Coastal Plains Ecoregion - National Wetland Condition Assessment Results
NWCA 2021 Ecoregional Results
Key Results
An estimated 37,036,517 acres of wetlands in the Coastal Plains ecoregion are represented in the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA).
The NWCA uses a number of indicators to assess the health of wetlands.
- 56% of wetland area rated good for the vegetation indicator and 67% rated good for the nonnative plant indicator.
- The most widespread stressor was the cumulative physical alterations indicator, with 31% of wetland area rating poor. Vegetation replacement was the most widespread individual physical alteration indicator with 22% of wetland area rating poor.
- Nutrients are an essential part of a wetland ecosystem, however excess nutrients can be detrimental. The NWCA found that 23% of wetland area rated poor for nitrogen and 28% rated poor for phosphorus. Since many wetlands do not have surface water throughout the year, these indicators could not be assessed for 28% of wetland area.
Change from 2016*
- The NWCA reports that the percent of wetland area rated good for the vegetation indicator decreased by 2 percentage points. The percentage of wetland area in good condition for nonnative plants decreased by 6 percentage points.
To access more ecoregional specific information, please visit the interactive NWCA Dashboard.
* The change analysis is based on information from two points in time – 2016 and 2021.
