Comparisons of recruitment, survival, and growth in invasive and native saplings on a volcano

We monitored the recruitment, survival, and growth of tree saplings on invasive (Larix kaempferi) versus native species (Betula and Populus) using 16 20 m × 20 m plots established along elevation gradient on the volcano Mount Koma, Japan, for 7 years because the sapling behaviors should determine forest structures. The crowding of overstory consists mostly of Larix decreased with increasing elevation. Larix recruits were conspicuous, particularly at middle elevation where overstory crowding was intermediate, while Betula recruits were least. Larix overstory crowding inhibited the recruitment of all the taxa, although intermediate crowding promoted the recruitment of Larix. The restriction of sapling emergence was conspicuous at lower elevation where the overstory crowding was highest, probably because of shading, and/or competition with overstory trees. Sapling recruitment for all taxa was restricted at higher elevation, due to high stresses derived from direct solar radiation and strong wind without overstory. The survival of saplings was 96% for Larix and Betula, while it was ca. 50% for Populus. Larix overstory decreased the survival and growth of all the taxa, except Larix survival and Betula growth. The results implied that Larix could establish by high survival once the recruits succeeded everywhere and native sapling regeneration was restricted by Larix overstory. Strong recruitment, survival, and growth of Larix, together with resistance to overstory crowding, enables it to dominate and persist in such disturbed areas regardless of the canopy closure.     

Tree replacement patterns in subalpine Abies-Betula forests,Wolong Natural Reserve,China

Vegetation in canopy gaps of two old-growth Abies-Betula forest stands, one with bamboo the other without, was measured. The structure of gap vegetation at each site was used to derive tree replacement probabilities. Transition probabilities indicate different tree replacement trends in forests with bamboo compared to those without. Projected compositions show Betula to be the most abundant species in bamboo stands while Abies remains most abundant where bamboo was absent. A dense bamboo sward seems to reduce the probability of Abies filling gaps by inhibiting establishment and growth of seedlings. Bamboo preempts space after canopy gap formation by increasing shoot production which reduces opportunities for establishment and growth of other woody species. Differences in dispersal ability and longevity of Abies and Betula appear to be important factors contributing to their coexistence forests with a small canopy gap disturbance regime.     

Effects of willow canopies on plant species performance in a low-alpine community

It is believed that abiotic, rather than biotic, factors are ofparamount importance to the performance of plants in alpine and arctichabitats.This study examines how Salix lapponum affects 15associated species by comparing individual growth and reproductive performanceof adult plants growing inside and outside shrub canopies. The study alsoincludes experimental removal of Salix lapponum shrubs,andmeasurements of shoot density of five species inside and outside intactcanopies. Mean above-ground plant weight of nine species was significantlyhigher inside canopies compared to outside. Mean leaf number inside canopieswassignificantly higher for two species, and total seed number was significantlyhigher inside for one species. Mean leaf number was significantly lower insidecanopies compared to outside for one species. Mean seed weight wassignificantlylower inside canopies for one species. Removal of Salixlapponum shrubs increased bulbil weight of Bistortavivipara and seed number and plant weight of Euphrasiafrigida. These results suggest that canopy removal relaxedcompetition. Shoot density was substantially higher outside canopies comparedtoinside for four species and slightly higher outside for one species. Soilmoisture, soil organic content, soil pH, and temperature inside canopies werenot significantly different from outside, whereas photosynthetically activeradiation (PAR) was markedly reduced inside canopies. Increased growth insidecanopies is likely a compensatory mechanism to decreased PAR, which enableplants inside canopies to achieve reproductive outputs that equals those onoutside plants. The lower plant density inside canopies is probably caused byreduced germination and establishment possibilities there, due to reduced PARand higher litter accumulation.     

Development of microsatellite markers in polyploid Salix reinii

Salix reinii Franch. et Savat., a crawl shrub, is one of the most dominant pioneer trees on the southeastern slope of Mt. Fuji, on which an early stage of the volcanic desert succession has been underway since the last eruption in 1707. To investigate the population genetic structure within and among patches of S. reinii, seven polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed by an enrichment procedure. The multiple banding patterns amplified by developed microsatellite markers showed the polyploidy in S. reinii growing on the southeastern slope of Mt. Fuji.     

