Early seral trends in plant community diversity on a recontoured surface mine |
| |
Authors: | Thomas J Hatton Neil E West |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Mathematics, University College, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, 2600 Campbell, A.C.T., Australia;(2) Department of Range Science, Utah State University, 84322 Logan, UT, USA |
| |
Abstract: | The initial floristic composition and structure of vegetation on a recontoured surface mine in southwestern Wyoming was experimentally manipulated to test ideas concerning successional convergence. Experimental treatments involving the planting pattern and density of shrubs and the storage of topsoil were evaluated on the basis of their ability to divert the successional trajectories of the redeveloping vegetation and to increase species diversity. The change in compositional similarity along a topographic gradient was also monitored.The influence of initial composition and soil storage generally declined with time; successional convergence among treatments over the four years of the study was largely monotonic. The planting of shrubs and the storage of topsoil did, however, influence the rate of plant succession. There were no persistent differences in alpha diversity among the experimental treatments. Compositional dissimilarity along the topographic gradient, as expressed by beta diversity, increased with time. |
| |
Keywords: | Beta diversity Disturbance Landscape Multidimensional scaling Ordination Pattern Reclamation Rehabilitation Trajectory |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|