1 / 25

Melanie Darst, U.S. Geological Survey

This study explores the distribution of vegetation in the Lower Suwannee River Floodplain, Florida, and identifies potential impacts of flow reductions. It discusses the various forest types, tree distribution, and ground cover species found in the area.

rbromberg
Download Presentation

Melanie Darst, U.S. Geological Survey

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Lower Suwannee River Floodplain, Florida: Canopy, Subcanopy, and Ground Cover Vegetation and Potential Impacts of Flow Reductions on Plant Distribution Melanie Darst, U.S. Geological Survey

  2. AERIAL SIGNATURES IN NON-TIDAL REACH SWAMP (sw) BOTTOMLAND HARDWOODS (blh)

  3. AERIAL SIGNATURES IN UPPER TIDAL REACHES SW BLH

  4. Tree Distribution by River Mile Lower Tidal Upper Tidal Riverine Swamp tupelo in BLH Planertree Popash River birch Water tupelo Sweetgum Live oak American elm Swamp laurel oak Red maple Baldcypress Swamp tupelo in swamp Pumpkin ash Cabbage palm Sweetbay 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 River mile

  5. N Riverine Upper Tidal Lower Tidal FOREST TYPES: WERE MAPPED USING INFRARED AERIAL PHOTOS (DOQs) (R) SEPARATED BY REACHES WITH SIGNIFICANT HYDROLOGIC DIFFERENCES (UT) (LT)

  6. Measured & identified 8,756 trees 77 tree species in wetland forests Bald cypress most important wetland species by basal area Defined 13 wetland forest types

  7. N Riverine 3 blh types – Rblh3, Rblh2, Rblh1

  8. N Riverine 2 swamp types – Rsw2, Rsw1

  9. N Upper Tidal 1 bottomland hardwood type (UTblh) 1 mixed type (UTmix)

  10. N Upper Tidal 2 swamp types – UTsw2, UTsw1

  11. Tree Distribution by River Mile Lower Tidal Upper Tidal Riverine Swamp tupelo in BLH Planertree Popash River birch Water tupelo Sweetgum Live oak American elm Swamp laurel oak Red maple Baldcypress Swamp tupelo in swamp Pumpkin ash Cabbage palm Sweetbay 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 River mile

  12. N 1 hammock type - LTham Lower Tidal

  13. N 1 mixed swamp type - LTmix Lower Tidal

  14. N 2 swamp types – LTsw2, LTsw1 Lower Tidal

  15. Ground-Cover Vegetation in Wetland Forests of the Lower Suwannee River Floodplain, Florida, and Potential Impacts of Flow Reductions By Melanie Darst, Helen Light, and Lori Lewis, USGS

  16. Ground Cover Species Distribution by River Mile (282 species) Upper Tidal Lower Tidal 81 species 18 species 104 species (30 in LT and R only) 2 species 22 species Riverine 55 species 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 River mile

  17. Lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus) strongly dominates ground-cover vegetation in LTmix

  18. DECREASE IN DURATIONS OF INUNDATION AND SATURATION Some free-floating aquatic species such as humped bladderwort occurred only in semi- permanent ponds in riverine forests. They might decrease in abundance or disappear if flows were reduced.

  19. DECREASE IN DEPTH AND DURATION OF RIVER FLOODING These species occurred in Rblh, but not in Rsw, presumably because flood depth is shallower and duration of flooding is shorter. These species might become established in Rsw if flows were reduced. supple jack partridge berry whitesands spiderlily bluestem palm

  20. INCREASE IN SALINITY Some species occurred in UTsw, but not in LTsw and are presumed to have no salinity tolerance. They might decrease in abundance in the most downstream part of the UT reach if flows were reduced. eastern blue stars cypress swamp sedge creeping burrhead narrow plumegrass LTsw

  21. Location and Description of Ecological Study Sites in Floodplain Forests of the Lower Suwannee River, Florida By Lori Lewis, Helen Light, and Melanie Darst

  22. Forest Map CD Interactive map using ArcExplorer software

  23. REPORT: DESCRIBES METHODS USED TO CREATE MAP REVIEWS FLOODPLAIN CHARACTERISTICS DESCRIBES FOREST AND OTHER LAND COVER TYPES

  24. DISPLAY FROM INTERACTIVE MAP OF LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER FLOODPLAIN

  25. Available on the web at HTTP://fl.water.usgs.gov

More Related