GEOG 431
Geography of Water Resources

Overview

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In this lesson, you will learn how to define and classify waters (aquatic ecosystems) in your geographic vicinity using regional, national and/or international classification systems. For Assignment 4.1, each student will choose two aquatic classification systems that they want to explore, which will allow a comparison between them. Using the two selected classification systems, you will locate and classify five aquatic features, then prepare a 3-5 page report. A sample report is available to guide you in the preparation of your report.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

  • define and classify aquatic ecosystems in your geographic vicinity using regional, national and/or international classification systems;
  • compare two aquatic classification systems;
  • locate and classify different aquatic features.

Lesson Roadmap

This lesson is one week in length. Please refer to the Course Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates. To finish this lesson, you must complete the activities listed below.

Lesson 4: Activities
Requirements Assignment Details Access/Directions
To Do Read the Overview section and work through the material of Lesson 4. You are on the overview page of the Lesson 4 online content now. Use the links at the bottom of the page or the Lessons menu to proceed to the next page.
To Read

Classification System Resources:

  • Brinson, M.M. 1993. A hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands. WRP-DE-4. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. 79pp+app
  • Brinson, M.M. 1996. The HGM Approach Explained. National Wetlands Newsletter November/December 17(6):7-13.
  • Brooks, RP, MM Brinson, KJ Havens, CS Hershner, RD Rheinhardt, DH Wardrop, DF Whigham, AD Jacobs, and JM Rubbo. 2011. Proposed hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands of the Mid-Atlantic Region, USA. Wetlands 31(2):207-219.
  • Brooks, RP, MM Brinson, DH Wardrop, and JA Bishop. 2013. Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classification, inventory, and reference wetlands. Pages 39-59, Chapter 2 in RP Brooks and DH Wardrop (eds.) Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Wetlands: Advances in science, management, policy, and practice. Springer Science+Business Media, 491+xiv pp.
  • Cowardin, LM, V Carter, FC Golet, and ET LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FW/OBS-79/31, Washington, DC.
  • Dahl, T.E. 2011. Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States 2004 to 2009. U.S. Department of the Interior; Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 108 pp.
  • Ramsar Convention Secretariat. 2009. Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). [Note: The classification for Ramsar wetlands begins on page 64 of the documented cited.]
    or
  • Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2013. The Ramsar Convention Manual: a guide to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), 6th ed. Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland. [Note: The classification for Ramsar wetlands begins on page 55 of the documented cited.]
  • Warner, BG, and CDA Rubec (eds.). 1997. The Canadian wetland classification system. 2nd ed. Wetlands Research Centre. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
 This list of resources can be used to help identify the classification system(s) you may want to use to complete the assignment for Lesson 4. — Skim each resource as needed.

Registered students can access the resources under Lesson 4 in Canvas.
To Do

Use a regional, national, and/or international classification system (see resources listed above) to prepare a 3-5 page report in which you define and classify aquatic ecosystems in your geographic vicinity using regional, national, and/or international classification systems.

Submit your report using the Assignment 4.1 - Classifying Aquatic Ecosystems drop box under Lesson 4 in Canvas.
(See the Calendar in Canvas for specific due dates.)

Questions?

If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions? discussion forum located under Orientation and Resources in Canvas. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.