Response of Woody Swamp Seedlings to Flooding and Increased Water Temperatures. I. Growth, Biomass, and Survivorship

Growth, biomass, and survival of bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum [L.] Richard), water tupelo ( Nyssa aquatica L.), black willow ( Salix nigra Marshall), and button bush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis L.) were examined in a 3 times 3 factorial experiment varying water temperatures (AMBIENT, MID, and HIGH [~40 C]) and water levels (DRAINED, SATURATED, and FLOODED). Stem diameter and height, biomass, and survivorship for water tupelo and bald cypress were all reduced by the HIGH/FLOODED treatment. Black willow growth had the greatest variability among nonlethal flooding and temperature treatments, and achieved the greatest biomass of the four species. In the HIGH/FLOODED treatment, however, only 47% of the black willow seedlings survived and stem diameter, height, and biomass of survivors were greatly reduced. Button bush had intermediate variability of growth to the nonlethal treatments as compared to the other study species. Survival of button bush seedlings in the HIGH/FLOODED treatment was high (87%), but root biomass of the survivors was reduced. Interspecific differences in growth, biomass, survivorship, and morphological characteristics existed among these swamp species to experimental conditions. These responses may help explain vegetation patterns in a thermally impacted swamp.