The response of riparian vegetation to flood-maintained habitat heterogeneity

Abstract

Riparian environments are subject to the scouring and depositional effects of floods. Riparian vegetation and substrates are scoured during high flows, while litter and sediment is deposited downstream. In the Prosser and Little Swanport River catchments in south-east Tasmania, vascular plant species were surveyed in large riparian relevés. Within these relevés, 1 x 1 m subplots were placed in both flood-scoured and depositional environments. Species composition was compared between these three datasets, to investigate the importance of floods in determining species richness and species composition of riparian vegetation. Species richness and diversity were highest in areas experiencing floo..