SALTMARSHES ON PEAT SUBSTRATE ON THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF IRELAND: EDAPHIC PARAMETERS AND PLANT SPECIES DISTRIBUTION

Saltmarshes on peat substrate are common along the western Atlantic coast of Ireland. The peat which underlies these marshes was formed under freshwater conditions in post glacial times, after which these systems were subjected to a marine transgression. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between edaphic factors, substrate type and saltmarsh vegetation, specifically investigating the role of edaphic factors in determining the distribution of saltmarsh species Atriplex portulacoides in Ireland. Edaphic parameters measured for each substrate included pH, moisture content, ammonium and nitrate. The peat was found to differ markedly from other substrates. Using canonical correspondence analysis it was found that pH and ammonium were the major drivers in influencing saltmarsh vegetation on peat substrate. Under both in situ and ex situ conditions Atriplex portulacoides showed an affinity for drier substrate and its absence from fringe marshes in Ireland is likely due to a combination of both biotic and abiotic factors, including intolerance to high soil moisture levels. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]