Differential establishment and survival of species in deciduous and evergreen shrub patches and on bare ground,Mt. Koma,Hokkaido, Japan

The effects of patches formed by a deciduous shrub (Salix reinii) and an evergreen shrub (Gaultheria miqueliana) on cohabitants were examined on an active volcano Mt. Koma, northern Japan, using bareground as a comparative baseline (control). Species richness increased with increasing the areas of three habitats (Salix patches, Gaultheria patches and bareground), but significantly slowed in Gaultheria patches where the shoot densities of cohabitants also decreased. Calamagrostis hakonensis and Spiranthes sinensis were 2–3 times more likely to establish in Salix patches than in bareground, Anaphalis margaritacea var. angustior and Campanula lasiocarpa were 4–5 times more likely to establish on bareground than in Salix patches. Cohabitants was fewer with Gaultheria. Light intensities of the two patch types were ca 1/3 of that on bareground. Light intensity on Gaultheria was ca 88% of that on Salix patch and decreased with increasing patch size, because the differences in stem and leaf architectures and phenology between the two patch-forming species. Moisture and total nitrogen in volcanic deposits were 2–3 times higher in the patches than in bareground. In the patches, low light intensity restricted seed germination, in particular, for the plants characteristic of bareground, e.g., Anaphalis, while high soil moisture increased the survival rates of Calamagrostis. In Gaultheria patches, despite high moisture, the reduced light intensity influenced seed germination and inhibited the establishment of most species. Seedbanks estimated by a lab-experiment indicated that Salix patches trapped more seeds. As a consequence, Salix patches act as facilitator, in particular, for Calamagrostis, by improving moisture and nutrients status of volcanic deposits, moderating light intensity and seed trapping. Deciduous shrub patches, such as Salix reinii, have an improving role in accelerating rates of succession in harsh environments, while evergreen shrub patches slow plant establishment. Nomenclature: Ohwi and Kitagawa (1983)     

Canopy vs. soil effects of shrubs facilitating tree seedlings in Mediterranean montane ecosystems

Abstract. Question: Is the facilitative effect of nurse shrubs on early recruitment of trees mediated by a ‘canopy effect’(microclimate amelioration and protection from herbivores), a ‘soil effect’(modification of soil properties), or both? Location: Two successional montane shrublands at the Sierra Nevada Protected Area, SE Spain. Method: Seedlings of Quercus and Pinus species were planted in four experimental treatments: (1) under shrubs; (2) in open interspaces without vegetation; (3) under shrubs where the canopies were removed; (4) in open interspaces but covering seedlings with branches, mimicking a shrub canopy. Results: Both effects benefited seedling performance. However, microclimatic amelioration due to canopy shading had the strongest effect, which was particularly pronounced in the drier site. Below‐ground, shrubs did not modify soil physical characteristics, organic matter, total N and P, or water content, but significantly increased available K, which has been shown to improve seedling water‐use efficiency under drought conditions. Conclusions: We propose that in Mediterranean montane ecosystems, characterised by a severe summer drought, pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for tree early recruitment during secondary succession, improving seedling survival during summer by the modification of both the above‐and below‐ground environment.     

Annual growth of invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix kaempferi</Emphasis> seedlings with reference to microhabitat and ectomycorrhizal colonization on a volcano

To investigate the seedling growth of a biologically invasive larch Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr. on Mount Koma, Japan, seedlings were excavated from three microhabitats (bareground = BA, Salix reinii patch = SP, and Larix understory = LU) in three elevational zones. Seedlings showed the highest ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization percentage in the most shaded microhabitat, LU. ECM colonization percentages in BA and SP were found to decrease with decreasing elevation. These results inferred that the ECM colonization percentages were related to seedling growth, particularly in BA and SP. However, the annual seedling growth was not synchronized with the increases in either elevational gradients. Although ECM colonization was most evident in LU, the seedling growth was the lowest. We concluded that the effects of ECM colonization on seedling growth were reduced mostly by microhabitat characteristics.     

