| Abstract Detail
Floristics & Taxonomy Starzak, Nikolai [1]. The Vascular Flora of Beaver County, Oklahoma. Beaver County, Oklahoma, is located in the comparatively understudied shortgrass/mixed-grass prairies of the western Great Plains. Prior to this study, Beaver County had the lowest number of plant collections per area among western Oklahoma counties. The region has a history of high disturbance with a low proportion of protected areas and high risk for climate change induced increased frequency of drought. Through field work and herbarium specimen study, I documented the vascular plants of the county, recording 497 species.
To facilitate the collection effort at a county-level scale, I developed methods for identifying knowledge gaps in the known flora. Using soil, geological, and hydrological maps, I identified intersections of unique environments as candidates for sampling in the 4700 km2 county. By querying data from other shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie floras, I produced a checklist of likely plants in Beaver County. Utilizing these methods, I collected 1417 specimens, documented 60 county records and one state record, Gutierrezia sphaerocephala (Asteraceae). Species-rich families were typical for the Great Plains: Asteraceae (19.4% of the flora), Poaceae (16.4%), and Fabaceae (8%). The most species-rich genera were Oenothera (Onagraceae, 15 species), Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae, 14 species), and Eragrostis (Poaceae, 9 species). Introduced species accounted for 12.7% of the flora, which is comparable to other Great Plains floras. Families which were heavily represented by exotic species include Poaceae (21 introduced species, 25.6% of the family in the flora), Brassicaceae (7 introduced species, 41.2%), and Amaranthaceae (4 introduced species, 21.1%). The 497 vascular plant species of the flora of Beaver county are an important contribution to the botanical knowledge of the western Great Plains, and can be used to inform future ecological, systematic, and conservation research.
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1 - 606 E Redbud Dr, Apartment 230H, Stillwater, OK, 74075, United States
Keywords:
flora
Great Plains
High Plains.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: FT, Floristics & Taxonomy
Location: Tucson J/Starr Pass
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
Time: 4:00 PM
Number: FT009
Abstract ID:875
Candidate for Awards:None |
