In a Quebec salt marsh, Giroux and Bedard determine the response of five plant species (Scirpus americanus, Zizania aquatica, Eleocharis spp., Sagittaria spp., Scirpus torreyi) to goose herbivory and environmental conditions. Scirpus americanus and Eleocharis decreased under excessive goose use, reducing the competition for light and resources in the plant community and allowing Zizania and S. torreyi to increase on grazed plots. Sagittaria, Eleocharis and S. torreyi decreased as length of submersion increased, and the growth of Sagittaria and S. americanus were enhanced by increased sediment accumulation. These results indicate that the composition of the five dominant plant species in this salt marsh vary in response to herbivory and environmental conditions and the authors suggest that more research is required to determine how these factors interact and affect these plant communities.
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