The distribution, abundance, and environmental affinities of the endemic vascular plant taxa of the Athabasca Sand Dunes of northern Saskatchewan

Ecoscience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric G. Lamb ◽  
Digit D. Guedo
Keyword(s):  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Northern Saskatchewan

scholarly journals Cryptogams signify key transition of bacteria and fungi in Arctic sand dune succession

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heli Juottonen ◽  
Minna Männistö ◽  
Marja Tiirola ◽  
Minna-Maarit Kytöviita
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Community ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Sand Dune ◽  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Mountain Birch ◽  
List Type ◽  
Plant Microbe Interaction ◽  
Bare Sand

SummaryPrimary succession models focus on aboveground vascular plants. However, the prevalence of mosses and lichens, i.e. cryptogams, suggests they play a role in soil successions. Here, we explore whether effects of cryptogams on belowground microbes can facilitate progressive shifts in sand dune succession.We linked aboveground vegetation, belowground bacterial and fungal community, and soil chemistry in six successional stages in Arctic inland sand dunes: bare sand, grass, moss, lichen, ericoid heath and mountain birch forest.Compared to the bare sand and grass stages, microbial biomass and the proportion of fungi increased in the moss stage, and later stage microbial groups appeared despite the absence of their host plants. The microbial communities of the lichen stage resembled the communities in the vascular plant stages. Bacterial community correlated better with soil chemistry than with vegetation, whereas the correlation of fungi with vegetation increased with vascular vegetation.Distinct bacterial and fungal patterns of biomass, richness, and plant-microbe interaction showed that the aboveground vegetation change structured the bacterial and fungal community differently. The nonalignment of aboveground vs. belowground changes suggests that cryptogams can drive succession towards vascular plant dominance through microbially mediated facilitation in eroded Arctic soil.

Limited effects of simulated acidic deposition on seedling survivorship and root morphology of endemic plant taxa of the Athabasca Sand Dunes in well-watered greenhouse trials

Botany ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 176-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Guy ◽  
Jenalee M. Mischkolz ◽  
Eric G. Lamb
Keyword(s):  
Acidic Deposition ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Root Diameter ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Seedling Survivorship ◽  
Species At Risk Act ◽  
Habitat Breadth

The Athabasca Sand Dunes of northern Saskatchewan support 10 endemic vascular plant taxa listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Athabasca Sand Dunes are subject to acidic deposition; the potential impacts of which are a significant knowledge gap to a comprehensive reassessment of the conservation status of these taxa. We used a greenhouse experiment to assess the potential effects of acidic deposition on the root system morphology of the following three endemic species: Armeria maritima (P. Mill) Willd. ssp. interior (Raup) Porsild, Deschampsia mackenzieana Raup, and Stellaria arenicola Raup. We found limited effects of three pH treatments on root diameter, root length, surface area, and branching. Although acidic deposition is likely not a short-term threat, current and future deposition still may be a significant long-term threat. The Athabasca Sand Dune soils are considered highly sensitive, and acidification and nutrient leaching can take several decades to manifest. This should be considered when assessing the conservation status of these endemic taxa, particularly A. maritima, as this species may be more sensitive than the other species to acidic deposition owing to a small population size and limited habitat breadth.

Leaf thickness of Salix spp. (Salicaceae) from the Athabasca sand dunes of northern Saskatchewan, Canada

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 1682-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
R L Cooper ◽  
J V Ware ◽  
D D Cass
Keyword(s):  
Light Microscopy ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Leaf Thickness ◽  
Data Comparison ◽  
Northern Saskatchewan ◽  
Salix Planifolia ◽  
Salix Spp

Leaf thicknesses of Salix taxa (Salix brachycarpa Nutt. var. psammophila Raup, Salix planifolia Pursh subsp. tyrrellii (Raup) Argus, Salix silicicola Raup, and Salix turnorii Raup) from the Athabasca sand dunes in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, were evaluated and compared with those of their respective widespread progenitors (S. brachycarpa Nutt. var. brachycarpa, S. planifolia Pursh subsp. planifolia, Salix alaxensis (Anders.), and Salix eriocephala Michx. var. famelica (C. R. Ball) Dorn). Leaf thickness was measured using standard light microscopy, and results were compared with the occurrence of amphistomaty in these Salix species. Leaf thickness values varied among the species and differed significantly within each derivative–progenitor Salix pair. The two amphistomatic taxa from Yakow Lake dunes, S. turnorii and S. planifolia subsp. tyrrellii, had significantly thicker leaves (337.65 ± 5.99 µm and 226.00 ± 5.22 µm, respectively) than their widespread progenitors, as well as the thickest leaves overall. The data comparison indicates a relationship between amphistomaty and leaf thickness among the Salix taxa, as thicker leaves tend to be amphistomatic.Key words: amphistomaty, Athabasca sand dunes, leaf thickness, Salix, willow.

