Development of an Index of Biological Integrity for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Wetlands

Janice Bossart (PI) and Colin Jackson (co-PI)

This collaborative study is a comparative, joint analysis of the benthic invertebrate diversity, microbial activities, and water chemistry at a strategic array of sites in the Western Lake Pontchartrain Basin (WLPB).  Study sites have been selected to span and anchor both ends of a wetlands disturbance gradient.  Their survey will be used to identify consistent, reliable biological indicators (metrics) and determine how these correlate with water quality.  Survey data will ultimately allow us to establish a detailed narrative of what constitutes non-degraded versus degraded swamp habitat in the WLPB.  The overriding objective of our study is to use these comparative data to develop the first ever biologically-based management tool (an Index of Biological Integrity) for use by conservation managers for rapid bioassessment of Southeastern Louisiana’s cypress swamps.