Environmental analysis of the habitat (biotic and abiotic factors) associated with Broadleaf Barbara's Buttons (Marshallia trinervia)

• Main Author: Blanchard, Jennifer L.
• Format: Others
• Published: ScholarWorks@UNO 2009
• Subjects: Marshallia trinervia; broadleaved Barbara's buttons; rare; plants; habitat
• Online Access: http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1010; http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1991&context=td

In June 2009 I conducted a study of the habitat associated with Broadleaf Barbara's Buttons (Marshallia trinervia) along Bird's Creek in Vernon Parish, LA. Twenty two plots were sampled for all vascular plants. Of these, 17 samples were from the area where M. trinervia was present and 5 samples were from the area where M. trinervia was absent. From each sampling plot a soil sample was collected and analyzed. There were significant differences in the species richness of all plant groups (p=0.0075), herbaceous plants (p=0.056), and woody vines (p=0.083) between the two locations. The soil texture was also significantly different in the percentage of sand (p=0.021), silt (p=0.029), and clay (p=0.089) between the study locations. The study found that the samples associated with M. trinervia were higher in species richness for all plant groups and the soils from these locations had a higher mean percentage of silt and clay particles.