Can Understory Plant Composition and Richness Help Designate Riparian Management Zones in Mesic Headwater Forests of the Northeastern United States?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maneesha T Jayasuriya ◽  
John C Stella ◽  
René H Germain
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Headwater Streams ◽  
Forest Operations ◽  
Upland Forest ◽  
Riparian Management ◽  
Stream Bank ◽  
Ecological Criteria ◽  
Understory Plant

Abstract Riparian buffers implemented to minimize sediment, nutrients, and disturbance impacts on streams during forest operations vary greatly in the degree to which ecological criteria are used in their design. Because most forest operations are concentrated around headwater streams, our primary research objective was to identify a floristically based riparian boundary for headwater streams using plant species composition and indicator species to classify riparian environments distinct from the surrounding upland forest. Within three forested regions of the Northeast US, understory vegetation plots were sampled along perpendicular transects extending from the stream bank into the upland forest. At all sites, species richness was highest adjacent to the stream, decreasing exponentially within 6–12 m from the channel. Species composition closest to the stream was significantly different from all other lateral distances, but identified riparian indicator species were of limited practical use across all sites. However, changes in species richness can serve to identify a riparian area extent up to 6–12 m from headwater streams. Study Implications Riparian areas around headwater streams can be sensitive to forest management activities, particularly harvesting. Riparian management zone (RMZ) buffers around these streams vary in the degree to which they are based on ecological criteria; for example, fixed-width buffers may or may not adequately protect the riparian area. Our study within three forests of the Northeast detected a significant exponential decreasing trend in understory plant species richness within 6–12 m (20–40 ft) from the stream bank. We believe this ecologically based floristic zone closest to the stream represents the most sensitive part of the RMZ. This study recommends a 12 m (40 ft) zone to maintain the majority of the forest cover and minimize the impact of logging equipment. Foresters should be cognizant of this 12 m zone when implementing silvicultural activities and planning harvest access systems.

Corrigendum to: Fish in the matrix: effects of landscape on community-structure patterns of the ichthyofauna of streams in Cerrado

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1219
Author(s):  
Thiago Bernardi Vieira ◽  
Leandro Schlemmer Brasil ◽  
Naiara Raiol Torres ◽  
Tatiana Lima de Melo ◽  
Elto Aparecido Moreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Matrix Effects ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Structure Patterns

This study aims to identify species richness and composition patterns of the ichthyofauna in different landscape matrices (forest, pasture and eucalypt crops) and to evaluate the variation of species composition in different matrices, identifying possible indicator species. We selected 21 streams; 7 were surrounded by native vegetation, 9 surrounded by pasture and 5 by eucalypt crops. We tested whether there was difference in the composition and species richness. In addition, we used the indicator value (IndVal) to verify if there were species faithful and specific to some land use and land cover. Streams located in forest presented the highest estimated species richness, followed by streams in pasturelands and eucalypt matrices. There was no difference between the composition of fishes in different matrices, but we observed a relationship between Phenacorhamdia somnians (Mees, 1974) and pasture matrix. The results indicated that the change in land use may benefit some generalist species such as Phenacorhamdia somnians.

Fish in the matrix: effects of landscape on community-structure patterns of the ichthyofauna of streams in Cerrado

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiago Bernardi Vieira ◽  
Leandro Schlemmer Brasil ◽  
Naiara Raiol Torres ◽  
Tatiana Lima de Melo ◽  
Elto Aparecido Moreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Matrix Effects ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Structure Patterns

This study aims to identify species richness and composition patterns of the ichthyofauna in different landscape matrices (forest, pasture and eucalypt crops) and to evaluate the variation of species composition in different matrices, identifying possible indicator species. We selected 21 streams; 7 were surrounded by native vegetation, 9 surrounded by pasture and 5 by eucalypt crops. We tested whether there was difference in the composition and species richness. In addition, we used the indicator value (IndVal) to verify if there were species faithful and specific to some land use and land cover. Streams located in forest presented the highest estimated species richness, followed by streams in pasturelands and eucalypt matrices. There was no difference between the composition of fishes in different matrices, but we observed a relationship between Phenacorhamdia somnians (Mees, 1974) and pasture matrix. The results indicated that the change in land use may benefit some generalist species such as Phenacorhamdia somnians.

Do small headwater streams have a riparian zone defined by plant communities?

