Natural Plant Establishment along an Urban Stream, Onondaga Creek, New York

Abstract

Abstract Urbanization results in a suite of harmful effects to streams, including removal or degradation of riparian vegetation. Many stream-restoration programs address this by adding plants, with limited quantitative knowledge about vegetation dynamics already occurring within the stream corridor. This project examined natural plant establishment along an urbanized stream channel in Syracuse, NY. It had three objectives: first, to relate plant establishment along an urban stream gradient to substrate condition; second, to quantify seeds dormant in the soil at those same sites; and third, to indicate what passive revegetation responses might occur to various treatments along a rural-to-urban gradient. Three sites were selected along such a gradient on Onondaga Creek, near Syracuse, NY. Vegetation plots were established at each site to assess plant germination and establishment under substrate conditions designed to mimic restoration interventions. We also conducted a seedbank study using soil cores colle...