Californian Salt-Marsh Vegetation: An Improved Model of Spatial Pattern

Zedler, Joy B.; Callaway, John C.; Desmond, Julie; Vivian‐Smith, Gabrielle; Williams, Gregory D.; Sullivan, Gary; Brewster, Alice E.; Bradshaw, Brian K.

doi:10.1007/s100219900055

Cited by 161 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…of Pages 5 (Minden et al, 2012;Zedler et al, 1999). In inland salt-affected landscapes the relationship between elevation and vegetation has been rarely studied.…”

Section: G Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine-scale vertical position as an indicator of vegetation in alkali grasslands – Case study based on remotely sensed data

Deák

Valkó²,

Alexander

et al. 2014

Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants

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a b s t r a c tVertical position is an important driver of vegetation zonation at multiple scales, via determining abiotic environmental parameters, such as climate, soil properties and water balance. In inland alkali landscapes, elevation is a key factor for understanding patterns of salt accumulation and water table which is therefore considered a good indicator of alkali vegetation types. Remote sensing techniques offer viable solutions for linking elevation data to vegetation patterns by providing an elevation model of extended areas. Our goal was to test the relationships between fine-scale differences in vertical position and vegetation patterns in inland alkali landscapes by vegetation data collected in the field and elevation data generated using airborne laser scanning (ALS). We studied whether vertical position influences vegetation patterns at the level of main vegetation groups (based on alliances) or even at the level of associations. Our study sites were situated in a lowland alkali landscape in Hortobágy National Park (East-Hungary). We grouped the associations into four main vegetation groups: loess grasslands, alkali steppes, open alkali swards and alkali meadows. Even though we detected a very limited range (121 cm) in the vertical position of the main vegetation groups, they were well separated by their vertical positions. At the level of associations, a more detailed elevation-based distinction was also possible in many cases. The revealed elevation-vegetation correlations show that high-resolution mapping based on ALS remote sensing techniques is an ideal solution in complex lowland areas, such as alkali landscapes. Our findings suggest that in other types of lowland landscapes, characterised by elevation differences, the applied method might hold a great potential as a supporting tool for vegetation mapping.

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“…of Pages 5 (Minden et al, 2012;Zedler et al, 1999). In inland salt-affected landscapes the relationship between elevation and vegetation has been rarely studied.…”

Section: G Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine-scale vertical position as an indicator of vegetation in alkali grasslands – Case study based on remotely sensed data

Deák

Valkó²,

Alexander

et al. 2014

Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants

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“…However, marsh topography also strongly affects the frequency and duration of water retention (Davy et al 2011;Veeneklaas 2013). At the meso-scale within a salt marsh, the vegetation pattern may be strongly influenced by fluvial geomorphic processes, such as drainage patterns in relation to tidal creeks (Zedler et al 1999). Kim et al (2010) found lower salinity near elevated creek banks due to shorter periods of salt accumulation and higher salinity in depressions due to stagnation and evapotranspiration of seawater after tidal flooding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zedler et al 1999;Bockelmann et al 2002;Pétillon et al 2010). The influx of salt into the salt-marsh bed occurs during tidal inundation when soil pore water is refreshed by vertical seepage (Childers et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinization during salt-marsh restoration after managed realignment

et al. 2015

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Salt marshes provide an important and unique habitat for plants and animals. To restore salt marshes, numerous coastal realignment projects have been carried out, but restored marshes often show persistent ecological differences from natural marshes. We evaluate the effects of elevation and marsh topography, which are in turn affected by drainage and livestock grazing, on soil salinity after de-embankment. Salinity in the topsoil was monitored during the first 10 years after de-embankment and compared with salinity in an adjacent reference marsh. Additionally, salinity at greater depths (down to 1.2 m below the marsh surface) was monitored during the first 4 years by measuring the electrical conductivity of the groundwater. Chloride concentration in the top soil strongly decreased with increasing elevation; however, it was not affected by marsh topography, i.e. distance to creek or breach. Chloride concentrations higher than 2 g Cl − /litre were found at elevations below 0.6 m + MHT. Salinization of the groundwater, however, took several years. At low marsh elevations, the salinity of the deep groundwater (at 1.2 m depth) increased slowly throughout the full 4-year period of monitoring but did not reach the level of seawater. Compared to the ungrazed treatment, the grazed treatment led to lower accretion rates, lower soil-moisture content and higher chloride content of soil moisture. The de-embankment of the agricultural grasslands resulted in a rapid increase of soil salinity, although deeper ground-water levels showed a much slower response. Elevation accounted for most of the variation in the salinization of the soil. Grazing may enhance salinity of the top soil.

