Latitudinal Variation in Primary Production and Carbon Stores in Baldcypress Swamps of the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley & Climate Change Modeling

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Project complete
Project Start
2001
Project Completion
2008
Study Site
Field of Focus

This study will determine if carbon storage and regeneration patterns differ in baldcypress swamps across a latitudinal gradient along the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley from southern Illinois to Louisiana. The information will be of value in predicting potential functional changes in baldcypress swamps in the event of climate change, since future carbon storage and regeneration patterns can be inferred indirectly from those of baldcypress swamps already experiencing a variety of climatic environments along this latitudinal gradient. The field project is located in baldcypress swamps in 6 regions in the North American Baldcypress Swamp Network including the Cache River (IL), Reelfoot Lake (TN), White River (AK), Morgan Brake/Hillside (MS) and Cat Island (LA).

References

  • Middleton, B. A. 2000. Hydrochory, seed banks, and regeneration dynamics across landscape boundaries in a forested wetland. Plant Ecology 146:169-184.

  • Xiao, N., D.A. Bennett, D.A., B. Middleton, and K. Fessel. 2002. SISM: a multiscale model cypress swamp regeneration. Geographical & Environmental Modelling 6: 99-116.

  • Middleton, B. A. 2003. Soil seed banks and the potential restoration of forested wetlands after farming. Journal of Applied Ecology 40: 1025-1034.

  • Middleton, B.A. and K.L. McKee. 2004. Use of a latitudinal gradient in bald cypress production to examine physiological controls on biotic boundaries and potential responses to environmental change. Global Ecology and Biogeography 13: 247-258.

  • Middleton, B.A. and K.L. McKee. 2005. Primary production in an impounded baldcypress swamp at the northern limit of the range. Wetlands Ecology and Management 13: 15-24.

  • Middleton, B.A. 2002. Flood pulsing in the regeneration and maintenance of species in riverine forested wetlands of the southeastern United States. Pages 223-294 in B. Middleton, editor. Flood pulsing in wetlands: restoring the natural hydrological balance. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

  • Middleton, B.A. 2002. Introduction to the flood pulse concept and its general importance to wetland restoration. Pages 1-10 in B. Middleton, editor. Flood pulsing and wetland restoration: Case histories from North America. Flood pulsing in wetlands: restoring the natural hydrological balance. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

  • Middleton, B.A. and K. L. McKee. 2004. Latitudinal variation in carbon storage to predict future changes in baldcypress swamps with global warming. National Wetlands Research Center Fact Sheet. http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/factshts/2004-3019.pdf

  • Middleton, B. Regeneration potential of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps and climate change (submitted).

  • Middleton, B.A. and X. Ben Wu. Landscape spatial distribution and anthropogenic change of seed banks in forested wetlands in the northern Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (submitted).

Keywords