Ground water sustenance of Nebraska's unique Sand Hills peatland fen ecosystems

Many ecosystems have evolved under conditions where ground water is critical to the survival of the unique species contained therein. One example is Nebraska's Sand Hills fens. The Sand Hills region comprises lush interdunal valleys amid grass-stabilized dunes. One valley type, fens, are ground water-fed wetlands that have several meters of saturated, organic soils comprising peat formed under anaerobic conditions where plant growth exceeds decomposition. These fens support unique flora and fauna such as rush aster and northern redbelly dace that are typically found in more boreal regions of North America. This study characterized the hydrogeology of a representative fen in the Jumbo Valley to explore how these relict species survive in a hot, arid climate and to understand present and historical relations between ground water and these unique ecosystems. Results indicate that ground water's present role in sustaining the fens is twofold: (1) wetland plant transpiration of shallow ground water across the valley creates a cooler, humid microclimate that sustains the fens in the region's hot, arid climate and (2) the large volume of ground water pumped through the fens by plant transpiration transports necessary nutrients to the root zone. Results suggest that, in the past, in addition to its sustaining role, ground water also played a vital role in fen development and in fen preservation through nearly 15,000 years of existence. Thus, as with like ecosystems, the role of ground water must be considered in future Sand Hills fen protection, restoration, and management.