The shrub Rhodomyrtus tomentosa acts as a nurse plant for seedlings differing in shade tolerance in degraded land of South China

Questions: What are the nurse effects of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa in degraded land of South China? Are canopy or soil factors responsible for the main nurse effect? Do facilitative effects increase with the shade tolerance of the target species? Location: Degraded shrubland in South China. Methods: Seedlings of three native climax woody species (Schima superba, Michelia macclurei, Castanopsis fissa) that differ in shade tolerance were subjected to four treatments by transplantation: (1) under the canopy of R. tomentosa shrubs; (2) in open interspaces without vegetation cover (control); (3) under the canopy of R. tomentosa from which canopies had been removed; and (4) in open interspaces without vegetation but covered by branches and leaves of R. tomentosa. Results: At low soil nutrient levels, increased canopy shade, soil porosity and soil moisture under the canopy of R. tomentosa increased seedling survival of the climax tree species S. superba, C. fissa and M. macclurei, and shoot height of S. superba. The nurse effect (a form of facilitation) of R. tomentosa depended more on canopy shade than on soil amelioration. The magnitude of facilitation or nurse effect was positively correlated with shade tolerance of the target species. Conclusions: Use of nurse plants in restoration differs from traditional reforestation (clearing and/or burning to reduce interspecific competition between target tree species and non‐target species) because it focuses on positive interactions between nurse plants and target plants that increase establishment of target species and reduce time required for restoration. Because nurse effects of R. tomentosa shrubs tended to be larger on target species with greater shade tolerance, shade‐tolerant plants are suggested as target species to accelerate restoration.     

Exploitation of Local,Drifted and Imported Wood by the Vikings on the Faroe Islands

Summary

Two hundred wood samples have been examined from the Viking settlement at Argisbrekka on Eysturoydated to AD 770–1015. They fall into three categories:-1. local wood: Juniperus. Betula pubescens Ehrh., Corylus, Salix and heathland dwarf shrubs; 2. driftwood: Picea, Larix and Pinus section strobus; and 3. imported wood: Quercus, Pinus section sylvestris, Alnus and Fraxinus. The local tree vegetation was over-exploited and Betula became extinct in the course of the Viking Age. Driftwood, mainly of Siberian origin, seems to be the most important tree resource and was used for houses and utensils. Imported wood probably mostly comprised ships and finished products made in Scandinavia. The detection of tree Betula growth between 2,460 BC and AD 770 is a new contribution to the vegetational history of the Faroe Islands.     

火烧迹地柽柳灌丛资源岛特征及植被的自然恢复

干旱半干旱地区灌丛资源岛特征及形成机制多有报道,但资源岛土壤对群落稳定性与火烧迹地植被的自然恢复作用尚不明确。以酒泉盐碱地柽柳灌丛地火烧3年后,自然恢复的柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)及其冠下草本群落为研究对象,构建柽柳枯立株体量指数(SSI,Shrub Size Index)和恢复力综合指数,探讨了资源岛特征与植被恢复、冠下草本群落多样性的关系,量化不同大小柽柳灌丛的恢复力稳定性。结果表明:(1)在不同SSI的柽柳枯立株下土壤有机质和含水率明均显高于灌丛间地,形成了明显的资源岛特征。土壤有机质最大值出现在0—10 cm土层,中灌丛的肥力积聚效果最明显。(2)土壤主要以中性盐为主,在0—40 cm土层,灌丛区域土壤可溶性盐低于冠外,呈明显的盐谷特征,中灌丛的盐谷分布最为明显。(3)随着枯立株SSI的增大,柽柳新生枝条的数量及其高度均有所增大,冠下植物的高度、盖度、密度和地上植物量也明显高于灌丛间地,且灌丛越大恢复效果越明显。(4)灌下植物Simpson指数、Shannon⁃Wiener指数、Margalef指数和Pielou指数随着枯立株SSI的增大均先降后升,多样性指数低,群落结构简单。(5)恢复力综合指数随着枯立株SSI的增大呈先升后降的趋势,当SSI=52.17时灌丛群落的稳定性最强。柽柳较小时主要是冠下草本植物的恢复维持群落稳定性,随着灌丛的增大逐渐以柽柳灌木的恢复来维持群落稳定性。柽柳灌丛形成的高养低盐的土壤环境对植物群落稳定性的维持和植被的恢复有促进作用,对荒漠生态系统火烧迹地植被恢复和生态保护具有重要意义。     

