scholarly journals Environmental factors that influence species diversity of floodplain plant communities in different flooding phases in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Bothalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (Volume 50 No. 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaolathe Tsheboeng ◽  
Mphaphi Bonyongo ◽  
Mike Murray-Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Okavango Delta ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Okavango River ◽  
Flooding Duration ◽  
Species Composition And Distribution

Background and objectives: Species composition and distribution in seasonal floodplain plant communities are influenced by variation in flooding. However, the influence of intra-flooding variation phases on the diversity of seasonal floodplain plant communities has not been studied in the Okavango Delta. The objective of this study was to investigate environmental factors that influence species composition and distribution of seasonal floodplain communities before and after flooding. It was hypothesised that environmental factors that influence the species composition and distribution in seasonal floodplain communities will vary with intra-flooding seasons. Methods: Flooding depth was measured in May (before flooding) and September (flood recession/after flooding) in forty 25 m2 plots. Flooding duration was recorded as the number of weeks in which the plots were inundated. The soil was sampled before and after floods and analysed for pH, extractable P, K, Mg, Ca and Na. Plant identification and estimation of percentage cover were done in the 25 m2 plots in which environmental variables were sampled. The relationship between environmental variables and seasonal floodplain plant community composition and distribution was sought using Non-metric Multi-dimensional Scaling. Paired Student’s t test was used to compare the means of environmental variables before and after flooding. Results: Factors that influenced the distribution of species before flooding were Na, K, water depth and flooding duration. After flooding, the factors that influenced species composition and distribution were K, Na, Mg, pH, water depth and flooding duration. Conclusion: These results suggest that during flooding K and Mg are deposited in the floodplains due to lateral water flow. Our results also suggest that any water abstraction from the Okavango River Basin should take into consideration the importance of flooding duration and depth in sustaining species composition and distribution of seasonal floodplain plant communities so that such developments do not disturb the ecological functioning of the Delta.

Environmental factors responsible for shaping an open peatland – forest complex on the hypermaritime north coast of British Columbia

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 2380-2394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taro Asada ◽  
Barry G Warner ◽  
Jim Pojar
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Groundwater Table ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Minimum Level ◽  
Peat Accumulation ◽  
Upland Forest ◽  
Vegetation Gradient

The relationships between the distribution of plant communities and environmental factors were studied in an open peatland – forest complex of the hypermaritime north coast of British Columbia. The entire vegetation gradient, from open through forested peatlands to upland forest, was primarily explained by slope and minimum level of groundwater table. Environmental conditions in the upland Tsuga–Rhytidiadelphus forest were considerably different from those of the other communities; differences were small among the Sphagnum open peatland, the Pinus–Sphagnum woodland, the Chamaecyparis–Fauria forest, and the Thuja–Gaultheria forest. Highest level of groundwater table, conductivity minimum, pH, and dissolved oxygen merely helped distinguish the upland Tsuga–Rhytidiadelphus forest from all other communities. The wet Thuja–Gaultheria forest could be more vulnerable than the upland Tsuga–Rhytidiadelphus forest to local hydrological changes caused by harvesting. Consecutive intraannual measurements of environmental variables are important in clarifying the relationships between distribution of plant communities and environmental variables, especially for communities with peat accumulation.

scholarly journals Influence of edaphic factors on the structure and distribution of plant species in and around Mekeiman Marsh Wetland, Northeast of Algeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moundji Touarfia ◽  
NOUREDDINE BOUALI ◽  
ABDELKADER DJOUAMAA ◽  
MOHAMED CHERIF MAAZI ◽  
MOUSSA HOUHAMDI
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Edaphic Factors ◽  
Marsh Wetland ◽  
Plant Assemblages ◽  
Species Composition And Distribution

