| Abstract: | The Elwha River estuary supports one of the most diverse coastal wetland complexes yet described in the Salish Sea region, in terms of vegetation types and plant species richness. Using a combination of aerial imagery and vegetation plot sampling, we identified 6 primary vegetation types and 121 plant species in a 39.7 ha area. Most of the estuary is dominated by woody vegetation types, with mixed riparian forest being the most abundant (20 ha), followed by riparian shrub (6.3 ha) and willow-alder forest (3.9 ha). The shrub-emergent marsh transition vegetation type was fourth most abundant (2.2 ha), followed by minor amounts of dunegrass (1.75 ha) and emergent marsh (0.2 ha). This chapter documents the abundance, distribution, and floristics of these six vegetation types, including plant species richness, life form, species origin (native or introduced), and species wetland indicator status. These data will serve as a baseline to which future changes can be compared, following the impending removal of Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams upstream on the Elwha River. Dam removals may alter many of the processes, materials, and biotic interactions that influence the estuary plant communities, including hydrology, salinity, sediment and wood transport, nutrients, and plant-microbe interactions. |
| Genre: | USGS Numbered Series |
| ProdID: | 70042251 |
| Citation Author: | Shafroth, Patrick B.; Fuentes, Tracy L.; Pritekel, Cynthia ; Beirne, Matthew M.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Western Fisheries Research Center |
| Citation Datum: | |
| Citation Day: | |
| Citation Edition: | |
| Citation Editor: | Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S. |
| Citation End Page: | 248 |
| Citation Issue: | |
| Citation Keywords: | |
| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal (SIR 2011-5120) |
| Citation LatN: | 47.9652 |
| Citation LatS: | 47.794 |
| Citation LonE: | -123.448 |
| Citation LonW: | -123.5832 |
| Citation Month: | |
| Citation No Pagination: | |
| Citation Number Of Pages: | |
| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | 24 p. |
| Citation Projection: | |
| Citation Public Comments: | This report is Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal. For more information, see: Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5120 |
| Citation Publisher: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Citation Series: | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Citation Series Code: | SIR |
| Citation Series Number: | 2011-5120-8 |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Vegetation of the Elwha River estuary: Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal; 2011; SIR; 2011-5120-8; Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal (SIR 2011-5120); Shafroth, Patrick B.; Fuentes, Tracy L.; Pritekel, Cynthia ; Beirne, Matthew M.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B. |
| Citation Start Page: | 225 |
| Citation Volume: | |
| Citation Year: | 2011 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Vegetation of the Elwha River estuary: Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal; 2011; SIR; 2011-5120-8; Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal (SIR 2011-5120); Shafroth, Patrick B.; Fuentes, Tracy L.; Pritekel, Cynthia ; Beirne, Matthew M.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/usgs_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DOCUMENT): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5120/pdf/sir20115120_ch8.pdf |
| Date Other: | Sun, 1 Jan 2012 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | U.S. Geological Survey |
