HR: 08:30h
AN: B31E-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Ecohydrological interactions in oxygen-limited vegetation ecosystems
AU: * Marani, M
EM: marco.marani@unipd.it
AF: Dept. IMAGE University of Padova, via Loredan 20, Padova, I-35131
AU: Silvestri, S
EM: sonia.silvestri@magisacque.it
AF: SIN Magistrato alle Acque di Venezia, via Asconio Pediano 6, Padova, I-35100
AU: Belluco, E
EM: belluco@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dept. IMAGE University of Padova, via Loredan 20, Padova, I-35131
AU: Ursino, N
EM: nadia@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dept. IMAGE University of Padova, via Loredan 20, Padova, I-35131
AU: Comerlati, A
EM: andreac@dmsa.unipd.it
AF: Dept. DMMSA University of Padova, via Belzoni 7, Padova, I-35131
AU: Tosatto, O
EM: fubini80@email.it
AF: Dept. IMAGE University of Padova, via Loredan 20, Padova, I-35131
AU: Putti, M
EM: putti@dmsa.unipd.it
AF: Dept. DMMSA University of Padova, via Belzoni 7, Padova, I-35131
AB: Wetlands are characterized by extremely high biodiversity and primary productivity (comparable to tropical rain forests), provide critical habitats for rare and endangered vegetation and animal species and mediate the effects of floods and the action of the sea on the coast. A deep understanding of wetland system functioning cannot be acquired by simply reducing its dynamics to a collection of parts, but requires the explicit description of wetland physical and ecological processes as fully interacting components. In fact, the complex spatial eco-hydrological patterns characterizing wetland areas arise as a result of the coupled evolution of their ecological, hydrological and morphological features. Here we examine observations of prominent patterns in wetland vegetation and link them to the relevant hydrological and ecological processes. We describe the limitations to vegetation development due to scarce soil oxygen availability and implement a mathematical model coupling subsurface water flow and plant water uptake in a tidal salt-marsh. The soil aeration patterns arising from such interactions highlight the central role of vegetation in inducing the presence of a permanently aerated soil layer (in spite of tidal flooding) and the influence of different soil characteristics on soil oxygen availability. Finally, we discuss how eco-hydrological interactions can contributes to explain patterns of vegetation colonization and spatial heterogeneity.
UR: http://www.tideproject.org
DE: 0466 Modeling
DE: 0476 Plant ecology (1851)
DE: 0495 Water/energy interactions (1878)
DE: 0497 Wetlands (1890)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005