Variation in plant species richness in and adjacent to 64 ponds in SE Norwegian agricultural landscapes

All vascular plants, classified by life and growth form into six groups, four groups of hydrophytes (lemnids, nymphaeids, elodeids and isoetids), helophytes, and terrestrial species of pond margins, were inventoried in 64 SE Norwegian agricultural landscape ponds and their adjacent margins. The study sites varied considerably with respect to species richness; 0–4 for each hydrophyte group, 0–9 for helophytes, and 13–77 for terrestrial species. A total of 56 explanatory variables were recorded for each pond and adjacent margin to explain the observed richness variability.