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Riparian woody plant diversity and forest structure along an urban-rural gradient

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Abstract

Changes in riparian woody plant assemblages are anticipated in the southeastern United States due to increases in urbanization rates. Because riparian forests serve important roles in maintaining water quality and biodiversity, understanding how they respond to urbanization is crucial. The objective of this study was to examine forest structure and woody vegetation diversity indices of riparian communities in response to an urbanization gradient in West Georgia, USA. Measures of forest structure and diversity were compared to measures of urbanization and land cover. Although Liquidambar styracifluaand Quercus nigrawere dominant species in the forest stand and regeneration layer for all riparian communities, the invasive, non-native shrub Ligustrum sinense was the most dominant species observed in the regeneration layer for urban, developing, and agriculture communities. The proportion of non-native species in the forest stand and regeneration layer decreased and Shannon diversity of the regeneration layer increased with increasing distance from the urban center. Shifts in diversity indicate that anthropogenic disturbance may subdue the ability of diverse communities to resist non-native plant invasions.

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  1. School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Center for Forest Sustainability, Auburn University, 108 White Smith Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Michele L. Burton, Lisa J. Samuelson & Shufen Pan

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  1. Michele L. Burton
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  2. Lisa J. Samuelson
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  3. Shufen Pan
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Correspondence to Michele L. Burton.

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Burton, M.L., Samuelson, L.J. & Pan, S. Riparian woody plant diversity and forest structure along an urban-rural gradient. Urban Ecosyst 8, 93–106 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-005-1421-6

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