Ecology of Red Maple Swamps in the Glaciated Northeast: A ...

of ground vegetation within a mixed conifer-red
maple forested wetland studied by &atley and
Fahey (2986) in central New York. Although the
concentrations of individual elements were not
determined, the atlthors found significant differences
in the ash conterlt of the organic soil among
the various ground vegetation associations Cr~ible
4.1); they interpreted the differences b xncarl
that base status was a key factor pronlotirlg the
floristic variation. Gcnerrilly, ash content of the
soil was higher in associatiorls characterized as
swamp (CL and CP in Table 4.1) than in those
characterized as bog (IV and DV). The swarrlp
communities supported more species as well.
Aa noted earlier, plant species richness in red
maple swamp underlain by calc~treous bedrock or
calcamous sdicial deposits oftcn far exceeds that
in acidic swamps. In preparing species lists for
southern New England calcareous seepagc3
swamps, hwirxski (19134) noted that the herb 1ayt.r
is the most sensitive indicatnr of nutrie~lt status.
Individual calcareous swarllps may support xnore
than 50 species of herbs, more than twice the number
usually found in acidic swmrrps. Key indicator
species for calcareous seepage swamps were identified
in the previous chapter.
The role of ptI in the distribution of red maple
swamp flora has not been clearly defined. hblished
values for pH in northeastern red nraple swamps
range fmm below four in sonxe organic soils or mas
of acidic bedmck (Anderson et d. 1980, Lowry
1%; %atfey and FRhcy 1986) to nearly seven
(Messier 1980; I-Iuermeke 1982) in areas with calcareous
bedrock or surficial deposih. Studies by
Messier (1980), Huenneke (1982), and Dunn and
Stear~ls (1987a,b) demonstrated a relation between
pI.1 and SWRXII~ floristics in areas where pH
values range widely; the strength of this relation
within areas of low base status has not been established
(A~lderson et a1. 1978, 1980; Lowry
1984; Parnt ley and Ekhey 1986).
The i~fluence of soil on swamp flora is likely to
be mainly hydrologic or chemical, but properties
such as organic nlatter content nnd soil text;ure
have also been shown to be importarit in some
cases (Fry@ and @inn 1979; Huenneke 1982;
Dunrl and Steams 1987a,b). Roth of these properties
vary widely in red maple swamps of the glaciated
Northcast. Anderson et al. (1980) and Grace
(1972) noted no differences between red maple
swarnp corrlrnunities on organic soils and those on
nxi~ierul soils, but their conclusions were based on
general observatioxts rather than quantitative
analyses. &cause of the scant research and the
close relationships between the physical and
chemical properties of soils arid wetland water
regimes, the direct influence of organic matter
cont~nt and soil texture on the species compcrsitiorl
of x~ortheastern red niaple swamps remains
largely \mknc>wtx,