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Vernal Pool Vegetation And Soil Patterns Along Hydrologic Gradients In Western Massachusetts, Kasie Collins

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

This study looks at relationships along the hydrologic gradient between and within six pools; including the vegetation community, soil characteristics and hydrology. Pool conditions were monitored weekly throughout the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. Each pool was equipped with permanent platinum-tipped redox probes to quantify the severity and duration of soil reduction. We described and analyzed 12 soil profiles in each pool, distributed in summit/upland, basin, and rim/transition positions as defined by the high water line. The pools were systematically surveyed for understory vegetation during the 2012 growing season.

Vegetation patterns varied between study areas. No clear pattern of unique …