Variability and Drivers of Forest Communities at the Great Dismal Swamp

The Great Dismal Swamp (GDS) is a forested peatland located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Once a mosaic of wetland communities, disturbances (e.g., timber harvesting and ditching) have resulted in altered hydrologic regime, homogenized forest communities, and increased peat subsidence. In response, hydrologic restoration and forest management aim to enhance community composition and function. To help inform these efforts, we investigated variability and drivers of forest communities by surveying vegetation composition and structure, hydrologic indicators, and soil properties at 79 monitoring plots across GDS. Data were augmented with modeled water levels and peat depths. Our results demonstrate red maple (Acer rubrum) dominance across GDS, which decreases tree density, richness, and diversity. However, hierarchical cluster analysis identified four community types: Gum (G), Maple-Gum (M-G), Sweetgum-Maple (SG-M), and Maple (M). These communities differed in tree composition and structure; differences in other growth forms (shrubs, herbaceous, and regeneration) were limited. Modeled water levels failed to explain vegetation differences, but community associations with soil properties suggest that communities exist along a hydrologic gradient. Specifically, the G community likely exists on wetter sites whereas SG-M communities occur at drier locations. Maple-dominated communities (M and M-G; 78% of plots) likely occur across broader hydrologic gradients, explaining their dominance. However, more characterization of hydrology (i.e., time-varying water levels and soil moisture) and other drivers (e.g., site history and soil hydraulics) is needed to further explain community variation. As such, we propose future strategies for long-term monitoring to inform ongoing hydrologic restoration and forest management efforts.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry

Department dc:contributor.department

Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Ludwig, Raymond Francis

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• McLaughlin, Daniel L.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Seiler, John R.
• Strahm, Brian D.

• Great Dismal Swamp
• forested wetlands
• wetland vegetation
• wetland hydrology
• hydrologic restoration

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:15574

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/84343