Environ Monit Assess (2010) 170:555–569 DOI 10.1007/s10661-009-1257-2 Using two classification schemes to develop vegetation indices of biological integrity for wetlands in West Virginia, USA Walter Veselka IV · James S. Rentch · William N. Grafton · Walter S. Kordek · James T. Anderson Received: 13 July 2009 / Accepted: 2 December 2009 / Published online: 23 December 2009 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009 Abstract Bioassessment methods for wetlands, and other bodies of water, have been devel- oped worldwide to measure and quantify changes in “biological integrity.” These assessments are based on a classification system, meant to ensure appropriate comparisons between wetland types. Using a local site-specific disturbance gradient, we built vegetation indices of biological integrity (Veg-IBIs) based on two commonly used wetland classification systems in the USA: One based on vegetative structure and the other based on a wetland’s position in a landscape and sources of water. The resulting class-specific Veg-IBIs were W.N. Grafton passed away 11 September 2009. W. Veselka IV · J. S. Rentch · W. N. Grafton · J. T. Anderson Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, PO Box 6125, Percival Hall, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA W. S. Kordek Wildlife Resources Section, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, PO Box 67, Ward Road, Elkins, WV 26241, USA J. T. Anderson (B ) Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, PO Box 6125, Percival Hall, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA e-mail: wetland@wvu.edu comprised of 1–5 metrics that varied in their sen- sitivity to the disturbance gradient ( R 2 = 0.14 − 0.65). Moreover, the sensitivity to the disturbance gradient increased as metrics from each of the two classification schemes were combined (added). Using this information to monitor natural and cre- ated wetlands will help natural resource managers track changes in biological integrity of wetlands in response to anthropogenic disturbance and allows the use of vegetative communities to set ecological performance standards for mitigation banks. Keywords Vegetative communities · Disturbance · Index of biological integrity · Metrics · West Virginia · Wetlands Introduction Plant communities are a reflection of past and present hydrologic conditions (Kirkman et al. 2000; Magee and Kentula 2005; Rentch et al. 2008) and can indicate anthropogenic disturbances, such as sedimentation (Mahaney et al. 2004a, b), nu- trient enrichment (Craft and Richardson 1997; Drohan et al. 2006), as well as changes in hy- drology (Bonner et al. 2009; Koning 2005). The resulting vegetative communities are one com- ponent used to identify jurisdictional wetlands (USACOE 1987). This process uses the Cowardin et al. (1979) wetland classification scheme that