The Coosawhatchie Bottomland Ecosystem Study: A Report on the Development of a Reference Wetland
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Only 23 percent of the presettlement acreage of bottomland hardwood forests remains today, and the remaining forests have lost many of their original functions. To successfully manage these forests we must be able to compare their functional capacities with reference or model wetlands. This report contains the results of the Coosawhatchie Bottomland Ecosystem Study during Phase 1, 1994 through 1999--the baseline calibration period for development of the reference wetland. Information about the physical and community characteristics and the ecosystem processes is presented in 15 individual reports. Where possible, results from this site are compared with results from other sites, both within the Southern Forested Wetlands Initiative and from other bottomland hardwood research sites. Those who use this information should consider these results preliminary and are invited to contact the authors of each chapter for more detailed information about the methods, results, interpretations, and plans for participation in Phase II.