Microbat responses to forest decline

Tree declines have been recorded across forests and woodlands on most continents, causing tree mortality over thousands of square kilometres, yet the impact of tree declines upon mammals have only rarely been quantified. Once the dominant tree over the western parts of the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia, tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) forest has been reduced to less than a third of its former range through clearing for agriculture and urban development. Additionally, over the last 30 years, the remnant population has been heavily impacted by a decline that has an unknown cause, but is likely related to a root pathogen coupled with abiotic factors (reduced rainfall, increased salinity and elevated temperatures). Tuart decline is evident as marked canopy dieback, replacement with epicormic growth and increasing bare branches, while leaf litter is lost from the tree surrounds. We examined the effect of tuart decline and other vegetation measures upon bat activity using auditory monitoring. Vegetation structure was correlated with Vespertilionidae bat activity. Falsistrellus mackenziei were more likely to forage around healthy canopies (activity positively correlated with tuart crown density and negatively correlated with tuart crown dieback). By contrast, the other three taxa were more often encountered in declining rather than healthy tuart sites. Chalinolobus gouldii was positively associated with tuart crown dieback. Activity of Vespadelus regulus and Nyctophilus spp. (species not distinguishable from their calls) were significantly positively correlated with an open tall canopy (positively with cover of plants >10 m tall and negatively with overall canopy cover density). There were no vegetation measurements that were strong predictors of activity of two Molossidae species (Ozimops kitcheneri and Austronomus australis), which intercept insects above the forest canopy. This study clearly reveals different factors influencing the activity of bat taxa, which are likely related to where they feed and their manoeuvrability around tree canopies.     

Effects of forest-floor avalanche disturbance on the structure and dynamics of a subalpine forest near the forest limit on Mt. Fuji

In subalpine forests near the forest limit on Mt. Fuji in central Japan, slush avalanches occasionally destroy forest-floor vegetation through an influx of volcanic gravel from bare upper sites. The vegetation structure of Larix kaempferi–Abies veitchii forests near and distant from avalanche paths was investigated to determine the effects of forest-floor disturbance on successional processes. The Larix population in a forest near an avalanche path, where there had been signs of forest-floor disturbance by avalanches, had a discontinuous age structure with three age groups, indicating that Larix seedlings established under the Larix canopy after the forest-floor disturbance. In contrast, the Larix population in a forest distant from avalanche paths, where there had been no forest-floor disturbance, had a continuous age structure, with no plants younger than the 90-year-old trees, indicating that this population had established on bare ground over a long period. These data suggest that the primary requirement for the regeneration of L. kaempferi on the forest floor is a mineral substrate. Conversely, A. veitchii had a continuous age structure in both forests. However, forest-floor disturbances by avalanche(s) may exclude A. veitchii from the forest because A. veitchii is very sensitive to scoria deposition. In conclusion, forest-floor disturbance by avalanche(s) provides L. kaempferi with an opportunity to establish on the forest floor, resulting in the maintenance of Larix forests alongside avalanche paths in the upper subalpine area on Mt. Fuji.     

Light limitation creates patchy distribution of an invasive grass in eastern deciduous forests

Species interactions and their indirect effects on the availability and distribution of resources have been considered strong determinants of community structure in many different ecological systems. In deciduous forests, the presence of overstory trees and shrubs creates a shifting mosaic of resources for understory plants, with implications for their distribution and abundance. Determination of the ultimate resource constraints on understory vegetation may aid management of these systems that have become increasingly susceptible to invasions by non-native plants. Microstegium vimineum (Japanese grass) is an invasive annual grass that has spread rapidly throughout the understory of forests across the eastern United States since it was first observed in Tennessee in 1919. M. vimineum occurs as extensive, dense patches in the understory of eastern deciduous forests, yet these patches often exhibit sharp boundaries and distinct gaps in cover. One example of this distributional pattern was observed relative to the native midstory tree Asimina triloba (pawpaw), whereby dense M. vimineum cover stopped abruptly at the drip line of the A. triloba patch and was absent beneath the A. triloba canopy. We conducted field and greenhouse experiments to test several hypotheses regarding the causes of this observed pattern of M. vimineum distribution, including allelopathy, seed dispersal, light limitations, and soil moisture, texture, and nutrient content. We concluded that light reduction by the A. triloba canopy was the environmental constraint that prevented establishment of M. vimineum beneath this tree. Whereas overstory tree canopy apparently facilitates the establishment of this shade-tolerant grass, the interaction of overstory canopy with midstory canopy interferes with M. vimineum by reducing the availability of sunflecks at the ground layer. It is likely that other midstory species influence the distribution and abundance of other herb-layer species, with implications for management of understory invasive plant species.     

