Palustrine forested wetland vegetation communities change across an elevation gradient, Washington State, USA.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Forested wetlands support distinct vegetation and hydrology relative to upland forests and shrub-dominated or open water wetlands. Although forested wetland plant communities comprise unique habitats, these ecosystems' community structure is not well documented in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Here I surveyed forested wetland vegetation to identify changes in community composition and structure across an elevation gradient that corresponds to flooding stress, asking: (1) How do forested wetland plant communities change across an elevation gradient that corresponds to flood frequency and duration? (2) At what relative elevations do different plant species occur within a wetland?

Methods

I measured overstory tree basal area and structure and understory vascular plant

SUBMITTER: Hough-Snee N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7127484 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature