Analysis of a North Dakota Gallery Forest: Vegetation in Relation to Topographic and Soil Gradients

Abstract

Vegetation-environment relationships were studied in forest stands located on slopes and a floodplain in northeastern North Dakota. Coverage values of all vascular plants and basal area, frequency, density, and mensuration data for tree species were obtained. A total of 109 species of vascular plants, 10 of mosses, and 15 of lichens are reported for the 40 plots studied. The three most important (based on importance value) overstory species are Quercus macrocarpa, Tilia americana, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima. Less important overstory species include Ulmus americana, Acer negundo, Populus tremuloides, and Betula papyri/era. Tree-ring analysis indicates that the present forest is less than 100 yr old. Correlation analyses were made between community characteristics of vegetation and the topographic parameters, slope inclination, aspect, and elevation. Principal component analysis and Swan-Dix-Wehrhahn ordination were used to establish five abstract community types.Environmental soil parameters measured for each soil horizon within the rooting zone include available water capacity; pH; electrical conductivity; cation exchange capacity; percentage organic matter; replaceable Ca, Mg, K, Na, Sr, and Mn; available P; and, EDTAextractable AI, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, and Zn. Topographic and soil parameters were used for stepwise elimination multiple regressions to develop predictive equations for the distribution of plant species.Correlation analysis reveals that the basal area of trees and number and coverage values of herbaceous species is highest on lower elevations and south exposures. Whereas pronounced vegetation differences occur between slopes and the floodplain, the vegetation patterns on the slopes are continuous and overlapping. Based on the results from multiple regression analysis, gradients for potential solar beam irradiation, available water capacity, elevation, linear aspect, slope inclination, and replaceable K were established. By use of coverage values, ecological modalities of selected species are demonstrated along quantified gradients. Relationships of plots in several bivariate combinations show patterns of community type resembling those obtained by stand ordination.

Vegetation patterns of boreal herb-rich forests in the Koli region, eastern Finland: classification, environmental factors and conservation aspects

“…slope inclination, altitude and exposure), were related to the vascular plant and bryophyte communities primarily through the site moisture, as also found previously (Valle 1919, Whittaker 1956, Kalliola 1973, Wikum and Wali 1974, Kuusipalo 1985, Heikkinen 1991, Quian et al 2003. Table 8.…”

Phytosociological Analysis of Woody Species in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Its Adjoining Areas in Western Himalaya, India

“…The physiographic factors are widely known to show a major impact on plant microhabitats, especially in hill-slope form (Sharma et al 2010). The physiographic features such as elevation and aspect have a profound influence on the distribution, growth, form and structure of tree species, as a result of which the individual tree species has different values for density and Malik and Bhatt, 2015. basal cover at various altitudes and aspects (Wikum and Wali 1974). Slobodkin and Sanders (1969) opined that species richness of any community is a function of severity, variability and predictability of the environment in which it develops.…”

Community Structure of Montane forest along the Altitudinal Gradient in Garhwal Himalaya, India

“…However, Mehta et al (1997) reported similarity of 9.6 (between burnt grazed and unburnt grazed sites) to 74.9% (between unburnt protected and unburnt grazed sites) for the various forest sites under different management regimes in Garhwal Himalaya. Wikum and Wali (1974) and Saxena and Singh (1982) have pointed out the significant role of the site characteristics in plant distribution and similarity. The values of diversity are presented in Table 5.…”