Vegetation patterns across edges of bogs and lakes in spruce and hemlock forests of southwestern Nova Scotia

Show simple item record

dc.creator Harper, Karen A.
dc.creator Butler, Wendy
dc.creator O’Handley, Kaitlyn
dc.date.accessioned 2024-09-25T14:49:10Z
dc.date.available 2024-09-25T14:49:10Z
dc.date.issued 2024-04
dc.identifier.issn 1385-0237
dc.identifier.uri 10.1007/s11258-023-01364-8
dc.identifier.uri https://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/32041
dc.description Submitted version en_CA
dc.description.abstract Although forest edges surrounding lakes and wetlands are common in many heterogeneous landscapes, there are few studies on patterns of vegetation across these natural landscape boundaries. We investigated forest structure, understorey composition and bryophytes at bog and lakeshore edges in spruce and old-growth hemlock forests. Our objectives were to estimate edge width for vegetation across lake and bog edges, and to examine patterns across the bog-forest edge. We sampled canopy cover, trees, deadwood, structural diversity, species diversity, saplings, and understorey vegetation along transects across four bog and four lakeshore edges in spruce forests and five lakeshore edges in hemlock forests. We used randomization tests to determine the distance of edge and forest influence into adjacent interior forest and bog, respectively. Patterns were assessed using wavelet analysis to determine locations of abrupt changes. Edge influence extended only 5 m into the forest for most variables with notable results of fewer bryophytes, more shrubs and greater tree and shrub diversity at lakeshore edges in hemlock forests. Forest influence at bog edges resulted in a wider approx. 40 m transition zone within the bog in which tree density, graminoid cover, Sphagnum spp. cover, and herb diversity were greater than both adjacent bog and forest. Varying edge width and responses to edge influence between forest types emphasizes the need for site-specific studies. Lakeshore and bog-forest edges harbor greater diversity and unique vegetation structure on heterogeneous landscapes in Nova Scotia, particularly in bog margins, and are key areas to consider for conservation. en_CA
dc.description.provenance Submitted by Anna Labrador (anna.labrador@smu.ca) on 2024-09-25T14:49:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Harper_Karen_A._2024a.pdf: 574423 bytes, checksum: 8ea28d5a7db802bb8a9b1a3df4d15ed6 (MD5) en
dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2024-09-25T14:49:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Harper_Karen_A._2024a.pdf: 574423 bytes, checksum: 8ea28d5a7db802bb8a9b1a3df4d15ed6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2024-04 en
dc.language.iso en en_CA
dc.publisher Springer Netherlands en_CA
dc.title Vegetation patterns across edges of bogs and lakes in spruce and hemlock forests of southwestern Nova Scotia en_CA
dc.type Text en_CA
dcterms.bibliographicCitation Plant ecology, 225 (4), 305-316. (2024) en_CA
 Find Full text

Files in this item

 
 

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record