A Survey of the natural vegetation and flora along the South Saskatchewan River Valley within and near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Date
2000-06-01
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ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Increasing urbanization is exerting heavy pressure
on natural places. This is especially true in urban
centres that cover large areas. These centres are
expanding to take over more natural areas, causing their
degradation. In urban centres with large riparian
corridors, this degradation of sites has a substantial
effect on the natural conditions expected along these
corridors. This study was undertaken to determine the
extent of deterioration of riparian habitat along the
South Saskatchewan River valley near Saskatoon. The
vegetation at 10 locations along the riparian corridor
within and near the city of Saskatoon was quantitatively
sampled over a two-year period from 1995 to 1996. This
added to a previous three-year study that described the
flora of the riparian corridor, by qualitatively sampling
23 sites.
Of the over 700 species identified in the floristic
survey, 495 were found in the quantitatively studied
plots. Of these, 22% were introduced species that
indicate a negative effect on the natural state of the
riparian corridor. Within the study area, several mostly
natural and some introduced community types were
identified. Those communities that possessed introduced
species were most prevalent in the central core of the
city, which has been exposed longer and more intensively
to human impacts. This centralized disturbance pattern
will likely ripple outward from the central core of the
city unless mediative measures are taken.
Also incorporated within the study, was an attempt
to determine the effectiveness of using qualitative
zonation as a tool for classifying riparian slope plant
communities. It was found that the vertical zonation of a
slope was a useful means for the classification of
riparian communities.
This study revealed the presence of two general
types of communities in the study area: upland types and
wetland types. The wetland types were: Carex lanuginosa,
Agrostis stolonifera, Eleocharis palustris, Phalaris
arundinacea, Elaeagnus commutata, Salix exigua, and Alnus
tenuifolia. The upland types were: Koeleria gracilis,
Carex siccata, Agropyron cristatum, Aralia nudicaulis,
Rhamnus cathartica, Amelanchier alnifolia, Caragana
arborescens, Rosa woodsii and Populus balsamifera.
Data gathered in this study present an information
database regarding the current status of natural riparian
areas within and near Saskatoon that could be used to
assess impacts from existing and future urbanization.
With increasing public pressure to maintain natural
diversity and health of ecosystems, more effort should be
placed on minimizing our impacts on the places we see and
use everyday.
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Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Plant Sciences
Program
Plant Sciences