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Species richness, abundance, rarity and environmental gradients in coastal barren vegetation

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Abstract

Coastal barrens in Nova Scotia are heathlands characterised by short, predominantly ericaceous vegetation, sparse tree cover, exposed bedrock, pockets of Sphagnum bog, and stressful climatic conditions. Although coastal barrens are prominent in the physical and cultural landscape, they are largely unprotected. We selected six barrens along the Atlantic coast, and surveyed 20 1-m2 plots at each barren for vascular plants, macrolichens, mosses and environmental factors. We recorded 173 species (105 vascular, 41 macrolichen, 27 moss), including six provincially rare vascular species found predominantly in nearshore areas with high levels of substrate salt and nutrients, variable substrate depth, and short vegetation. Although vascular plant and moss richness were similarly correlated with vegetation height, substrate depth, organic matter content, and rock exposure, there were no clear correlations between vascular plant, macrolichen and moss richness across all sites. Vascular plant rarity and species richness were not correlated, but had inverse relationships with key environmental gradients. Tailoring conservation efforts to protect areas of high richness may thus mean that rare species are missed, and vice versa. Ordination and ANOSIM show that barrens vegetation differs widely among sites; therefore, protecting any singular coastal barren will not protect the entire range of vegetation communities and species in this heathland type. Conservation planning should emphasize protecting environmental gradients correlated with richness, rarity and plant community structure, including substrate depth and moisture, and vegetation height. Additionally, protected areas should include a coastal-inland gradient and a diversity of substrate types, including exposed rock and trees.

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Abbreviations

DCA:

Detrended correspondence analysis

ANOSIM:

Analysis of similarities

PCA:

Principal components analysis

CV:

Coefficient of variation

OHV:

Off-highway vehicle

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Katherine Frego for her thorough and thoughtful review of a previous version of this manuscript. We also thank Dr. Hugh Broders and Dr. Pierre Jutras for their editing and direction. Many thanks to field assistants Scott Burley, Jill DiPenta, Erin O’Toole, and Sarah Robinson, Greg Baker for GIS expertise, and Dr. Irwin Brodo, Frances Anderson, Sean Blaney, Anne Mills, and Dr. Tyler Smith for assistance with specimen identification. We also thank Jean and Cecil Davis of Isle Madame for their warm hospitality. Funding for this research was provided by Mountain Equipment Co-op, Saint Mary’s University and the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

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  1. Erica C. Oberndorfer

    Present address: , 5628 rue Street-André, Montreal, QC, Canada, H2S 2K1

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 3C3

    Erica C. Oberndorfer

  2. Biology Department/Environmental Studies Program, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 3C3

    Jeremy T. Lundholm

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Correspondence to Jeremy T. Lundholm.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Calculation of plot-level measures of temporal and spatial moisture variability using subplot volumetric substrate moisture content.

  • 1. Temporal mean:

  • a. mean substrate moisture content values from all corners of a single plot for each sampling date (n = 5 dates)

  • b. mean of the five means from a.

  • 2. Temporal range:

  • a. mean substrate moisture content values from all corners of a single plot for each sampling date (n = 5 dates)

  • b. difference between the maximum and minimum substrate moisture content values (the mean plot substrate moisture content from the wettest sampling date—the mean plot substrate moisture content from the driest sampling date).

  • 3. Temporal coefficient of variation (CV)

  • a. mean substrate moisture content values from all corners of a single plot for each sampling date (n = 5 dates)

  • b. standard deviation of five mean substrate moisture content values from a

  • c. b divided by a.

  • 4. Maximum spatial substrate moisture content

  • a. mean substrate moisture content values from all corners of a single plot for each sampling date (n = 5 dates)

  • b. maximum plot-level substrate moisture content value from a.

  • 5. Minimum spatial substrate moisture content

  • a. mean substrate moisture content values from all corners of a single plot for each sampling date (n = 5 dates)

  • b. minimum plot-level substrate moisture content value from a.

  • 6. Maximum spatial range

  • a. range between the highest corner substrate moisture content value and the lowest corner substrate moisture content value (wettest corner-driest corner), (n = 5 dates)

  • b. greatest range from a.

  • 7. Spatial CV

  • a. CV using the substrate moisture content corner data (standard deviation of four corners/average of four corners), (n = 5 dates)

  • b. mean of the five CVs from a.

Appendix 2

See Table 9.

Table 9 Inventory of vascular plants (105 species), macrolichens (41 species) and mosses (27 species) found at the plot level across six coastal barren sites (Peggy’s Cove, Chebucto Head, Taylor Head, Canso, Little Anse, and Baleine)
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Oberndorfer, E.C., Lundholm, J.T. Species richness, abundance, rarity and environmental gradients in coastal barren vegetation. Biodivers Conserv 18, 1523–1553 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9539-5

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