Census of the Delta State University woody plant community and its implications for ecosystem health

摘要: Abstract. Native plant communities support a diverse biota of invertebrates, birds, and other wildlife, are therefore essential to the health ecosystems. Agriculture urban development have eliminated most native through forest clearing introduction exotic, invasive plants. Prior European settlement, bottomland hardwood forests prevailed along broad floodplains within lower Mississippi alluvial valley. Dominant taxa included Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. (bald cypress), Quercus spp. (oaks), Carya (hickories), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Celtis laevigata (sugarberry), Ulmus (elms), Nyssa (gums). Much this forested area, however, has been cleared used for agricultural purposes or development. Bottomland forests, situated River, associated with Flyway, bird migration route heavily utilized by migratory waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds f...