Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Plant Biology

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stephen F. Austin State University

Ecological botany

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Characterizing Patterns In Texas Gulf Coast Beach Dune Plant Species Composition, Cody Foster Dec 2020

Characterizing Patterns In Texas Gulf Coast Beach Dune Plant Species Composition, Cody Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regional vegetation patterns of Texas beach plant communities were analyzed using cluster analysis, ANOSIM, SIMPER, NMDS, and ISA for fives zones representing the foredune complex of twenty Gulf Coast beaches. ANOVA revealed that zones differ in terms of percent bare sand, percent vegetative cover, and species richness. Cluster Analysis, ANOSIM, and SIMPER results indicate that Texas beaches can be divided into northern and southern regions based on differences in species composition of plant communities. Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) indicates that northern beaches are characterized by the presence of Rayjacksonia phyllocephala, Ambrosia Strophostyles, Ambrosia psilostachya, and Panicum amarum …