Andrew M. Greller

Changes in vegetation composition and soil acidity between 1922 and 1985 at a site on the north shore of Long Island, New York

GRELLER, A. M., D. C. LocKE, V. KIiANowsKI AND G. E. LoTowycz (Biology Department, Queens College, The City University of New York, Flushing, NY 1367). Changes in Vegetation Composition and Soil Acidity Between 1922 and 1985 at a Site on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 117: 450-458. 1990.-We have repeated a survey of soil pH and native herbaceous vegetation conducted in 1922 by E. T. Wherry, at a site on Long Island, New York. There has been a dramatic decline in surface soil pH. Ridgetops currently have an average pH of 3.8, slopes 3.9, and bottomlands 4.1; bottomlands are today more acidic than ridgetops were in 1922. There has also been a simplification of dominant flora and a dramatic shift to dominance in all habitats of the site by acid-tolerant taxa such as Maianthemum canadense, Viburnum acerifolium, and Aster divaricatus, and a loss of such taxa as Geranium maculatum, Sanguinaria canadensis, and Medeola virginiana. The influence of acidic precipitation on these changes cannot be demonstrated, but remains the most plausible explanation.

Comparison of humid forest zones in eastern Mexico and southeastern United States.

GRELLER, A. M. (Biology Department, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367). Comparison of Humid Forest zones in eastem Mexico and southeastem United States. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 117: 382-396. 1990.-Four life zones are recognized for humid climates in eastem Mexico; these are: (1) Selva Alta Perennifolia or Tropical Rain Forest (TRF), (2) Selva de Orizaba or Orizaban Rain Forest (ORF), (3) Bosque Mexicano de Dicotyled6neas Holarcticos or Mexican Holarctic Dicotyledonous Forest (MHDF), and (4) Bosque Mexicano de Abetos y Cipresos or Mexican Holarctic Coniferous Forest (MHCF). Using the criteria of H. P. Bailey, seventeen climate stations within these four forest zones are characterized as follows: (1) TRF, Very Warm, Subtemperate; (2) ORF, Warm, Temperate; (3) MHDF, Mild/Warm, Very Temperate; (4) MHCF, Very Cool, Very Temperate. All of these Mexican stations enjoy more equable and less frosty climates than the continuum of life zones in eastem United StatesCanada.

Vascular flora of Caumsett State Historic Park, Lloyd Neck, Long Island, New York, with notes on the vegetation1

Abstract Greller, A.M. (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367; and Department of Science, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225), G. E. Lotowycz (Planting Fields Herbarium and Library, Planting Fields Arboretum, P.O. Box 58, Oyster Bay, NY 11771), G. Moore (Department of Science, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225), E. Lamont (New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458), H. Binger (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), B. Conolly (Long Island Botanical Society, P.O. Box 507, Aquebogue, NY 11931), V. Dankel (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), J. Hoar (Caumsett Foundation, Caumsett State Park, Lloyd harbor, Huntington, NY 11743), C. Johnston (Planting Fields Herbarium and Library, Planting Fields Arboretum, P.O. Box 58, Oyster Bay, NY 11771), A. Mangiacapre (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), J. Schmidt (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), L. Zimmerman (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), V. Luisi (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), B. Quigley (Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367), M. L. Lamont (Long Island Botanical Society, P.O. Box 507, Aquebogue, NY 11931), and S. E. Clemants (Department of Science, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225). Vascular Flora of Caumsett State Park, Lloyd Neck, Long Island, New York, with notes on the vegetation. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 149–168. 2005.—Caumsett State Historic Park (CSHP) is a 650 ha tract, 50 km east of New York City, New York. The vascular flora comprises 101 families, 330 genera, and 624 species, of which 405 species (65%) are native and 219 species (35%) are exotic to CSHP. Flowering plants (Division Magnoliophyta) form the bulk of the flora. Magnoliopsida (dicots) account for most of the angiosperm families, genera, and species. Liliopsida (monocots) scarcely account for more than 20% in any category. Pinophyta (conifers) are rare, as are the Lycopodiophyta and Equisetophyta (“fern allies”). Polypodiophyta (ferns) equal all the other non-angiosperm groups, at all taxonomic levels. The most species rich families are Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Liliaceae, Lamiaceae and Brassicaceae, in that order. The largest genera are Carex, Aster, Solidago/Euthamia, Polygonum, and Hieracium, in that order. Eleven CSHP species are listed as endangered or threatened in New York State (NYS; Young and Weldy 2003). These are Carex abscondita, C. hormathodes, Cenchrus tribuloides, Scirpus georgianus, S. maritimus, Acalypha virginica var. virginica, Lycopus rubellus, Lysimachia hybrida, Physalis pubescens var. integrifolia, Salicornia bigelovii, Suaeda linearis. Two species, Ligustrum ovalifolium and Vicia lathyroides are new to the flora of NYS. Five classes of habitats are found within the park, each with many types of plant communities. These are I. upland forests, mature forest and also extensive areas undergoing succession; II. freshwater swamps, marshes and ponds, dominated by flood tolerant trees, shrubs, forbs or graminoids; III. gravel and sand deposits, dominated by drought tolerant shrubs, forbs and grasses; IV. tidal wetlands, dominated by salt tolerant grasses, shrubs and, locally, forbs; and V. disturbed habitats, mainly lawns and dry meadows, dominated by grasses and composites.

