Selective Ocurrence of Arborescent Species on Soils in a Drainage Toposequence, Ottawa County, Ohio

Abstract

The arborescent species composition of a woodlot on the southern shore of Western Lake Erie is described using the analysis of data collected from a series of quadrats located throughout the woodlot. The range of tolerance to edaphic moisture conditions for selected species, in particular Fraxinuspennsylvanka, and Fraxinus pennsylvanka var. subintegerrima, indicates a range of habitat conditions under which individual species are competitively successful. Two soils, a somewhat poorly drained Nappanee silt loam and a very poorly drained Toledo silty clay vary in several of the chemical properties analyzed as well as in moisture status and thus influence soil moisture availability, aeration, and nutrient availability. These soils seem to play a key role in maintaining 2 distinct arborescent community types within this woodlot.