GEOPHYSICS IN STUDYING HYDROGEOLOGICAL PARAMETERS THAT CONTROL CRAYFISH BURROWS DISTRIBUTION IN WETLANDS

Wetlands are important for their essential role in filtering water and groundwater recharge. Water filtration is realized through both biotic and abiotic processes. Biotic sources often include plants, animals, and macroinvertabrates such as crayfish. Crayfish are important in wetland systems because of their function in soil nutrient turnover. Since many crayfishes are imperiled because of human activities, understanding what controls their distributions is vital for the protection of these organisms. This study investigated the stratigraphical and hydrogeological characteristics of a wetland and related them to the spatial distribution of crayfish burrows found there. For this study we utilized field collected soil cores, electrical resistivity, and ground penetrating radar to understand the subsurface controls of crayfish distribution. Field wetland delineation was also conducted to establish the wetland boundaries. Both 2D and 3D geophysical profiles were created. Soil cores were collected using hand augers and described both in the field and in the laboratory. Soils samples were analyzed for grain size distribution, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Preliminary results showed interesting subsurface physical differences between crayfish inhabited zones of the wetland and those that do have crayfish burrows. Hydrogeological differences between wetlands are also being investigated and compared.