Abstract
The vegetative community structure of a tidal freshwater swamp in Virginia was analyzed during August and September of 1979. The ecosystem combined the characteristics of both a wet forest and a marshland, some areas being fully one or the other. The dominant trees of the swamp were clearlyFraxinus pennsylvanica andNyssa sylvatica. These two species, together withCarpinus caroliniana andAcer rubrum, the most important subordinates, comprised 96% of the trees sampled. The herbaceous understory vegetation was similar in composition to that of neighboring marshes, yet with fewer dominant species and individuals. Characteristic of the marshes, the structure of the ground cover varied from month to month as some species initiated new growth while others began to senesce. Consequently there were shifts in the relative importance of the herbs from August to September, even among the more common species, such as:Carex stricta,Polygonum arifolium,Saururus cernuus,Leersia oryzoides,Impatiens capensis, andPeltandra virginica. The most abundant herb,Aneilema keisak, far outranked the other species in importance during both months of sampling. Several species of shrubs and vines were also present in the swamp, but they comprised only a minor portion of the vegetative community.
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Doumlele, D.G., Fowler, B.K. & Silberhorn, G.M. Vegetative community structure of a tidal freshwater swamp in Virginia. Wetlands 4, 129–145 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160492
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160492