Chorological phenomena in plant communities

This study is based on the analysis of the chorological spectra from 19 vegetation types obtained from a numerical classification of ca. 400 phytosociological releves taken during a vegetation survey in the Yukon Territory (NW Canada). All vegetation types are well characterized in terms of their chorological features. This allowed an ecological-historical interpretation of the vegetation in the study area. The distribution of the various chorological categories within the vegetation types is strongly correlated with the main environmental influences, whose action led to the present floristical and vegetational characteristics of the area, such as glaciation, fire, permafrost and water availability. The results show how the phytosociological approach constitutes an effective methodological tool for clarifying the phytogeographical aspects in the historical-ecological interpretation of a large area.

Vascular flora of the Kalbfleisch Field Research Station and the American Museum of Natural History, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York

GRELLER, A. M. (Department of Biology, Queens College, C.U.N.Y., Flushing, NY 11367). Vascular flora of the Kalbfleisch Field Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 116(2): 174-181. 1989.-The vascular flora consists of 82 families, 232 genera, and 380 species of which 253 are native. Flowering plants (Division Magnoliophyta or Anthophyta) form the bulk of the stations flora. There are 75 families, 220 genera, and 362 species. Dicots (Class Magnoliatae) account for 64 families, 170 genera, and 281 species. Monocots (Class Liliatae) account for 11 families, 50 genera, and 81 species. There are only 4 conifer (Division Pinophyta) species, in 2 genera, and 2 families. Ferns (Division Polypodiophyta) comprise 4 families, 9 genera, and 11 species. Club-mosses (Division Lycopodophyta) are the only other group of spore-bearing vascular plants present; they comprise 1 family, 1 genus, with 3 species. Twenty-four plants have been designated as rare or threatened in New York State (Clemants 1986; Mitchell 1986).

Magnolia acuminata, M. macrophylla, and M. tripetala in oak-dominated forests on the North Shore of Long Island, New York1

Abstract Species ranges are expected to shift northward with climate warming. Southern Appalachian Magnolia species have never been recorded in oak-dominated forests on Long Island. This study presents data for the occurrence of Magnolia acuminata, M. macrophylla and M. tripetala, in a few stands at Tiffany Creek Preserve, Oyster Bay Cove, Nassau County, Long Island, New York. A tree core datum suggests that the largest Magnolia acuminata in our oak-dominated stands was established in the 1930s; the population has proliferated in the most recent two decades. The largest population of M. tripetala in our area occurs in a complex of swamp forests dominated by Acer rubrum. We compare the climate Normals of Asheville, NC, in the core area of Magnolia acuminata distribution, with those of Mineola, L. I., NY, near its northeastern limit. We find that the winters (average January temperatures) on Long Island have been colder, and with a longer freezing period than in the mountains and piedmont of North Carolina. This suggests that the microclimate of Oyster Bay Cove, north central (North Shore) Long Island, now resembles that of Asheville, and has become more equable.

A vascular flora of the forested portion of Cunningham Park, Queens County, new York : corrections and additions. III

Corrections: CELASTRACEAE Celastrus scandens has not been verified as a nmember of the present flora. CHENOPODIACEAE (misspelled) COMPOSITAE Sotidago attissimra = S. canadensis LABIATAE Laiuitn purppureum (misspelled) UMBELLIFERAE Aegopodiurn podagraria has not been verified as a memiber of the present flora. It is likely that a specimen originally identified as Aegopodimtm, is. Angelica venenosa.

Vascular Flora Of Caumsett State Historic Park, Lloyd Neck, Long Island, New York: Corrections And Additions

Abstract Corrections to the previously published vascular flora of the Caumsett State Historic Park are made here. We have deleted one genus and five species, and added three families, five genera and 16 species. The new totals for the Caumsett flora are: 104 families, 334 genera, and 635 species.

Vegetation of New Zealand.

Introduction 1. Environment 2. Origins and history 3. Plant form 4. Reproductive aspects 5. Description and classification 6. Botanical provinces 7. Forest 8. Bush, heath, scrub, fernland 9. Grassland and herbfield 10. Wetland 11. Open or patchy vegetation 12. Alpine and nival 13. Outlying islands 14. Biomass, nutrition, tolerances 15. Succession, invasion 16. Disturbance, regeneration.