You are here:
Evaluation of plot-scale methods for assessing and monitoring salt marsh vegetation composition and cover
Citation:
Raposa, K., T. Kutcher, W. Ferguson, R. McKinney, K. Miller, AND C. Wigand. Evaluation of plot-scale methods for assessing and monitoring salt marsh vegetation composition and cover. NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST. Eagle Hill Publications, ME, 27(1):151-167, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1656/045.027.0113
Impact/Purpose:
Effective monitoring of salt marshes requires standardized and practical methods. Use of different plant monitoring methods can make comparability among datasets difficult. Therefore, we compared three common plant survey methods (point intercept, Braun-Blanquet visual, and rapid floristic quality assessment) used by resource managers. We studied which methods are accurate and practical for rapid assessments. We found that if data are collected from many plots in a salt marsh, and if the focus is only on the marsh-scale, any of these three methods are appropriate. However, if more detailed patterns are of interest, we recommend the quantitative point-intercept method. The Braun-Blanquet and FQA qualitative methods can result in less accurate cover estimates at small scales (e.g., at the m2 plot size). To ensure that monitoring data are amenable for a variety of sometimes unanticipated uses, we ultimately recommend the quantitative, point-intercept method, if time and resources allow.
Description:
Vegetation is a key component of salt marsh monitoring programs, but different methods can make comparing datasets difficult. We compared data on vegetation composition and cover collected with 3 methods (point-intercept, Braun–Blanquet visual, and floristic quality assessment [FQA]) in 3 Rhode Island salt marshes. No significant differences in plant community composition were found among the methods, and differences in individual species cover in a marsh never exceeded 6% between methods. All methods were highly repeatable, with no differences in data collected by different people. However, FQA was less effective at identifying temporal changes at the plot scale. If data are collected from many plots in a marsh, any of the methods are appropriate, but if plot-scale patterns are of interest, we recommend point-intercept.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Evaluation of plot-scale methods for assessing and monitoring salt marsh vegetation composition and cover