HR: 16:00h
AN: NB44C-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Ibero Atlantic Forested Wetlands: Plant-Abiotic Interactions at a Regional Scale
AU: * Gonzalez, P R
EM: patri@isa.utl.pt
AF: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal. Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Tapada da Ajuda, LISBOA, 1349-017 Portugal
AU: Ferreira, T
EM: terferreira@isa.utl.pt
AF: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal. Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Tapada da Ajuda, LISBOA, 1349-017 Portugal
AU: Albuquerque, A
EM: aalbuquerque@isa.utl.pt
AF: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal. Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Tapada da Ajuda, LISBOA, 1349-017 Portugal
AU: Espirito-Santo, D
EM: dalilaesanto@isa.utl.pt
AF: Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Departamento de Fitoecologia Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, 1349-017 Portugal
AU: Ramil-Rego, P
EM: dibader@isa.utl.pt
AF: Escola Politenica, Departamento de Botanica Superior de Lugo, Lugo, 27001 Spain
AB: In biogeographical terms, forested wetlands are considered azonal ecosystems due to their special edaphic conditions. Duration of waterlogging decreases the effect of regional climate in vegetation communities. In this work we test this hypothesis by studying the relative contribution of spatial and environmental variation. Plant community composition and vertical structure were inventoried in inland forested wetlands along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The study area ranges from latitude N 44° to 38° and includes Temperate and Mediterranean climate. Forested wetlands area was delimitated and sampled using plots where all the vascular plants and bryophytes were registered and their percentage cover estimated. Collected environmental regional variables included geographic, climatic, geologic and hydro geomorphologic data. Multivariate analysis was used to interpret species abundance data to assess the relative weight of environmental conditions and the spatial structure in the species data variation. Results of species-environment treatment revealed that tree overstorey species were determinant for vegetation types and that hydroperiod was the key abiotic variable classifying forested wetlands.
DE: 1851 Plant ecology
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
DE: 1890 Wetlands
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly