The wetlands of Elk Island National Park: Vegetation classification, water chemistry, and hydrotopographic relationships

Nicholson, Barbara J.

doi:10.1007/bf03160665

Cited by 19 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…An ascending gradient of nutrient concentrations in the surface water, from ombrotrophy to minerotrophy, characterizes mires as bogs through poor fens to rich fens (Schwintzer 1981; Glaser 1983; Glaser et al . 1990; Nicholson 1995). Even in many minerotrophic mires, plant growth is limited by the availability of N or P (Verhoeven 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance

Kohzu

Matsui

Yamada

et al. 2003

Ecological Research

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Variation in stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) was assessed for plants comprising two wetland communities, a bog‐fen system and a flood plain, in central Japan. δ15N of 12 species from the bog‐fen system and six species from the flood plain were remarkably variable, ranging from −5.9 to +1.1‰ and from +3.1 to +8.7‰, respectively. Phragmites australis exhibited the highest δ15N value at both sites. Rooting depth also differed greatly with plant species, ranging from 5 cm to over 200 cm in the bog‐fen system. There was a tendency for plants having deeper root systems to exhibit higher δ15N values; plant δ15N was positively associated with rooting depth. Moreover, an increasing gradient of peat δ15N was found along with depth. This evidence, together with the fact that inorganic nitrogen was depleted under a deep‐rooted Phragmites australis stand, strongly suggests that deep‐rooted plants actually absorb nitrogen from the deep peat layer. Thus, we successfully demonstrated the diverse traits of nitrogen nutrition among mire plants using stable isotope analysis. The ecological significance of deep rooting in mire plants is that it enables those plants to monopolize nutrients in deep substratum layers. This advantage should compensate for any consequential structural and/or physiological costs. Good evidence of the benefits of deep rooting is provided by the fact that Phragmites australis dominates as a tall mire grass.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance

Kohzu

Matsui

Yamada

et al. 2003

Ecological Research

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“…In boreal forest communities, trees and shrubs increase in abundance when water tables are lower. This could have been induced by a period of drawdown or by successional infilling, as the surface of non-floating wetlands become increasingly elevated above the water as peat accumulates (Nicholson 1995;Nicholson and Vitt 1994). Subsequent decline in the amount of wood and Sphagnum closer to the surface in the three shoreline cores (0.7, 39, and 71) suggests that wetter, more minerotrophic conditions followed the Sphagnum stage.…”

Section: Community Changesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Flooding can also be detrimental to bryophyte growth when it is significantly deep or occurs frequently (Campeau et al 2004). Wetlands in Elk Island National Park with standing water deeper than 10 cm were never moss dominated (Nicholson 1995). Thus wetlands that (Vitt 1994).…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

Inferred history of a boreal pond from sediment and vegetation characteristics

Nicholson¹,

Bayley²,

Whitehouse³

2006

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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. 2006. Inferred history of a boreal pond from sediment and vegetation characteristics. Can. J. Soil Sci. 86: 335-347. Shallow ponds associated with peatlands in boreal Alberta contain large quantities of stored carbon in their peaty sediments, and exhibit spatial changes in response to dry or wet conditions. Peatland ponds around Utikuma Lake experienced a partial to nearly complete drawdown in 2002, in response to drought. A fourfold investigation was begun to assess the natural drought and flood cycles, assess the current C stocks along the shore, determine what species were colonizing the newly exposed shorelines, and to place the magnitude of the current drought into historical perspective. Ten vegetation communities were found to have colonized the exposed sediments. Paleostratigraphy shows that the surface communities differ markedly from paleocommunities. Stratigraphy of the wetland sediments demonstrates that only two changes occurred, one a successional switch from a sedge-dominated marsh to a forested bog, the other a much more recent disturbance that caused water levels near the pond to rise. No evidence of constantly changing paleocommunities was found, suggesting that previous droughts have not left a visible paleorecord. The more recent disturbance has likely redistributed peat into the pond basins and subsequently it has broken down to detritial peat, altering its physical structure, and perhaps its rate of decomposition. Continued exposure of the peat is likely to enhance decomposition. In this study both flooding and drought may have impacted the wetland in ways likely to result in higher rates of decomposition and enhanced CO 2 emissions under global warming. , les étangs tourbeux de la région du lac Utikuma se sont presque entièrement asséchés consécutivement à la sécheresse. Les auteurs ont entrepris une étude en quatre volets afin d'évaluer les cycles naturels de sécheresse et d'inondation, de mesurer les réserves actuelles de carbone sur les rives, d'identifier les espèces colonisant les fonds exposés et de classer la gravité de la nouvelle sécheresse dans son contexte historique. Dix populations végétales colonisent les sédiments exposés. La paléostratigraphie révèle que les populations en surface diffèrent nettement des communautés plus anciennes. La stratigraphie des sédiments tourbeux ne révèle que deux changements : une modification dans la succession des plantes durant laquelle le marais de carex s'est transformé en tourbière boisée et une perturbation beaucoup plus récente qui a entraîné une élé-vation du niveau de l'eau près de l'étang. Les auteurs n'ont relevé aucun indice d'une constante modification des paléocommu-nautés, signe que les sécheresses précédentes n'ont pas laissé de signes visibles derrière elles. La perturbation la plus récente a sans doute donné lieu à une nouvelle répartition de la tourbe dans l'étang. La tourbe est devenue détritique, ce qui en a modifié la structure et éventuellement le taux de décomposition. Si la tourbe reste exposée, sa décomposition s'accél...

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“…North America's Aspen Parkland, a transitional zone between prairies and boreal forest (Nicholson & Vitt, 1994), contains many shallow meso-to hypertrophic freshwater potholes ($30 lg/l to >400 lg/l total phosphorus; Nicholson, 1995;C. McParland, unpubl.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of small-bodied fish on invertebrate prey and foraging patterns of waterbirds in Aspen Parkland wetlands

McParland

Paszkowski

2006

Hydrobiologia

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Competition between large-bodied fish and waterbirds for aquatic invertebrates is well documented in oligotrophic lakes. Recent evidence suggests that small-bodied fish that colonize eutrophic, hypoxia-prone wetlands such as prairie potholes can also reduce aquatic invertebrates, but the effects of these reductions on breeding waterbirds have so far not been directly documented. We added brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) to a fishless wetland in Aspen Parkland potholes in central Alberta, Canada. We monitored invertebrate biomasses and the foraging effort of blue-winged teal (Anas discors) and red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena) before and after the addition, relative to reference wetlands with and without fish. Fish reduced the biomass of gastropod prey of blue-winged teal, and teals increased foraging effort when fish were added. When the fish failed to overwinter due to hypoxic conditions, gastropod biomass increased, but teal foraging effort did not return to pre-treatment levels. Amphipods and chironomids increased following fish addition, possibly due to indirect positive effects of fish. Red-necked grebes did not exhibit any changes in foraging effort as a result of the fish addition or the subsequent fish extirpation. Grebes in Aspen Parkland appear to treat fish and invertebrates as equivalent prey. This study suggests that small-bodied fish in eutrophic systems can reduce some important invertebrate prey and change foraging behaviour of blue-winged teal and other waterbirds that rely on those invertebrates. Land-use practices that encourage survival of colonizing fish through drought years in Aspen Parkland wetlands, such as wetland consolidation, should not be encouraged.

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The wetlands of Elk Island National Park: Vegetation classification, water chemistry, and hydrotopographic relationships

Cited by 19 publications

References 39 publications

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance

Inferred history of a boreal pond from sediment and vegetation characteristics

Effects of small-bodied fish on invertebrate prey and foraging patterns of waterbirds in Aspen Parkland wetlands

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The wetlands of Elk Island National Park: Vegetation classification, water chemistry, and hydrotopographic relationships

Cited by 19 publications

References 39 publications

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural 15N abundance

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural 15N abundance

Inferred history of a boreal pond from sediment and vegetation characteristics

Effects of small-bodied fish on invertebrate prey and foraging patterns of waterbirds in Aspen Parkland wetlands

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Product

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Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance

Significance of rooting depth in mire plants: Evidence from natural ¹⁵N abundance