Community structure and primary productivity of forested wetlands in western Kentucky
Community structure and net primary productivity were measured in five forested wetlands in western Kentucky and compared with hydrologic information. A bottomland hardwood forest (H1), cypress-ash swamp (H2), and deep cypress swamp (H3) were located on the floodplain of the Ohio River and were subject to annual spring flooding. The other two sites were adjacent to a smaller, channelized stream that floods frequently, but for short periods. Only a young riparian forest (C3) is directly affected by the stream unless an unusually severe flood exceeds the levee that hydrologically isolates the stagnant cypress swamp (C4). Community structure indices were lowest in the two permanently-flooded cypress swamps. Tree biomass was 9.4 kg/m/sup 2/ at C4 and 10.2 kg/m/sup 2/ at H3. High biomass was found at H1 and H2 (30.3 and 31.2 kg/m/sup 2/) while C3 was intermediate at 18.4 kg/m/sup 2/. Other structural measures, notably stem density and mean height were closely related to biomass estimates. Low leaf to wood biomass ratios were found at H2 and C4 which suggests low nutrient availability. Nutrients are abundant at H2 due to agricultural runoff but physiological stress and aquatic macrophyte competition may limit tree uptake.
- Research Organization:
- Louisville Univ., KY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5704235
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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