Community Ecology
Volume/Issue:
Volume 16: Issue 2
Ecotones as indicators: boundary properties in wetland-woodland transition zones
Authors:
G. Brownstein Landcare Research, 764 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

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C. Johns The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

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A. Fletcher The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

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D. Pritchard University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand

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P. D. Erskine The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

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Pages:
235–243
Online Publication Date:
Dec 2015
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2015
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2015.16.2.11
Keywords:
Anthropogenic impact; Beta diversity; Functional groups; Vegetation monitoring
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Ecotones, representing the transition zones between species or communities, have been suggested as focal points for detecting early shifts in vegetation composition due to anthropogenic impact. Here we examined if changes in ecotone location or properties can be used as reliable indicators of hydrological change in temperate wetland communities. We examined 38 woodland-wetland-woodland transitions, distributed across four sites with different anthropogenic disturbance histories and hydrological traits. We tested whether: 1) the ecotones are associated with environmental gradients, and 2) the location or properties of these ecotones change with disturbance history. Well-defined ecotones were associated with steep gradients in soil depth and soil moisture. Most ecotones showed a change in vegetation from hydrophytic to dryland species. There was also some evidence that in highly disturbed sites the link between ecotones and environmental gradients was less apparent. By sampling across boundaries we can better understand the factors controlling the distribution of species. This allows us to make better predictions about the impacts of anthropogenic change in wetland communities. By investigating the transitions between different vegetation communities we were able to highlight key indicators that could be used to monitor these ecologically sensitive and diverse wetland communities.

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Cover Community Ecology
Community Ecology An Interdisciplinary Journal Reporting Progress in Community and Population Studies
Print ISSN:
1585-8553
Online ISSN:
1588-2756

Community Ecology
Language English
Size A4
Year of
Foundation		 2000
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 3
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 1585-8553 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2756 (Online)

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