A critical review of representative wetland rapid assessment methods in North America

1. The aim of this study is to perform a systematic comparative analysis of some of the best and more common rapid assessment methods derived for wetland habitats. 2. Seventeen methods developed for North American wetlands have been thoroughly analysed to outline the scope, goals, scientific precision, generality, implementation and training costs, complexity of operational procedures, communication potential, etc. 3. Most of the methods perform an integrated assessment on the basis of a substantial number of parameters regarding different aspects of the structure and functional services provided by wetland, thus explicitly acknowledging the multi-dimensional nature of wetland functions. 4. Wetland and land management are the two most common areas of application of rapid assessment methods. 5. Our analysis shows that time and costs are important issues in the practical implementation of assessment methods. Simplicity, cost effectiveness, and the possibility to utilize information already available for other purposes are key factors for a widespread implementation of rapid assessment methods. 6. The modular approach developed in the Coastal Wetland Project of Massachusetts, Office of Coastal Zone Management emerges as the most promising one, as it allows us to combine the short-term benefits of a rapid assessment method with the precision of detailed field analysis of biogeochemical parameters that usually requires more time and financial resources. 7. In Europe, the development of integrated rapid assessment methods is still emerging, but it can greatly benefit from the North American experience. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.