Assessing long‐term hydrological and ecological responses to drainage in a raised bog using paleoecology and a hydrosequence

Question: We studied vegetation succession after drainage in a bog, as an analogue for potential persistent water table drawdown due to climate change. We asked: (1) how does bog vegetation change following a long‐term water table lowering and (2) how are effects of drainage on hydrology and vegetation distributed temporally and spatially? Location: Mer Bleue peatland, Ontario, Canada (45.41°N, 75.48°W). Methods: Analyses of changes in vegetation and hydrology associated with drainage were examined spatially along a hydrosequence and temporally using paleoecological reconstructions from peat cores (testate amoebae, pollen) in a drained portion of a peatland untouched for 85 years following drainage. Relationships between modern vegetation and water table were assessed through clustering and ordination analyses of vegetation relevés. Results: Post‐drainage increases in tree cover, especially Betula and Larix, decreases in Sphagnum cover and shifts in species composition of dominant shrubs were observed. Present‐day vegetation patterns along the hydrosequence were primarily related to seasonal variability of water table depth. Paleoecological records reveal that where the present‐day vegetation has been impacted by drainage, persistent water table lowering occurred in response to drainage. However, in an area with relatively natural vegetation, a transient drop in water table depth occurred at the time of drainage. Conclusions: Temporal and spatial patterns revealed that the bog response to drainage was spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and probably mediated by feedbacks among vegetation, peat structure and hydrology. Spatial patterns along the hydrosequence were similar to those observed in paleoecological reconstructions, but the use of the two complementary techniques provides additional insights.     

Vegetation pattern and microtopography on a landslide scar of Mt Kiyosumi,central Japan

Vegetation pattern and microtopography were examined on a mountain slope with a rotational type landslide scar on Mt Kiyosumi, central Japan. Similarities of distribution patterns among 55 woody species were calculated using Cole's species association coefficient, and based on them, seven vegetation units were classified using cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis. The seven vegetation units coincide with seven microtopographical facets at 10¹ to 10² m² order. Furthermore, these vegetation units were grouped into three higher categories by reciprocal averaging and principal coordinates analysis. They were ridge slopes, surrounding slopes and landslide slopes. The three categories were arranged in the above-mentioned order based on similarity in floristic composition. In the ridge slopes, late-successional trees and deciduous trees had high relative basal areas. In the surrounding slopes,Euptelea polyandra and other deciduous trees had high relative basal areas. In the landslide slopes,E. polyandra and deciduous shrubs had high relative basal areas. The density and the age distributions ofE. polyandra, a typical pioneer tree which invades disturbed sites, suggested that the severity of soil surface disturbances increase in this order. The disturbance regime explains the vegetation pattern on the study site, where the rotational type landslide had occurred.     

Canopy manipulations of exotic Bitter Willow (Salix elaeagnos) forest for indigenous seedling recruitment: A pilot study

The invasive exotic tree species Bitter Willow (Salix elaeagnos; Salicaceae) has colonised areas of rank exotic grassland and has been found to contain indigenous seed, dispersed by frugivorous birds into the monospecific stands. This small pilot study examined whether indigenous seedlings that have germinated in the understorey of exotic Bitter Willow stands could be stimulated to establish through the creation of small‐scale canopy gaps. In Bitter Willow forest, four single Bitter Willow trees were poisoned to create canopy gaps. Light transmission and seedling regeneration of tree and shrub species were assessed beneath both the four manipulated and three comparable intact Bitter Willow canopies. Over 3 years, seedling height and density increased more beneath opened compared to intact Bitter Willow canopies. These results suggest that Bitter Willow can fill the roles of both a facilitative nurse and a perch tree. Larger‐scale canopy manipulation experiments of both Bitter Willow and other Salix species are needed to determine the full potential of canopy manipulations for forest restoration.     

The importance of shrub cover for four cactus species differing in growth form in an Andean semi‐desert

Question: Factors influencing seedling establishment are known to vary between open sites and those protected by plant cover. In many desert regions, protected microhabitats below shrubs are essential for establishment of many cactus species. Very little is known about these factors for Andean cacti and how the importance of vegetation cover varies with cactus species. Are Andean cacti associated more frequently to vegetation cover than to open ground? Are they associated to certain shrub species? Is the distributional pattern in relation to cover similar for different cactus species? In what microhabitat (below or away from shrubs) are cactus seeds more abundant? These questions are addressed for the case of an Andean semi‐desert. Location: Semi‐arid tropical Andes, La Paz department, Bolivia. Methods: We examined 132 isolated shrubs = 50 cm along a line across two microhabitats: areas below and away from shrubs/trees. Shrub crown size was measured. The among‐shrub samples were taken from open spaces contiguous to each of the sampled shrubs. In both microhabitats, all cactus species were recorded. The cardinal direction of the cacti was also registered. Correlation between canopy diameter and number of beneficiaries was evaluated for Prosopis flexuosa. The cactus seed bank in each microhabitat was also studied. Results and Conclusions: The four cactus species found behaved differently in relation to shrub canopies. These distributional differences could be due to differences in growth form. Columnar cacti apparently need the shade of shrubs. Only the columnar species is able to grow near the base of the tallest nurse species. The opuntioid cacti studied seem more facultative: although apparently preferring shrub un‐der‐canopies, they are able to establish in open ground. The globose cactus is the most indifferent to the presence of plant cover. These patterns parallel others found in North America. The capacity of different cacti to appear in open spaces could be related to vegetative propagation, and not necessarily to seedling tolerance of heat.     

