Abstract
Vegetation dynamics of subalpine wetlands in the Sierra Nevada, California, were studied from 1988 through 1996. During this period, the region experienced a drought lasting from 1988 to 1994 and reaching its extreme in 1992. Our intention was to analyze the changes in plant species diversity, composition, and biomass, and interpret them in terms of drought resistance and resilience. Four plant communities, dominated respectively byCarex rostrata, Juncus balticus, Scirpus acutus orNuphar polysepalum were clearly discernible in the marsh along the water depth gradient. Species diversity ofCarex rostrata, Scirpus acutus andNuphar polysepalum communities was the highest during the driest year, 1992, while biomass was lowest for all vegetation types in that year. Dominance ofCarex andJuncus has not changed over the years, however,Scirpus almost totally disappeared from the marsh, and theNuphar zone become dominated by the rhizomatous perennial,Hippuris vulgaris, and terrestrial ruderals in dry years. In terms of changes in species composition,Carex andJuncus communities were both resistant and resilient. TheNuphar community seemed to be less resistant and more resilient, while theScirpus community was neither resistant nor resilient. If we consider biomass per plot as a variable of interest, regardless of species composition, thenCarex andJuncus were to some extent resistant and all plots were resilient because they were able to recover quickly to their pre-drought biomass. Life histories of dominant species were a more important determinant of community stability than species diversity.
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Rejmánková, E., Rejmánek, M., Djohan, T. et al. Resistance and resilience of subalpine wetlands with respect to prolonged drought. Folia Geobot 34, 175–188 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913394
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913394