Assessing Relationships between Topography and Species Diversity in Restored and Remnant Wet Prairies

Wetland prairies provide numerous ecosystem services and habitat for native plant species. Our research project examines the relationship between microtopographic variation and native species diversity in six restored and remnant wet prairies in the West Eugene Wetlands. We predict that microtopography is influential in determining plant community composition. Along transects within each previously-established macroplot, we used an autolevel to measure soil surface elevation and water depth. We used a 1m x 1m quadrat frame to determine the percent cover of grasses, forbs, and non-forbs. To measure vegetation and litter height, we used the point intercept method. If the data currently being collected and our primary results support our hypothesis, then reestablishing microtopography will be essential in promoting native plant diversity and cover in restored wet prairies.