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 2131-2140 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M Hagan ◽  
Sacha Pealer ◽  
Andrew A Whitman
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Headwater Streams ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Herbaceous Plants ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Herbaceous Plant ◽  
Stream Bank

Defining riparian zones is important because sustainable forestry programs typically include a requirement to protect riparian zones. To help determine whether small first-order headwater streams have a riparian zone, we surveyed vascular plant communities along 15 streams in a managed forest landscape in western Maine, USA. Along each stream we recorded all vascular plant species in 5 m × 50 m quadrats at different lateral distances from the stream bank: 0–5, 13–18, 25–30, and 40–45 m. Trees and shrubs showed no statistical differences among zones in either species richness or community composition. Species richness of herbaceous plants was greater in the 0-5 m zone adjacent to the stream bank than in other zones, and species composition of herbaceous plants was statistically different in the 0–5 m zone relative to more distant zones. Twenty-four herbaceous species (of 129) were determined to be indicators of the riparian plant community. Twenty-three of the 24 indicator species were more likely to occur near the stream, and 1 species was more likely to be found away from the stream (a negative riparian indicator). These results show that a narrow riparian zone exists on small headwater streams that is reflected by the herbaceous plant community.

Different components of plant diversity suggest the protection of a large area for the conservation of a riparian ecosystem

Biologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Lastrucci ◽  
Lorenzo Lazzaro ◽  
Tommaso Guidi ◽  
Vincenzo Gonnelli ◽  
Paolo Giordani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Indicator Species Analysis ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Species Analysis

AbstractRiparian ecosystems host an high level of biodiversity but anthropic activities have deeply altered their naturalness and functionality. The present study was carried out in a protected area along a recently regulated tract of the upper River Tiber (Tuscany, central Italy). The study’s aim is to explore different components of plant diversity (species richness, species composition, β-diversity) in the riparian habitats to determine the most relevant conservation issues. Twelve transects were allocated along the riparian zone and a stratified random sampling was performed on the habitat detected along the transects with 184 plots of 1 x 1 m. Species richness was analysed by the use of set of species-richness estimators. The different patterns of plant diversity were analysed by NMDS, Indicator Species Analysis and SDR with symplex analysis. Five habitat types were detected in the study area. Three well-represented habitats (riparian woodlands, shrublands and dry bars) showed a higher number of species; flooded banks and marshlands were much less common and were also less species rich. Species composition and indicator species analysis showed however that marshlands were the richest in taxa having high conservation value and in indicator species. The habitats differed greatly in species composition; β-diversity analysis showed a low number of shared species between the habitats. High values of species replacement and low similarity values were recorded between the plots within the habitats. The study shows some differences between quantitative and qualitative patterns of biodiversity in the study area. The results suggest that to maintain habitat species diversity, the best conservation strategy for the study area is to protect as large an area as possible

scholarly journals Disentangling the Ecological Determinants of Species and Functional Trait Diversity in Herb-Layer Plant Communities in European Temperate Forests

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 552
Author(s):  
Janez Kermavnar ◽  
Lado Kutnar ◽  
Aleksander Marinšek
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Herb Layer ◽  
Bud Bank ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Stand Characteristics

Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compares drivers of both taxonomic, i.e., species richness, cover and evenness, and functional herb-layer diversity, i.e., the diversity of clonal, bud bank and leaf-height-seed plant traits. We investigated the dependence of herb-layer diversity on ecological determinants related to soil properties, climatic parameters, forest stand characteristics, and topographic and abiotic and biotic factors associated with forest floor structure. The study was conducted in different forest types in Slovenia, using vegetation and environmental data from 50 monitoring plots (400 m2 each) belonging to the ICP Forests Level I and II network. The main objective was to first identify significant ecological predictors and then quantify their relative importance. Species richness was strongly determined by forest stand characteristics, such as richness of the shrub layer, tree layer shade-casting ability as a proxy for light availability and tree species composition. It showed a clear positive relation to soil pH. Variation in herb-layer cover was also best explained by forest stand characteristics and, to a lesser extent, by structural factors such as moss cover. Species evenness was associated with tree species composition, shrub layer cover and soil pH. Various ecological determinants were decisive for the diversity of below-ground traits, i.e., clonal and bud bank traits. For these two trait groups we observed a substantial climatic signal that was completely absent for taxonomy-based measures of diversity. In contrast, above-ground leaf-height-seed (LHS) traits were driven exclusively by soil reaction and nitrogen availability. In synthesis, local stand characteristics and soil properties acted as the main controlling factors for both species and trait diversity in herb-layer communities across Slovenia, confirming many previous studies. Our findings suggest that the taxonomic and functional facets of herb-layer vegetation are mainly influenced by a similar set of ecological determinants. However, their relative importance varies among individual taxonomy- and functional trait-based diversity measures. Integrating multi-faceted approaches can provide complementary information on patterns of herb-layer diversity in European forest plant communities.

