Predicting plant species diversity in response to disturbance magnitude in grassland remnants of central Alberta
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Authors: K. Vujnovic, R. W. Wein, and M. R. T. Dale
Date: 2002
Journal: Canadian Journal of Botany
Volume: 80
Number:
Pages: 504-511
Summary of Methods: Vujnovic et al. determined how different levels of disturbances, including grazing, affect the plant species composition and diversity in Alberta's Aspen Parkland. Species diversity was greatest at the intermediate disturbance level. Species diversity and richness were low at low levels of disturbance, due to the dominance of the late succession species in these plant communities. At high levels of disturbance, species diversity and richness were low, due to the inability of plants to survive the continual heavy disturbances. Richness and diversity of exotic species was greatest in plant communities with high levels of disturbance because of the increased availability of colonization sites. Exotics were less abundant in areas with low levels of disturbance due to limited space available for plant invasion in these late successional plant communities. These results suggest that disturbance levels can alter the exotic and native plant species diversity and richness in the Aspen Parkland of Alberta, following the predictions of the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: intermediate disturbance hypothesis, exotic species, disturbance frequency, disturbance severity, plant community composition, invasive species, species composition
Annotation: Details on season of use and herbivore species were not defined.
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