Abstract. Touarfia M, Bouali N, Djouamaa Ak, Maazi MC, Houhamdi M. 2021. Influence of edaphic factors on the structure and distribution of plant species in and around Mekeiman Marsh Wetland, Northeast of Algeria. Biodiversitas 22: 3219-3228. Understanding the environmental factors that influence plant species composition and distribution is essential for successful management of biodiversity. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to assess plant species composition and distribution in a freshwater wetland Mekeiman Marsh, Northeastern Algeria and to analyze the influence of environmental factors on local plant species. To explore the distribution of plant species in this Marsh and analyze their associations with edaphic soil factors, the mapping and types of plant species in this area were analyzed by MapInfo and principal component analysis (PCA) ordination. For this purpose, four stations were chosen according to a stratified sampling method and phytosociological surveys were carried out in 12 plots, which were sampled using the Braun- Blanquet method. Multivariate analyses were used to determine the relationship between plant species distribution and edaphic factors. The R i386 (version 4.0.3) software was used for data analysis. We have identified 48 plant species belonging to 21 families. Results of biological types in the study area revealed the dominance of hemicryptophytes and therophytes, which indicates the presence of therophytization in this Marsh. Spatial distribution maps showed that plant species were divided into two categories viz. sparse and scattered plants according to the humidity gradient. The most important edaphic factors associated with plant species in Mekeiman Marsh were Sodium, Phosphorus, active limestone, Magnesium, clay, organic matter, C/N and Azot. By combining mapping and influence of edaphic factors on the structure and distribution of plant species in this wetland, it was known that the plant assemblages of this Marsh make disproportionately important contributions to wetland-level diversity. By combining mapping and influence of edaphic factors on the structure and distribution of plant species in this wetland, the plant assemblages of this Marsh make disproportionately important contributions to wetland-level diversity.

scholarly journals The influence of environmental factors on species composition and distribution in a community forest in Northern Thailand

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siriluck Thammanu ◽  
Dokrak Marod ◽  
Hee Han ◽  
Narayan Bhusal ◽  
Lamthai Asanok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Northern Thailand ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Species Composition And Distribution

Abstract Understanding the environmental factors that influence tree species composition is essential for successful management of biodiversity and sustainable use of community forest resources. This study aims to assess tree species composition and distribution in the deciduous Ban Mae Chiang Rai Lum Community Forest in Northern Thailand and to analyze the influence of environmental factors on tree biodiversity in the forest. We conducted a stratified systematic sampling of the forest’s total area of 3925 ha, and twenty-five 0.16 ha survey plots were established in three different stands of the deciduous forests to estimate and characterize the difference in biological diversity among the stands. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to investigate the environment factors affecting such differences in biodiversity of the stands. The results showed a high diversity of trees in the forest as 197 species, 144 genera, and 62 plant families were recorded. The CCA ordination identified the environmental factors—the most important of which were elevation, distance to streams, soil moisture, organic matter, and distance to communities—that significantly influenced the diversity and distribution of tree species (p < 0.05) in the community forest. Our findings indicate that the implementation of drought reduction measures such as building check dams, fire protection, and monitoring community forest-product usage would be recommended to further biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of community forest resources.

Plant communities in lowland Danish streams: species composition and environmental factors

2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tenna Riis ◽  
Kaj Sand-Jensen ◽  
Ole Vestergaard
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities

Importance of hydrochory in structuring plant communities along rivers

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 2631-2633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christer Nilsson ◽  
Maria Gardfjell ◽  
Gunnel Grelsson
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Current Velocity ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Water Dispersal ◽  
Seed Deposition ◽  
Riparian Plant Communities ◽  
Riparian Plant

Using wooden cubes as experimental seed mimics we tested whether differences in seed deposition among riverbank sites predictably affect the structure of riparian vegetation. Although cube deposition was not interpretable in terms of environmental variables like current velocity, riverbank width, and substrate, it was related to species composition of the riparian vegetation. We found an excess of species with short-floating seeds among those that were most frequent in sites capturing few cubes and an excess of species with long-floating seeds among those that were most frequent in sites capturing many cubes. This result provides the first evidence that water dispersal interacting with floating time may play a role in small-scale structuring of riparian plant communities. Key words: floating time, hydrochory, riparian vegetation, river, seed mimics, seed deposition.

VEGETATION-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ULTRAMAFIC AREA OF MONTE FERRATO, ITALY

1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Chiarucci ◽  
Michele Riccucci ◽  
Carlo Celesti ◽  
Vincenzo De Dominicis
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Exchangeable Cations ◽  
Nutrient Input ◽  
Potentially Toxic Metals ◽  
Environmental Features ◽  
Soil Metals ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Relationships between some environmental features and species composition and abundance of grassland and dwarf shrub vegetation were investigated on Monte Ferrato, one of the best known ultramafic (serpentine) sites of Italy. The main aim was to test the importance of the available fraction of soil metals in causing the typical infertility of ultramafic soils. The physical and chemical features of soil were determined for each plot in which species composition and cover were recorded. The plots were classified by cluster analysis and ANOVA was applied to compare the environmental variables of groups of plots. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to detect the principle factors related to the gradient of species composition within the plant communities. It was found that the grassland and dwarf vegetation of Monte Ferrato is not negatively influenced by soil content of nickel and other metals. Pine canopy cover, which provides additional nutrient input and protects against erosion, was found to be important for evolution of the garigues into grasslands. The evolution of grassland turf induced the retention of higher levels of exchangeable cations, including potentially toxic metals, in the evolved soil.

scholarly journals Pattern of Plant Community Distribution along the Elevational Gradient and Anthropogenic Disturbance in Gole Forest, Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Mesfin Belete Hailemariam ◽  
Tamru Demsis Temam
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Agglomerative Hierarchical Cluster Analysis ◽  
The Difference

Vegetation-environment relationships are usually studied along elevational gradient. The patterns of plant community distribution in Gole forest, Ethiopia, were studied along elevational gradient and disturbances. Disturbances were recorded following the elevational gradient. For vegetation data collection, 62 sample plots of size 20 × 20 m were established along an elevational gradient (2728–3480 m.a.s.l). Data on species composition and environmental variables were measured and recorded in each plot. The elevation of each sample plot was measured using Garmin GPS. Anthropogenic disturbances in each plot were estimated using the following scales: 0 = no disturbance, 1 = slightly disturbed, 2 = moderately disturbed, and 3 = highly disturbed. R statistical package was used for cluster and ordination analysis. Boxplots and analysis of variance were used to assess the relationships between plant communities and environmental variables. Sorensen’s similarity coefficient was used to detect similarities and dissimilarities among communities. A total of 114 plant species belonging to 57 families and 94 genera were identified. Five plant community types were identified using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. Every plant community had differences in composition and environmental variables. The variation in plant community distributions was significantly related to elevation and disturbance. Plant community distribution was negatively correlated with elevation ( P < 0.05 ) and also with disturbance ( P < 0.05 ). Sorensen’s similarity index showed that there was a difference in the distribution of plant species composition among the communities. The difference in plant community distribution of Gole forest was significantly related to elevation. Disturbances also have a considerable influence on the plant communities and mitigation of disturbance should be the main measure that needs to be taken into account in conservation planning in the study area.

Species composition and distribution of free-living nematodes in lakes and streams.

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-108
Author(s):  
Walter Traunspurger ◽  
Nabil Majdi
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Heterotrophic Microbes ◽  
Rivers And Streams ◽  
Distributional Patterns ◽  
Species Composition And Distribution ◽  
Temperature Water

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the distributional patterns of nematodes in lakes, rivers, and streams worldwide and of the factors that affect the structuring of nematode communities in the field. Drivers of variability in species composition such as habitat texture, flow rate, temperature, water chemistry, oxygen, vertical distribution of nematodes in the sediment, water depth in lakes, microphytobenthos, macrophytes, heterotrophic microbes, interspecific competition, and predation, are discussed.

Environmental variables affect species composition and distribution of Bryophytes

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
罗先真 LUO Xianzhen ◽  
熊源新 XIONG Yuanxin ◽  
夏欣 XIA Xin ◽  
曹威 CAO Wei ◽  
钟世梅 ZHONG Shimei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Species Composition And Distribution

Meteorology and species composition of plant communities, birds and fishes before and after initial impoundment of Miharu Dam Reservoir, Japan

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Azami ◽  
Mariko Takemoto ◽  
Yasunori Otsuka ◽  
Satoshi Yamagishi ◽  
Shigekazu Nakazawa
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Dam Reservoir ◽  
Before And After
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