Species Composition and Species Richness in the Hetao Irrigation Region Drainage Ditches, Northern China

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Xin-rong Li ◽  
Zhi-shan Zhang ◽  
Yi-gang Hu ◽  
Pan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Drainage Ditches

scholarly journals Composition and diversity of anurans in the Restinga of the Conde municipality, northern coast of the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Augusto Trindade Gondim-Silva ◽  
Alessandra Rodrigues Santos Andrade ◽  
Rafael Oliveira Abreu ◽  
Jamile Santos Nascimento ◽  
Geovane Paixão Corrêa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
The State ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
Northern Coast ◽  
Anuran Species

Abstract The Conde municipality is located in the northern coast of the state of Bahia (NC), northeastern Brazil, and is part of the Atlantic Tropical domain. The anuran fauna of the northern portion of the NC is still poorly known if compared to the southern portion. The Restinga is one of the predominant environments of the coastal plains of the NC and it is characterized essentially by presenting sandy soil covered by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. The objective of this study was to determine the anuran species composition and diversity for the Restinga of the Conde municipality. Sampling was carried out at night by active search over four periods of five consecutive days each, two over the 'main rainy season' and two in a 'lesser rainy season', using 14 sample units (SUs) and five extra sample plots (EPs). We calculated dominance and species diversity using the Berger-Parker and Shannon-Wiener H' indices, respectively. We used accumulation curves and the Jackknife 1 estimator to estimate anuran species richness, considering only the data obtained from the SUs. We recorded 713 anuran specimens distributed within 33 species, 13 genera and five families (Bufonidae, Craugastoridae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae and Microhylidae). The Hylidae and Leptodactylidae families had the highest species richness. Considering only the SUs (Jackknife 1 estimator in brackets), we recorded 28 species in the study area (33.9 ± 2.3), 13 in Shrubby Vegetation Zones - SVZ (20.8 ± 2.9) and 25 in Freshwater Wetland Zones - FWZ (28.9 ± 1.9). The abundance and species diversity of the FWZ (n = 638 specimens; H'= 2.4) were higher than those recorded for the SVZ (n = 52 specimens; H' = 1.9). The SVZ and FWZ showed distinct dominant species, wherein Pristimantis paulodutrai was the dominant species in SVZ and Scinax fuscomarginatus in FWZ. The Restinga of the Conde municipality stands out as the one with the highest anuran species richness already recorded considering only SVZ and FWZ. Moreover, its anuran species composition represented 55% of the anuran species known for the NC and included taxa common to three different morphoclimatic domains (Tropical Atlantic, Cerrado and Caatinga).

A structural gradient in cerrado vegetation of Brazil: changes in woody plant density, species richness, life history and plant composition

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 775-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luci Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
Marcelo Tabarelli
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Lower Layer ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Cerrado Vegetation ◽  
Structural Types

Four structural types of cerrado vegetation were examined to test the following hypotheses: (1) there are predictable changes in woody plant density, species richness and life-history strategies from one structural type to another; and (2) plant species composition in the less-rich structural types represent particular and impoverished subsets of those found in the richer ones. The study was conducted at Fazenda Palmares (5°33′S, 42°37′W) Piauí State, Brazil. A 47% decrease in woody plant density between cerradão (forest) and the least-dense type of cerrado sensu stricto (scrub) was associated with a 40% decrease in species richness. The percentage of lower-layer species was reduced by 29% in the least dense type of cerrado sensu stricto compared to cerradão. The proportion of species that flower and fruit during the rainy season was also reduced by one third. Species were not distributed as impoverished subsets along the cerradão–cerrado sensu stricto gradient. It is argued that the reduction in woody plant density and richness is partly due to factors limiting the occurrence of species with particular life-history strategies. The species composition of structural types is affected by the ‘mass effect’ and also by surrounding biotas, which provide species that colonize particular types of cerrado vegetation. Both these processes reduce the likelihood that the species composition in the poorer structural types are simple subsets of those present in the richer types.

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