Bottomland vegetation distribution along Passage Creek, Virginia, in relation to fluvial landforms.

Abstract

Persistent distribution patterns of woody vegetation within the bottomland forest of Passage Creek, Virginia, were related to fluvial landforms, channel geometry, streamflow characteristics, and sediment-size characteristics. Distinct species distributional patterns were found on four common fluvial geomorphic landforms: depositional bar, active-channel shelf, floodplain, and terrace. Independent hydrologic characteristics (flow duration and flood frequency) were determined for each of the landforms. Vegetation patterns appear to develop more as a result of hydrologic processes associated with each fluvial landform rather than from sediment-size characteristics. -from Authors