scholarly journals Effect of environmental factors on the composition of terrestrial bryophyte and lichen species in Scots pine forests on fixed sand dunes

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. e015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Tilk ◽  
Katri Ots ◽  
Tea Tullus
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Organic Horizon

Aim of the study: To investigate terrestrial bryophyte and lichen species richness and environmental factors affecting the composition of species.Area of the study: Four Boreal zone fixed dunes were selected in the coastal area of the Baltic Sea in southwest Estonia.Material and methods: Non-metric multidimensional scaling was performed to analyse distribution patterns and environmental factors like canopy cover, photosynthetically active radiation, soil organic horizon thickness and decomposition rates, soil volumetric water content, soil pH and electrical conductivity and soil nutrients correlated with bryophyte and lichen species composition.Main results: Thirty bryophytes and 22 lichens were found on 232 sample plots, the most frequent species were Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt., Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp., Dicranum polysetum Sw. ex anon., Cladonia arbuscula (Wallr.) Flot. and Cladonia furcata (Huds.) Schrad. The lichen species richness was highest on the slopes of the dunes and decreased towards the bottoms and tops; bryophyte species richness was higher on the bottoms and decreased towards the tops of the dunes.Research highlights: The composition of bryophytes and lichens is significantly influenced by the aspect and the location on the dune, light conditions, soil pH, soil salinity (measured as electrical conductivity) and volumetric water content, thickness of moderately decomposed organic horizon and vascular plant species cover.KeywordsInland dunes; terrestrial bryophyte and lichen communities; environmental factors; topography.

Nitrogen fixation in relation to Hudsonia tomentosa: a pioneer species in sand dunes, northeastern Alberta

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 2495-2501
Author(s):  
S. D. Nelson ◽  
L. C. Buss ◽  
J. M. Mayo
Keyword(s):  
Green Algae ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Green Sand ◽  
Fixed Nitrogen ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Blue Green Algae ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Northeastern Alberta

Blue-green algae, including species of Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, Microcystis, and Nostocaceae were isolated from green sand associated with Hudsonia tomentosa. Green sands were consistently found in the buried phyllosphere and rhizosphere of Hudsonia and on the surface to varying depths under Hudsonia plants. Organisms in these sands fixed nitrogen at maximum rates of 1 nmol C2H4∙g soil−1∙h−1. Seasonal variation in rates was largely explained by optima of 30% soil water content and 28 to 33 °C soil temperature. Green sands were not associated with any other vascular plant at the study sites. The results suggest a preference of free-living blue-green algae for Hudsonia which may relate to the ability of this dwarf shrub to colonize nutrient-poor sand sites, such as blowouts and sand dunes in the Pinus banksiana – lichen woodlands of northeastern Alberta.

POSSIBLE ROLE OF BIOGENIC CRUSTS IN PLANT SUCCESSION ON THE SHARON SAND DUNES, ISRAEL

1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pua Kutiel
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Water Regime ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Plant Succession

Sand dunes in the coastal plain are subjected to stabilization processes due to the increase of vegetation cover of both vascular and non-vascular plants (e.g., mosses, lichens, fungi, and cyanobacteria). The non-vascular plants form intimate associations with surface soils known as biogenic crusts. These crusts play a major role in pedologic and overland geomorphic processes. The spatial distribution of biogenic crusts on semi-stabilized and stabilized sand dunes of the Sharon coastal plain, and their effect on organic matter content and water regime in the soil, were analyzed. Results indicated that a small and discontinuous area of the semi-stabilized sand dunes was covered by biogenic crusts. This crust was mainly composed of mosses and was concentrated beneath shrubs. Nevertheless, 88% of the stabilized sand dunes were covered with biogenic crusts composed mainly of cyanobacteria. The levels of organic matter and the water content in the upper soil layer (0–2 cm) of the crusted sand were significantly higher than levels in the uncrusted sand. The water regime in the upper soil layer covered with mosses was higher than that covered by cyanobacteria crust. The water regime in the soil determined by the biogenic crust may play an important role in the vascular plant succession of the sand dunes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document