadeau, Kathi L. Borgmann, and Thomas A. Laxson

1Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1141, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, USA.

e-mail:

Electronic Supplementary Material 1National Wetland Inventory (NWI) wetland variables used in analysis of wetland associations of King Rails. Descriptions of variables are derived from Cowardin et al. (1979). NWI code refers to the letter/number used for each NWI wetland variable in the combined string of NWI codes

References

Cowardin LM, Carter V, Golet FC, LaRoe ET (1979) Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C.

Table S1NWI wetlandsystem-subsystem variables. Phrases in italics identify characteristics that separate subsystems of a given system

Variable / NWI
code / Description
Estuarine Subtidal / E1 / Deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands semi-enclosed by land but have access to the open ocean; ocean water is diluted by freshwater runoff from the land and the substrate is continuously submerged.
Estuarine Intertidal / E2 / Deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands semi-enclosed by land but have access to the open ocean; ocean water is diluted by freshwater runoff from the land and the substrate is exposed and flooded by tides.
Lacustrine / L / Wetlands and deepwater areas that are situated in a topographic depression or dammed river channel, lacking trees, shrubs, or persistent emergent vegetation with > 30% cover, and with a total area > 8 ha. (This code is typically given to smaller wetlands where the subsystem cannot be distinguished)
Lacustrine Limnetic / L1 / Deepwater habitats that are situated in a topographic depression or dammed river channel, lacking trees, shrubs, or persistent emergent vegetation with > 30% cover, and with a total area > 8 ha.
Lacustrine Littoral / L2 / Wetland habitats extending from the shoreward boundary of the Lacustrine system to a depth of 2 m that are situated in a topographic depression or dammed river channel, lacking trees, shrubs, or persistent emergent vegetation with > 30% cover, and with a total area > 8 ha.
Marine Subtidal / M1 / Open ocean overlying the continental shelf and its associated high-energy coastline exposed to waves and open ocean currents where the substrate is continuously submerged.
Marine Intertidal / M2 / Open ocean overlying the continental shelf and its associated high-energy coastline exposed to waves and open ocean currents where the substrate is exposed and flooded by tides.
Palustrine / P / All non-tidal wetlands dominated by trees, shrubs, and persistent emergent vegetation, and similar tidal wetlands where salinity is < 0.5 0/00
Riverine Tidal / R1 / Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel, where the gradient is low and the water velocity fluctuates under tidal influence.
Riverine Lower-Perennial / R2 / Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel where some water flows year round, the gradient is low, water velocity is slow, and there is no tidal influence.
Riverine Upper-Perennial / R3 / Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel, where some water flows throughout the year, the gradient is high, water velocity is fast, and there is no tidal influence.
Riverine Intermittent / R4 / Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel that contains flowing water for only part of the year.
Riverine Unknown-Perennial / R5 / Wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel where some water flows throughout the year, and gradient and water velocity is unknown.

Table S2NWIwetlandclass variables. Phrases in italics identify characteristics that distinguishthat class from other,similar classes

Variable / NWI
code / Description
Emergent / EM / Wetlands characterized by perennial, erect, rooted, herbaceous hydrophytic vegetation (excluding mosses and lichens), where the vegetation is present for most the growing season.
Forested / FO / Wetlands dominated by woody vegetation (broad- and needle-leaved deciduous, broad- and needle-leaved evergreen) greater than 6 m tall.
Scrub-shrub / SS / Wetlands dominated by woody vegetation (broad- and needle-leaved deciduous, broad- and needle-leaved evergreen) less than 6 m tall.
Shore / RS, US / Wetlands with less than 30% areal cover of vegetation,and characterized by bedrock, stones, boulders, or smaller unconsolidated materials which are exposed all or most of the time.
Water / RB, UB, AB,SB / Wetlands and deepwater habitats with less than 30% areal cover of vegetation and are submerged all or most the time.

Table S3NWI water regime variables.Persistence of water during the growing season is ranked from 1 being the most persistent to 4 or 8 being the least persistent, depending on the type. FT = freshwater tidal, NT = non-tidal, and T = saltwater or brackish tidal

Variable / Type / NWI
code / Description / Persistence of water during the growing season
Permanently Flooded-Tidal / FT / V / Tidal freshwater covers the land surface throughout the year in all years. / 1
Semipermanently Flooded-Tidal / FT / T / Tidal freshwater persists throughout the growing season in most years. When surface water is absent, the water table is usually at or very near the land surface / 2
Seasonally Flooded-Tidal / FT / R / Tidal freshwater is present for extended periods especially early in the growing season, but is absent by the end of the season in most years. / 3
Temporarily Flooded-Tidal / FT / S / Tidal freshwater is present for brief periods, but the water table usually lies well below the soil surface. / 4
Permanently Flooded / NT / H / Water covers the land surface throughout the year in all years. / 1
Intermittently Exposed / NT / G / Surface water is present throughout the year, except in years of extreme drought. / 2
Semipermanently Flooded / NT / F / Surface water persists throughout the growing season in most years. / 3
Seasonally Flooded / NT / C / Surface water is present for extended periods especially early in the growing season, but is absent by the end of the season in most years. After flooding, water table is variable. / 4
Seasonally Flooded/Saturated / NT / E / Surface water present at some time during the growing season exhibiting flooded condition, especially early in the growing season. Substrate remains saturated at or near the surface for much of the growing season. / 5
Saturated / NT / B / The substrate is saturated to the surface for extended periods during the growing season, but surface water is seldom present. / 6
Temporarily Flooded / NT / A / Surface water is present for brief periods during the growing season, but the water table usually lies well below the soil surface for most of the season. / 7
Intermittently Flooded / NT / J / The substrate is usually exposed, but surface water is present for variables periods without detectable seasonal periodicity / 8
Artificially Flooded / NT / K / The amount and duration of flooding is controlled by means of pumps or siphons in combination with dikes or dams. / NA
Subtidal / T / L / The substrate is permanently flooded with tidal water. / 1
Irregularly Exposed / T / M / The land surface is exposed by tides less often than daily. / 2
Regularly Flooded / T / N / Tidal water alternately floods and exposes the land surface at least once a day. / 3
Irregularly Flooded / T / P / Tidal water floods the land surface less often than daily. / 4

Table S4NWI special modifier variables

Variable / NWI
code / Description
Partially Drained/Ditched / d / A wetland that has been hydrologically altered but soil moisture is sufficient to support some hydrophytes. This modifier is also used to indicate wetlands connected by extensive ditch networks.
Beaver / b / These wetlands have been created or modified by the action of beaver (Castor canadensis).
Diked/Impounded / h / Created or modified by a barrier or dam which purposefully or unintentionally obstructs the outflow of water.
Excavated / x / Wetland lies within a basin or channel excavated by man.
Farmed / f / Wetlands that occur where the soil surface has been mechanically or physically altered for production of crops, but hydrophytes will become reestablished if farming is discontinued
Spoil / s / Wetlands where deposition of spoil materials forms the primary substrate type. By definition, spoil has been artificially excavated by man.