Plant species indicators of physical environment in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

C.A. Johnston; B.L. Bedford; M. Bourdaghs; T. Brown; C. Frieswyk; M. Tulbure; L. Vaccaro; J.B. Zedler

doi:10.3394/0380-1330(2007)33[106:PSIOPE]2.0.CO;2

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Plant species indicators of physical environment in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Plant species indicators of physical environment in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

C.A. Johnston, B.L. Bedford, M. Bourdaghs, T. Brown, C. Frieswyk, M. Tulbure, L. Vaccaro and J.B. Zedler

Journal of Great Lakes Research, Vol.33(SI 3), pp.106-124

2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3394/0380-1330(2007)33[106:PSIOPE]2.0.CO;2

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Abstract

Plant taxa identified in 90 U.S. Great Lakes coastal emergent wetlands were evaluated as indicators of physical environment. Canonical correspondence analysis using the 40 most common taxa showed that water depth and tussock height explained the greatest amount of species-environment interaction among ten environmental factors measured as continuous variables (water depth, tussock height, latitude, longitude, and six ground cover categories). Indicator species analysis was used to identify species-environment interactions with categorical variables of soil type (sand, silt, clay, organic) and hydrogeomorphic type (Open-Coast Wetlands, River-Influenced Wetlands, Protected Wetlands). Of the 169 taxa that occurred in a minimum of four study sites and ten plots, 48 were hydrogeomorphic indicators and 90 were soil indicators. Most indicators of Protected Wetlands were bog and fen species which were also organic soil indicators. Protected Wetlands had significantly greater average coefficient of conservatism (C) values than did Open-Coast Wetlands and River-Influenced Wetlands, but average C values did not differ significantly by soil type. Open-Coast and River-Influenced hydrogeomorphic types tended to have sand or silt soils. Clay soils were found primarily in areas with Quaternary glaciolacustrine deposits or clay-rich tills. A fuller understanding of how the physical environment influences plant species distribution will improve our ability to detect the response of wetland vegetation to anthropogenic activities.

Details

Title: Plant species indicators of physical environment in Great Lakes coastal wetlands
Authors/Creators: C.A. Johnston (Author/Creator)
B.L. Bedford (Author/Creator)
M. Bourdaghs (Author/Creator)
T. Brown (Author/Creator)
C. Frieswyk (Author/Creator)
M. Tulbure (Author/Creator)
L. Vaccaro (Author/Creator)
J.B. Zedler (Author/Creator)
Publication Details: Journal of Great Lakes Research, Vol.33(SI 3), pp.106-124
Publisher: International Association for Great Lakes Research
Identifiers: 991005541003307891
Copyright: © International Association for Great Lakes Research
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.40 Forestry; 3.40.86 Plant Communities
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Limnology; Marine & Freshwater Biology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science