Woody riparian vegetation of a Lake Superior tributary

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Abstract
Woody vegetation along the lower 16 km of the Sucker River (a Lake Superior tributary in Minnesota) was surveyed as a precursor to leaf decomposition studies. Vegetation composition and its relation to the environment were assessed. The most abundant trees and shrubs were Alnus rugosa, Abies balsamea, Cornus stolonifera, and Fraxinus spp. The lower, steeper 10 km of the river was bordered by coniferous forest, above which was 3 km of Alnus thicket, then 3 km of mixed conifer–hardwoods along the flatter reaches farther inland. Alnus rugosa and Thuja occidentalis decreased dramatically in numbers a short distance from the river. Abies balsamea and Betula papyrifera showed the reverse trend. Polar ordinations revealed that riparian species composition was correlated with the gradient of the river but not with the aspect of the stream banks. The riparian vegetation was less distinct from the surrounding vegetation than is often the case with larger streams.

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