Aims Hydrogeomorphic processes operating at watershed,process zone and site scales influence the distribution of riparian vegeta-tion.However,most studies examining the relationships between hydrogeomorphic processes ...Aims Hydrogeomorphic processes operating at watershed,process zone and site scales influence the distribution of riparian vegeta-tion.However,most studies examining the relationships between hydrogeomorphic processes and riparian vegetation are conducted at site scales.We quantified the relative importance of watershed,process zone and site geomorphic characteristics for predicting riparian plant community types and plant species abundances in four small mountain watersheds in central Nevada,u.Methods We mapped riparian vegetation types and identified process zones(based on dominant geomorphic process and valley fill material)within the watersheds.We sampled sites in each combination of veg-etation type and process zone(n=184 sites)and collected data on watershed scale factors,valley and stream geomorphic characteristics and on plant cover of each geomorphic surface.Plant community types were defined by cluster and indicator species analyses of plant cover data,and related to geomorphic variables using ordination analysis(nonmetric multidimensional scaling).linear mixed effects models were used to predict abundances of indicator species.Important Findings Variables describing position in the watershed(elevation,contrib-uting area)that are related to gradients of temperature,moisture and stream discharge were of primary importance in predicting plant community types.Variables describing local geomorphic setting(valley width,stream gradient,channel sediments,geomor-phic surface height)were of secondary importance,but accurately described the geomorphic setting of indicator species.The process zone classification did not include position in the watershed or channel characteristics and only predicted plant community types with unique geomorphic settings.In small mountain watersheds,predicting riparian vegetation distribution requires explicit consid-eration of scale and geomorphic context within and among water-sheds in addition to site variables.展开更多
基金USDA Forest Service,Rocky Mountain Research Station(Agreement Number:08-JV-11221632-196).
文摘Aims Hydrogeomorphic processes operating at watershed,process zone and site scales influence the distribution of riparian vegeta-tion.However,most studies examining the relationships between hydrogeomorphic processes and riparian vegetation are conducted at site scales.We quantified the relative importance of watershed,process zone and site geomorphic characteristics for predicting riparian plant community types and plant species abundances in four small mountain watersheds in central Nevada,u.Methods We mapped riparian vegetation types and identified process zones(based on dominant geomorphic process and valley fill material)within the watersheds.We sampled sites in each combination of veg-etation type and process zone(n=184 sites)and collected data on watershed scale factors,valley and stream geomorphic characteristics and on plant cover of each geomorphic surface.Plant community types were defined by cluster and indicator species analyses of plant cover data,and related to geomorphic variables using ordination analysis(nonmetric multidimensional scaling).linear mixed effects models were used to predict abundances of indicator species.Important Findings Variables describing position in the watershed(elevation,contrib-uting area)that are related to gradients of temperature,moisture and stream discharge were of primary importance in predicting plant community types.Variables describing local geomorphic setting(valley width,stream gradient,channel sediments,geomor-phic surface height)were of secondary importance,but accurately described the geomorphic setting of indicator species.The process zone classification did not include position in the watershed or channel characteristics and only predicted plant community types with unique geomorphic settings.In small mountain watersheds,predicting riparian vegetation distribution requires explicit consid-eration of scale and geomorphic context within and among water-sheds in addition to site variables.
