characteristics of the vegetation community of the riparian zone of headwater streams cormac mc...

Characteristics of the vegetation community of the riparian zone of headwater streams

Cormac Mc ConigleyDr. Heather Lally

Dr. Mary Kelly-Quinn

Headwaters First and second order

Under 3m wide

77% of total river network

Heterogeneous: rapid longitudinal change

Edge to discharge ratio

Riparian zones

Area along stream

Dimensions delineation

Vital for stream condition

Forms the edge

Functions of the riparian zone

Carbon

Filtration

Stabilisation

Temperature regulation

Intrinsic value

Site attributesSite Soil type Coordinates County Width (m) Depth (m)

31 Peat F 850 193 Mayo 2.64 0.11

50 Peat V 959 830 Kerry 2.00 0.66

58 Peat C 033 239 Donegal 1.40 0.42

65 Peat M 112 345 Galway 2.00 0.83

21 Peat B 043 228 Donegal 2.50 0.80

23 Peat B 913 138 Donegal 0.38 0.15

2 Peaty podzol O 110 112 Wicklow 1.70 0.14

7 Peaty podzol O 120 084 Wicklow 2.43 0.34

10 Peaty podzol O 150 142 Wicklow 0.93 0.23

39 Peaty podzol L 719 563 Galway 0.83 0.31

70 Peaty podzol W 896 572 Cork 1.20 0.25

Table1. Attributes of 11 upland headwater sites

S2 R

S2 L

S1 L

S3 R

S1 R

S3 L

100m

10m

Moorland

Moorland

S2 R

S2 L

S1 L

S1 R

R1

R2

R3

Station

2m

10 m

Moorland

Moorland

Statistical analysis

Standardised

Cluster

PERMANOVA

UnivariateA B C D E F

020406080

100

Mean Organic matter content for each of the groups ± SD

Cluster analysis of 179 relevés

A Ba b c d e f

nMDS from cluster analysis

48% cover

nMDS from cluster analysisa BryophytaSphagnum

b Potentilla erecta Juncus effusus

c Calluna vulgarisVaccinium myrtillus

d Pteridium aquilinumBryophyta

e AnthoxanthumodoratumMolinia caerulea

f Juncus effususBryophyta

nMDS labelled by county

b Potentilla erecta Juncus effusus

e AnthoxanthumodoratumMolinia caerulea

a BryophytaSphagnum

c Calluna vulgarisVaccinium myrtillus

Wicklow

d Pteridium aquilinumBryophytaf Juncus effusus

Bryophyta

A B C D E F0

4

8

12

Mean number of taxa within groups ± SD

Univariate

A B C D E F0

1

2

3

Shannon diversity of each of the groups ± SD

A B C D E F0

2

4

6

Mean soil pH of the groups ± SD

A B C D E F0

1

2

3

Species richness within the groups ± SD

(S-1)logN

Mean organic content

A B C D E F0

20

40

60

80

100Mean organic matter content for each of the groups ± SD

Summary

Wicklow

High organic matter

Conclusions

Equal diversity across groups

Molinia caerulea most important for grouping

East/West divide

Organic content of soil

Acknowledgements

Dr Mary Kelly-QuinnDr. Heather Lally

My funders: Department of Agriculture Food and Marine

Partners: Woodlands of Ireland& Coillte

Thank you

Questions??

Correspondence: cormacmcconigley@gmail.com