ZONE 



2000- 



2 1600- 



o 



D 

 Q 

 O 

 IT 



> 



< 



a: 

 a. 



< 



2 

 < 



1200 



800- 



400 



Figure 44. 

 et al. 1981) 



FLOODING FREQUENCY - YRS FLOOD 



Organic matter production in ecological zones (adapted from Gosselink 

 Numbers represent specific floodplain sites. 



short periods is river cane. Wharton 

 (1977) reported that this plant may pro- 

 duce 4506 kg of edible leaves per hectare 

 (4000 lb per acre) per year, and 11 to 16 

 tonnes of organic material per hectare (5 

 to 7 tons per acre) within the first 3 

 years of growth. 



A striking feature of many floodplain 

 plant communities is the prominence of 

 woody vines. Dennis (1973) recorded 15 

 species in study plots in the Santee Swamp 



(SC), including Smilax spp., Vitis spp., 

 cross vine ( Anisostichus capreolata ), 

 supplejack ( Berchemia scandens ), poison 

 ivy (Rhus radicans ), climbing hydranger 

 ( Decumeria barbara ), Virginia creeper 

 ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia ), and trumpet 

 vine ( Campsis radicans ). TFe contribution 

 of this component to community productivi- 

 ties may be large locally, particularly in 

 canopy gaps created by windthrow and along 

 river banks. 



83 



