A Preliminary Analysis of the Hydrologic Regime and Wetland Plant Communities of the Manchester Cedar Swamp
Preliminary data was obtaiued to document existiug hydrologic conditions and plant community composition for Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) (cedar), cedar/giant rhododendron, black gum, and red maple wetlands at the Manchester Cedar Swamp. Twenty-three piezometers were installed in eight transects located throughout each plant community. Water level was measured bi-weekly for one year. Hydroperiod, mean water level, and water table fluctuation were determined. At each of the piezometer locations ground cover and shrub strata were sampled using one and three meter box plots, respectively, and the tree stratum was sampled using a five-factor prism Species were sampled and dominant species were used to calculate a Wetland Site Index for each piezometer. R 2 regression analysis was used to correlate this data with mean water level. This study will make it possible to observe the long-term effects of development on the hydrology and plant community composition of the Manchester Cedar Swamp.
Download this file:
Download this file — PDF document, 2754KbDetails
Author(s): Kimberly P. Hall
Publication: The Ecology and Management of Atlantic white-cedar