Do plant patches within a bog conform to Island Biogeography Theory: A case study of Mud Lake Bog

Abstract

Island Biogeography Theory (IBT) originally focused on marine islands but in the past few decades has been applied more broadly to varying ecosystems both terrestrial and marine based on the concept of patchiness. The application of Island Biogeography Theory to Mud Lake Bog is useful to assess both the distribution and patchiness of the habitat as well as IBT’s applicability to systems of different spatial and temporal resolutions. Patches of plant growth were identified as islands and data were collected from each island. Islands were measured for their perimeter and distance from the shoreline. Species were identified and counted, and prominent plant groups (Picea mariana and Chamaedaphne calyculata) were measured for size in thickness and height, respectively. Species richness and plant size were analyzed in relation to island size and distance from the shoreline. The results of comparing species richness with island size and distance from the shoreline indicated a stronger correlation between patch size and species richness, rather than distance and richness , which is concurrent with IBT (species richness vs. perimeter: Multiple R-squared = 0.553, p-value < 0.001). Also, plant size increased as island size increased (C. calyculata vs. perimeter: Multiple R-squared = 0.4058, p-value = 0.008; Picea mariana vs. perimeter: Multiple R-squared = 0.495, p value = 0.002). Our results are an indication that the heterogeneous patches of growth on the sphagnum mat in Mud Lake Bog can be considered isolated islands. Because Mud Lake Bog is heterogeneous and is a relatively undisturbed bog, we can conclude that a healthy bog will display heterogeneity with varying species richness as patch size changes.