The influence of Prosopis canopies on understorey vegetation: Effects of landscape position

Abstract. The influence of canopy trees and shrubs on under‐storey plants is complex and context‐dependent. Canopy plants can exert positive, negative or neutral effects on production, composition and diversity of understorey plant communities, depending on local environmental conditions and position in the landscape. We studied the influence of Prosopis velutina (mesquite) on soil moisture and nitrogen availability, and understorey vegetation along a topographic gradient in the Sonoran Desert. We found significant increases in both soil moisture and N along the gradient from desert to riparian zone. In addition, P. velutina canopies had positive effects, relative to open areas, on soil moisture in the desert, and soil N in both desert and intermediate terrace. Biomass of understorey vegetation was highest and species richness was lowest in the riparian zone. Canopies had a positive effect on biomass in both desert and terrace, and a negative effect on species richness in the terrace. The effect of the canopy depended on landscape position, with desert canopies more strongly influencing soil moisture and biomass and terrace canopies more strongly influencing soil N and species richness. Individual species distributions suggested interspecific variation in response to water‐ vs. N‐availability; they strongly influence species composition at both patch and landscape position levels.     

The conservation ecology ofIris rossii Baker (Iridaceae), a threatened plant in rural Japan

Spatial distribution, size structure and reproductive activities of a population ofIris rossii were examined in managed secondary grassland with scattered pines and hardwoods. Size structure and fecundity patterns among individuals were different between the three sites, which were an open area, under pine canopy, and under hardwood canopy. Growth and reproductive parameters of the species were significantly different at each site. In the open area, mean shoot number of individuals was 9.17, and it was 6.37 under the pine canopy and 5.63 under the hardwood canopy. Fruit set ratio was 26.8% in the open area, 21.1% under the pine canopy and 12.1% under the hardwood canopy. Six seedlings were found in the open area and one under the pine canopy, while no seedlings occurred under hardwood canopy. Most of the individuals distributed in the sites where the height of herbaceous layer was low. These results suggest thatI. rossii can not grow in the closed, especially hardwood, canopies or tall herbaceous layer. Therefore, human interventions such as annual mowing for the restriction of the growth of dominant grasses and tree saplings are essential for the persistence of the population of the species.     

Relationships Between Hydrology and Soils Describe Vegetation Patterns in Seasonally Flooded Tree Islands of the Southern Everglades, Florida

Tree island ecosystems are important and distinct features of Florida Everglades wetlands. We described the inter-relationships among abiotic factors describing seasonally flooded tree islands and characterized plant–soil relationships in tree islands occurring in a relatively unimpacted area of the Everglades. We used Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to reduce our multi-factor dataset, quantified forest structure and vegetation nutrient dynamics, and related these vegetation parameters to PCA summary variables using linear regression analyses. We found that, of the 21 abiotic parameters used to characterize the ecosystem structure of seasonally flooded tree islands, 13 parameters were significantly correlated with four principal components, and they described 78% of the variance among the study islands. Most variation was described by factors related to soil oxidation and hydrology, exemplifying the sensitivity of tree island structure to hydrologic conditions. PCA summary variables describing tree island structure were related to variability in Chrysobalanus icaco (L.) canopy cover, Ilex cassine (L.) and Salix caroliniana (Michx.) canopy cover, Myrica cerifera (L.) plot frequency, litter turnover, % phosphorus resorption of co-dominant species, and nitrogen nutrient-use efficiency. This study supported findings that vegetation characteristics can be sensitive indicators of variability in tree island ecosystem structure. This study produced valuable, information which was used to recommend ecological targets (i.e. restoration performance measures) for seasonally flooded tree islands in more impacted regions of the Everglades landscape.