55 



J. DEFE^rnONS 



The National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan uses wetlands 

 terminology from the Service's wetlands classification system developed 

 by Cowardin et al. (1979), except for the following definitions specified in 

 section 301 of the Act: 



WETLAND - Land that has a predominance of hydric soils that is 

 inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and 

 duration sufficient to support and that under normal circumstances 

 does support, a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation typically adapted 

 for life in saturated soil conditions. 



HYDRIC SOIL - Soil that, in its undrained condition, is saturated, 

 flooded, or ponded long enough during a growing season to develop 

 an anaerobic condition that supports the growth and regeneration of 

 hydrophytic vegetation. 



HYDROPHYTIC VEGETATION - A plant growing in: 



a . water or 



b. a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen 

 during a growing season as a result of excessive water content. 



ACQUISITION - As used in the National Wetlands Priority Conservation 

 Plan, any purchase of complete or partial interest in a wetland site 

 obtained with total or partial Federal funding. 



DOCUMENTABLE INFORMATION - Information or data collected 

 and/or published by an individual, group, organization, institution or 

 agency and used as an objective basis for establishing wetland functions 

 and values, threats and losses. 



ECOREGION - Continuous geographical areas characterized by 

 distinctive flora, fauna, land forms, climate, vegetation and ecological 

 climax. Refer to Bailey (1978) for additional definition. 



EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESOURCES ACT (Act) - The Public Law 

 (99-645) enacted in 1986 authorizing a variety of measures, including 

 establishing the National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan, to 

 promote the conservation of wetlands in the United States. 



HISTORIC WETLAND LOSSES - The losses of wetlands from a 

 particular site or loss of a specific type of wetlands within a region from 

 the time of European settlement through the present. 



National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan 



