Plant Communities of the Lower Pearl River Basin, Louisiana

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Vegetation was sampled at 75 sites in the lower basin of the Pearl River, Lousiana. Soil pH, salinity, moisture and organic content were measured. Analysis of species distribution maps, polar ordinations, flood indices and soil characteristics led to division of the vegetation into 5 communities: hardwood bottom forest, cypress-tupelo forest, scrub, fresh marsh and saline marsh. The hardwood bottom forest is dominated by 4 overstory species: Quercus nigra, Q. laurifolia, Liquidambar styraciflua and Nyssa sylvatica. The cypress-tupelo forest is dominated by N. aquatica, Fraxinus profunda and Taxodium distichum. Both forest communities have little herbaceous cover except in gaps in the overstory. The scrub community is a transition between the tree and herb-dominated areas and contains many species common to both. The fresh marsh is dominated by Sagittaria lancifolia, Polygonum punctatum, Eleocharis spp. and Panicum spp.; the saline marsh is dominated by Spartina patens, Distichlis spicata and Phragmites australis. The activities of man have affected flood and soil characteristics within the basin. This in turn has influenced plant distribution and the extent of the 5 communities.