Monitoring the Responses of Freshwater Ecosystems to Climate Change - Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Ecosystems - page 109

Tree survival Increase in flooding can

lead to progressive
replacement of forest
with bogs.

Water table height Water table height and tree

survival are directly
correlated.

Vegetation
assemblages

Elevated water table
leads to increase in
bryophytes and reduction
of shrubs in the bog, but
increase in graminoids
and forbs in the fen.
Lowered water table
leads to increased
proportion of
dicotyledonous plant
species.

Water table height
vegetation assemblages

Water table height and
vegetation assemblages are
directly correlated.

Primary production

Vegetation type Lowered water table

leads to succession to
forest-type vegetation
from the graminoids and
mosses occurring in
pristine conditions.

Water table height,
occurrence of higher
plant species

Water table height and
vegetation assemblages are
directly correlated.

Insect species Milder winters and hot

summers are important
factors in the survival of
temperature-sensitive
species. This will probably
alter the tolerable ranges
of some species,
including pest species,
and may lead to
increased invasions into
new areas by exotic
species.

Taxonomic composition
and abundance of insect
species, especially
butterflies and aquatic
insects

Indicates impacts on habitat
integrity.

Secondary production