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“…Montalto and Steenhuis (2004) state the importance of documenting the hydrologic conditions of a reference marsh to provide relevance of ecological studies to restoration design. The information can be used to inform aspects of restoration design such as marsh plain elevation, vegetation-planting plans, microtopography, and tidal channel morphology (Zedler et al 1999;. The flood regime also is critical to the establishment and management of invasive species such as Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) (Kercher and Zedler 2004;Jenkins et al 2008).…”

Section: B2 Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The hydrologic regime, itself a product of land elevation and flows, can be predictive of the potential plant community especially in low-relief wetlands where ecotones can occur because of very small vertical differences (Baldwin et al 2001). In tidally influenced systems, the location of vegetation communities is also linked to landscape connectivity (Zedler et al 1999). …”

Section: B2 Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Cumulative Ecosystem Response to Restoration Projects in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, 2009

Johnson¹,

Diefenderfer²,

Borde³

et al. 2010

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Final Annual Report, 2009 iii Executive SummaryThis is the sixth annual report of a 7-year project (2004 through 2010) to evaluate the cumulative effects of habitat restoration actions in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE). The project, called the Cumulative Effects Study, is being conducted for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District (USACE) by the Marine Sciences Laboratory of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the Pt. Adams Biological Field Station of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST), and the University of Washington.The goal of the Cumulative Effects Study is to develop a methodology for evaluating the cumulative effects of multiple habitat restoration projects intended to benefit ecosystems supporting juvenile salmonids in the 235-km-long LCRE. Literature review in 2004 revealed no existing methods for such an evaluation and suggested that cumulative effects could be additive or synergistic. From 2005 through 2009, annual field research involved intensive, comparative studies paired by habitat type (tidal swamp versus marsh), trajectory (restoration versus reference site), and restoration action (tide-gate replacement vs. culvert replacement vs. dike breach).During 2009, the specific objectives for the Cumulative Effects Study were as follows:1. Support the cumulative effects assessment at pilot and estuary-wide scales through field work to document selected higher-order metrics, develop a time series, and expand the spatial and temporal diversity of sites for cumulative effects analysis, as follows:a. At Crims Island, Kandoll Farm, and Vera Slough restoration and reference sites, sample all core metrics.b. At selected historical breach and created sites, sample hydrology, morphology, vegetation, and fish abundance.c. Perform an intensive material-exchange study at the Kandoll Farm culvert over 48-hr periods during a spring-and a neap-tide series.2. Test estuary-wide the cumulative effects methodology developed in previous years, including geographic information system (GIS) assessments of wetted area, discrete hydrodynamic modeling, and meta-analyses of effectiveness data.The 2009 results may be summarized as follows:• Fish and Hydrography• -Large numbers of juvenile chum salmon were sampled in the tidal channels at the Kandoll Farm restoration site, implying the sampling covered the main outmigration. Juvenile Chinook salmon were present in the trap-net samples in low numbers, as in previous years. Coho salmon sampling included fry, subyearling, and yearling fishes. Marked fish from the Grays hatchery were captured at the Kandoll Farm.Vegetation-Elevation -Elevations are higher at the restoration site than at the reference sites at both Kandoll Farm and Vera Slough. At Crims Island, the elevations are the same between restoration and reference sites. As a corollary, accretions rates are higher at restoration sites than at reference sites. All tidal wetlands examined in this study exist within a 3-m vert...

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Californian Salt-Marsh Vegetation: An Improved Model of Spatial Pattern

Cited by 161 publications

References 54 publications

Fine-scale vertical position as an indicator of vegetation in alkali grasslands – Case study based on remotely sensed data

Fine-scale vertical position as an indicator of vegetation in alkali grasslands – Case study based on remotely sensed data

Salinization during salt-marsh restoration after managed realignment

Evaluating Cumulative Ecosystem Response to Restoration Projects in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, 2009

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