Purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia rosea) dieback and partial community disassembly following experimental storm surge in a coastal pitcher plant bog

Sea-level rise and frequent intense hurricanes associated with climate change will result in recurrent flooding of inland systems such as Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs by storm surges. These surges can transport salt water and sediment to freshwater bogs, greatly affecting their biological integrity. Purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia rosea) are Gulf Coast pitcher plant bog inhabitants that could be at a disadvantage under this scenario because their pitcher morphology may leave them prone to collection of saline water and sediment after a surge. We investigated the effects of storm surge water salinity and sediment type on S. rosea vitality, plant community structure, and bog soil-water conductivity. Plots (containing ≥1 ramet of S. rosea) were experimentally flooded with fresh or saline water crossed with one of three sediment types (local, foreign, or no sediment). There were no treatment effects on soil-water conductivity; nevertheless, direct exposure to saline water resulted in s...气候变化引发的海平面上升与频发强飓风，将导致风暴潮（storm surge）反复侵袭内陆湿地生态系统——例如墨西哥湾沿岸猪笼草沼泽（Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs）。此类风暴潮可将盐水与沉积物带入淡水沼泽，严重损害其生物完整性。紫瓶子草（Purple pitcher plant，Sarracenia rosea）是该类沼泽的本土物种，在该情境下或处于生存劣势：其瓶状叶形态易在风暴潮后积聚盐水与沉积物。本研究探讨了风暴潮水体盐度与沉积物类型对紫瓶子草活力、植物群落结构及沼泽土壤水导电率的影响。试验设置了包含至少1株紫瓶子草分株（ramet）的样地，分别用淡水或盐水进行淹水处理，并配合三种沉积物类型（本地沉积物、外源沉积物、无沉积物）开展交叉实验。土壤水导电率未受实验处理的显著影响；然而直接暴露于盐水环境下会导致……