Response of a Typha marsh community to draining, flooding, and seasonal burning

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Abstract
A Typha marsh community was subjected to draining and seasonal burning treatments to control the growth of emergent aquatics. Treatments resulted in an increase in total number of species after 3 years. Cover and frequency of Aster novi-belgii, Lycopus uniflorus, Epilobium watsonii, Brachythecium salebrosum, Pleurozium schreberi, and Cladonia cristatella increased appreciably on the drained side whereas those of Carex spp., Lysimachia terrestris, Epilobium palustre, Pellia epiphylla, Sphagnum squarrosum, Drepanocladus exannulatus, and Helodium blandowii increased on the flooded side. Draining plus summer burning produced the lowest cover, stem density, plant height, and stem base diameter of Typha. An attempt was made to interpret the effects of disturbance on the natural paludification process that leads to the development of patches of fen within the marsh.