California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands - State Water ...
California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands - State Water ...
California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands - State Water ...
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<strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> <strong>Rapid</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong> <strong>Method</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Wetlands</strong> v. 5.0.2 – Chapter 5<br />
CHAPTER 5:<br />
GUIDELINES TO COMPLETE STRESSOR CHECKLISTS<br />
A. Definition: For the purposes of CRAM, a stressor is an anthropogenic perturbation within a<br />
wetland or its setting that is likely to negatively impact the functional capacity of a CRAM<br />
<strong>Assessment</strong> Area (AA). In contrast, disturbances are distinctly defined as natural phenomena,<br />
although they might have similar impacts as stressors.<br />
B. Rationale: Physical and biological processes connect wetlands to their environmental<br />
settings and thus help shape wetland conditions, which are there<strong>for</strong>e influenced by land use<br />
practices within the settings (Frissell et al. 1986, Roth et al. 1996, Scott et al. 2002). Wetland<br />
conditions can also be affected by stressors operating directly within the wetlands, although<br />
these tend to be less abundant than stressors originating in the surrounding landscape.<br />
The purpose of the Stressor Checklist is to identify stressors within a CRAM <strong>Assessment</strong> Area<br />
(AA) or its immediate hat might help account <strong>for</strong> any low CRAM scores. In some cases, a single<br />
stressor might be the primary cause <strong>for</strong> low-scoring conditions, but conditions are usually due to<br />
interactions among multiple stressors (USEPA 2002).<br />
There are four underlying assumptions of the Stressor Checklist: (1) stressors can help explain<br />
CRAM scores; (2) wetland condition declines as the number of stressors acting on the wetland<br />
increases (there is no assumption that the decline is additive (linear), non-linear, or<br />
multiplicative); (3) increasing the intensity or the proximity of the stressor results in a greater<br />
decline in condition; and (4) continuous or chronic stress increases the decline in condition.<br />
C. Seasonality: The Stressor Checklist is not sensitive to seasonality.<br />
D. Office and Field Indicators: The process to identify stressors is the same <strong>for</strong> all wetland<br />
types. For each CRAM attribute, a variety of possible stressors are listed. Their presence and<br />
likelihood of significantly affecting the AA are recorded in the Stressor Checklist Worksheet.<br />
For the Hydrology, Physical Structure, and Biotic Structure attributes, the focus is on stressors<br />
operating within the AA or within 50 m of the AA. For the Buffer and Landscape Context<br />
attribute, the focus is on stressors operating within 500 m of the AA. More distant stressors that<br />
have obvious, direct, controlling influences on the AA can also be noted.<br />
Table 5.1: Wetland disturbances and conversions.<br />
Is there evidence of a major disturbance<br />
flood fire landslide other none<br />
(select one best answer)<br />
If there is evidence of disturbance, how<br />
severe was it<br />
If the wetland has been<br />
converted from another<br />
type, what type was it<br />
not<br />
converted<br />
effects will last<br />
next 5 years<br />
effects will last<br />
3-5 years<br />
effects will last<br />
1-2 years<br />
depressional vernal pool<br />
vernal pool<br />
system<br />
non-confined<br />
riverine<br />
confined<br />
riverine<br />
seasonal<br />
estuarine<br />
perennial saline<br />
estuarine<br />
perennial nonsaline<br />
estuarine<br />
wet meadow<br />
lacustrine seep or spring playa<br />
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