Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers
description
Transcript of Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers
Alluvial plant communities of Alluvial plant communities of
Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers
Elizabeth R. MatthewsElizabeth R. Matthews11
Robert K. PeetRobert K. Peet11
Alan S. WeakleyAlan S. Weakley11
Thomas R. WentworthThomas R. Wentworth22
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill11
North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University22
Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers
Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers
• Describe the vegetation composition and structure
• Inform management decisions and future restoration projects
Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers
CVS protocol
• 20m X 50m plots• Nested corners in 4
intensive modules• Cover by strata• Soil samples and
geomorphic position
Analysis
• Cluster techniques • Ordination• Indicator species analysis• Comparison of groups with current
classifications– Classification of the Natural Communities of
North Carolina, 3rd approximation, Schafale and Weakley
– U.S. National Vegetation Classification
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera forest
•Dominance: Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Acer floridanum, Polystichum acrostichoides •Plots: 20•Environment:
•Small floodplain with poorly developed geomorphology•Sandy soils•Most prominent in Cape Fear
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small stream forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small stream forest
Nearest community concepts•NVC: Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera/ Lindera benzoin/ Arisaema triphyllum Forest (CEGL 4418)•NVC: Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera/ Onoclea sensibilis Forest (CEGL 7329)•3rd approximation: Piedmont alluvial forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small stream forest
Species Nativity Stratum Average cover Constancy
Liquidambar styraciflua N T 6 95Liriodendron tulipifera N T 5 80Vitis rotundifolia N T 3 80Carpinus caroliniana N T 6 65Acer rubrum N T 6 65Toxicodendron radicans N T 3 65Ulmus alata N T 4 60Cornus florida N T 5 55Parthenocissus quinquefolia N T 2 55Carya ovata N T 5 50Betula nigra N T 4 50Carya cordiformis N T 6 45Fagus grandifolia N T 5 45Fraxinus pennsylvanica N T 4 45Acer floridanum N T 7 40Ostrya virginiana N T 6 40Pinus taeda N T 6 40Ulmus rubra N T 5 40Nyssa sylvatica N T 4 40
Species Strata Cover ConstancyNativity
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small stream forest
Species Nativity Stratum Average cover Constancy
Microstegium vimineum E H 4 100Polystichum acrostichoides N H 3 100Lonicera japonica E H 3 100Euonymus americanus N H 2 100Vitis rotundifolia N H 2 100Parthenocissus quinquefolia N H 2 100Toxicodendron radicans N H 2 100Viola sp. N H 2 95Amphicarpaea bracteata N H 2 80Sanicula canadensis N H 2 80Rubus sp. N H 2 80Botrypus virginianus N H 2 80Polygonatum biflorum N H 2 80Smilax bona-nox N H 2 75Campsis radicans N H 2 75Oxalis sp. N H 2 75Carex blanda N H 2 70Bignonia capreolata N H 2 70Smilax rotundifolia N H 2 70Smilax glauca N H 2 70Carex radiata N H 2 65
Species Strata Cover ConstancyNativity
Plot 742
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Ilex opaca- Quercus nigra small stream forest
•Dominance: Ilex opaca*, Quercus nigra*, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Viburnum dentatum*, Chasmanthium latifolium•Plots: 14•Environment:
•Small floodplain•Sandy soils•Most extensive in Tar Basin
Ilex opaca- Quercus nigra small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Querc nig
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Quercus spp. bottomland forest
• Dominance: Quercus phellos*, Quercus pagoda*, Quercus michauxii, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Ilex decidua*, Carpinus caroliniana, Toxicodendron radicans*• Plots: 18• Environment:
•Large floodplain•Soils with high clay content
Quercus spp. bottomland forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Acer rubrum-Fraxinus pennsylvanica bottomland swamp forest
• Dominance: Acer rubrum*, Fraxinus pennsylvanica*, Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana*, Saururus cernuus*, Carex lupulina*, Carex typhina* • Plots: 19• Environment:
•Large floodplain•Backswamp or low landscape position•Soil: high clay content, high Fe and Al
Acer rubrum-Fraxinus pennsylvanica bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Platanus occidentalis- Celtis laevigata- Fraxinus pennslyvanica levee forest
• Dominance: Platanus occidentalis*, Celitis laevigata*, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo*, Juglans nigra*, Chasmanthium latifolium*• Plots: 26• Environment:
•Fertile soils- high base saturation, high Ca and Mg content
Platanus occidentalis- Celtis laevigata- Fraxinus pennslyvanica levee forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest
Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest
Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest
Quercus species bottomland forest
Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
• Dominance: Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Carpinus caroliniana, Arundinaria gigantea• Plots: 18 plots• Environment:
•Moderately fertile soils
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Future directions
• Further refine classification and description
• Expand dataset with more plots in the Yadkin-Peedee and Catawba river basins
Thank you
• This project was made possible by a grant from the NC Environmental Enhancement Program
• Forbes Boyle, Brenda Wichmann, Jessi Outzs, Jose Zúñiga, and the Plant Ecology Lab at UNC