Vegetation disturbance and maintenance of diversity in intermittently flooded Carolina Bays in South Carolina

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Ecological Applications; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1942127· OSTI ID:5173993

Kirkman, L K; Sharitz, R R ^[1]

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1. Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (United States)

The authors manipulated the fire regime and soil disturbance in four grass-dominated Carolina bay wetlands during a prolonged drought period and examined vegetation composition and cover within dominant vegetation types prior to and after treatments. The authors used the seedling emergence technique to determine the role of the seed bank in the recovery process. Burning did not affect richness, evenness, or diversity (all vegetation types combined); however, soil tillage increased diversity, including both evenness and richness. Percent similarity of the vegetation before and after disturbance was greater in the burning treatment than in the tillage treatment, probably due to greater disruption of the rhizomes of the perennial vegetation by tillage. Vegetation types varied in degree of recovery, although dominance was not altered by either treatment. Several native fugitive species increased following disturbance, indicating that species coexistence in these Carolina bay wetlands depends on the life history characteristics of residual vegetation, as well as that of seed bank species.

• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00819
• OSTI ID: 5173993
• Journal Information: Ecological Applications; (United States), Journal Name: Ecological Applications; (United States) Vol. 4:1; ISSN 1051-0761; ISSN ECAPE7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CULTIVATION
DROUGHTS
ECOSYSTEMS
FIRES
MANAGEMENT
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
SPECIES DIVERSITY
WETLANDS