Riparian Vegetation Response to the March 2008 Short- Duration, High-Flow Experiment?Implications of Timing and Frequency of Flood Disturbance on Nonn Contributor(s): U. S. Department of the Interior (Author) |
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ISBN: 1496046501 ISBN-13: 9781496046505 Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform OUR PRICE: $16.14 Product Type: Paperback Published: March 2014 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Nature |
Physical Information: 0.07" H x 8.5" W x 11" (0.24 lbs) 36 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Riparian plant communities exhibit various levels of diversity and richness. These communities are affected by flooding and are vulnerable to colonization by nonnative species. Since 1996, a series of three high-flow experiments (HFE), or water releases designed to mimic natural seasonal flooding, have been conducted at Glen Canyon Dam, Ariz., primarily to determine the effectiveness of using high flows to conserve sediment, a limited resource. These experiments also provide opportunities to examine the susceptibility of riparian plant communities to nonnative species invasions. The third and most recent HFE was conducted from March 5 to 9, 2008, and scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center examined the effects of high flows on riparian vegetation as part of the overall experiment. Total plant species richness, nonnative species richness, percent plant cover, percent organic matter, and total carbon measured from sediment samples were compared for Grand Canyon riparian vegetation zones immediately following the HFE and 6 months later. These comparisons were used to determine if susceptibility to nonnative species establishment varied among riparian vegetation zones and if the timing of the HFE affected nonnative plant establishment success. |