Stefanie L. Lane, Nancy Shackelford, Tara G. Martin
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Tidal marsh plant communities in the Pacific Northwest are characterized by tall, perennial graminoids (TPGs), which provide forage for herbivores such as Canada geese. Excessive grazing by Canada geese leads to loss of marsh habitat, and removal of grazing pressure is required for the vegetation to recover. Grazing exclosures (fences) are used to allow time and space for vegetation to recover following intensive herbivory; however, their effects on native plant community recovery has not been tested. Generalized linear models were used to compare TPG abundance in aboveground vegetation and surface seed banks in 1-year-old and 10-year-old exclosures at Nanaimo River Estuary (NRE) and Little Qualicum River Estuary (LQRE), respectively, to areas of the marshes that had no known history of grazing (undisturbed) and areas still actively grazed (grubbed). Compared to undisturbed sites, grubbed sites had 187.3% less mean TPG vegetation cover and 190.7% lower proportion of TPG seeds. The 1-year-old exclosures at NRE had 105.0% less mean TPG vegetation cover and 193.2% lower proportion of TPG seeds. The 10-year-old exclosures at LQRE had 7.0% greater mean TPG cover and 55.7% greater proportion of TPG seed than all undisturbed sites; however, these exclosures had 110.0% greater mean relative abundance of non-native TPGs than undisturbed sites. These results indicate vegetation may not recover towards comparable historic conditions through grazing exclusion alone, and that active restoration methods may be required following intensive grazing, especially in estuaries where the vegetation community and surface seed bank has a high abundance of non-native, invasive species.
期刊介绍:
Estuaries and Coasts is the journal of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). Begun in 1977 as Chesapeake Science, the journal has gradually expanded its scope and circulation. Today, the journal publishes scholarly manuscripts on estuarine and near coastal ecosystems at the interface between the land and the sea where there are tidal fluctuations or sea water is diluted by fresh water. The interface is broadly defined to include estuaries and nearshore coastal waters including lagoons, wetlands, tidal fresh water, shores and beaches, but not the continental shelf. The journal covers research on physical, chemical, geological or biological processes, as well as applications to management of estuaries and coasts. The journal publishes original research findings, reviews and perspectives, techniques, comments, and management applications. Estuaries and Coasts will consider properly carried out studies that present inconclusive findings or document a failed replication of previously published work. Submissions that are primarily descriptive, strongly place-based, or only report on development of models or new methods without detailing their applications fall outside the scope of the journal.