This study describes the vegetation and soils of one Muhly seep toposequence and compares species compositions between three study sites in North Central Texas. <italic>Muhlenbergia reverchonii</italic>, <italic>Carex microdonta</italic>, and either <italic>Eleocharis montevidensis</italic> or <italic>Eleocharis occulta</italic> are species found on every Muhly seep, particularly in depression areas. <italic>Muhlenbergia reverchonii</italic> is present but not always dominant species in the barrens. Bands of <italic>Schizachyrium scoparium</italic> and <italic>Andropogon gerardii</italic> are found in areas with deep, well-drained soils that are topographically higher and lower than hillslope seeps. Muhly seeps meet the hydrologic criterion for wetlands delineation but only certain sections meet the hydrophytic criterion. Hydric soils were not present, although ephemerally hydric soils may exist. As such, Muhly hillslope seeps are not protected under by the USACE, although they may be classified as a new type of wetland: a hyperseasonal wetland. Further research is required to determine the impact of Muhly seeps on prairie ecosystems.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TCU/oai:etd.tcu.edu:etd-05032011-103457 |
| Date | 03 May 2011 |
| Creators | Jue, Melissa L. |
| Contributors | Michael Slattery |
| Publisher | Texas Christian University |
| Source Sets | Texas Christian University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf, application/octet-stream |
| Source | http://etd.tcu.edu/etdfiles/available/etd-05032011-103457/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to TCU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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