Does National Wetland Inventory class consistently identify vegetation and edaphic differences in Oregon tidal wetlands?

ABSTRACT: Accurately mapping, modeling, and managing the diversity of wetlands present in estuaries often relies on habitat classification systems that consistently identify differences in biotic structure or other ecosystem characteristics between classes. We used field data from four Oregon estuaries to test for differences in vegetation structure and edaphic characteristics among three tidal emergent marsh classes derived from National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data: low marsh, high marsh, and palustrine tidal marsh. Independently of NWI class, we also evaluated the number and types of plant assemblages present and how edaphic variables, non-native plant cover, and plant species richness varied among them. Pore water salinity varied most strongly across marsh classes, with sediment carbon and nitr

SUBMITTER: Janousek CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9534039 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature