Empirical support for the possible application of modified ellenberg indices to the study of environmental gradients on dynamic Irish wetlands-evidence from Skealoghan turlough, County Mayo

Turloughs are temporary wetlands almost unique to the west of Ireland. A transect of six vegetation zones across a well-studied turlough in County Mayo was investigated. At each station along the transect, the relative frequency of vascular plants was recorded and environmental variables (soil pH, soil moisture, soil loss-on-ignition) and plant tissue concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were measured. The aim was to test whether Ellenberg indices (weighted by community composition and recently corrected for use in the British Isles) are effective as surrogates of environmental variables on turloughs. Results indicated that each vegetation zone formed a distinct vascular plant community and suggest that the Ellenberg F index is indeed a good model for hydrological variables, but more work is needed before the Ellenberg N and R indices can be accepted as dependable surrogates for relevant environmental variables on turloughs.