Patch Dynamics of a New England Salt Marsh Plant Community

这项研究将考察沼泽次生演替和沼泽植物种群克隆整合在决定沼泽植物干扰动态中的作用。具体地说，将做以下工作：1)研究沼泽裸露斑块土壤条件变异的产生和原因，2)明确检验次生演替过程中种间竞争和促进相互作用的发生取决于当地土壤条件的假设，以及3)评估种间和种内变异在形态上的作用，沼泽植物在抵抗和响应干扰事件中的克隆整合和耐盐性。除了阐明广泛分布的原生植物群落的动态，这项研究还将有助于理解克隆生物主导的群落组织的一些以前未被探索的方面，并提供一项罕见的关于竞争和促进相互作用在植物群落过程和格局中的相对重要性的实验研究。

This research will examine marsh secondary succession and the role of clonal integration of marsh plant populations in dictating marsh plant disturbance dynamics. Specifically, the following will be done: 1) Examine the generation and causes of variation in the edaphic conditions of marsh bare patches, 2) Explicitly test the hypothesis that the occurrence of interspecific competitive and facilitative interactions during secondary succession is dependent on local edaphic conditions, and 3) Evaluate the role of inter- and intraspecific variation in the morphology, clonal integration, and salt tolerance of marsh perrenials in resisting and responding to disturbance events. In addition to elucidating the dynamics of a widespread native plant community, this research will contribute to understanding a number of previously unexplored aspects of the organization of assemblages dominated by clonal organisms, and provide a rare experimental study of the relative importance of competitive and facilitative interactions in plant community process and pattern.