Abstract
We examined changes in the native vascular flora of Franklin County, Massachusetts, a largely rural county with a long history of botanical investigation. The historical flora was documented using herbarium specimens and literature records, and the current flora was assessed in 10 years of field work starting in 2010. The county contains 26 towns, and apparent changes were based on town-level presence/absence. In total, 1205 species were recorded. Apparent losses from the historical flora totaled 5.6% of species, and apparent gains totaled 4.2%. Several families exhibited greater declines than the flora as a whole, including the Orchidaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Violaceae. Species dependent on fungi during at least part of their life cycle declined relative to other species, but were concentrated in a small group of families, including the Orchidaceae and Ophioglossaceae. Species with fleshy fruits increased relative to those with ant-dispersed seeds. Annuals increased relative to biennials and perennials, probably due to the increasing extent of ruderal habitats. Graminoids showed greater apparent increases than forbs, which may reflect undercollecting of the former taxa during the historical period. Species changes were related to habitat, with marked increases in plants of ruderal habitats, but other apparent changes may reflect sampling biases. Northern taxa appear to be declining relative to other species, particularly in towns at lower elevations. This study is one of several that have examined floristic changes in the northeastern United States and is part of a nascent literature suggesting that climate changes have altered the southern New England flora in the past century. Additional documentation of regional floras is needed to facilitate assessments of future floristic changes.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
The county flora included 1205 recorded species.
Verbatim
e0“native vascular flora of Franklin County, Massachusetts”
e1“In total, 1205 species were recorded.”
Claim · model-written summary
Apparent historical losses amounted to 5.6% of species.
Verbatim
e0“native vascular flora of Franklin County, Massachusetts”
e1“Apparent losses from the historical flora totaled 5.6% of species”
Claim · model-written summary
Apparent historical gains amounted to 4.2% of species.
Verbatim
e0“native vascular flora of Franklin County, Massachusetts”
e1“apparent gains totaled 4.2%”
Claim · model-written summary
Orchidaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Ranunculaceae and Violaceae declined more than the flora overall.
- Taxon
- Orchidaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Ranunculaceae, and ViolaceaeRanunculaceaeOrchidaceaeOphioglossaceaeViolaceaee0
- Outcome
- declinese0
- Direction
- greater declinese0
- Comparator
- flora as a wholee0
Verbatim
e0“Several families exhibited greater declines than the flora as a whole, including the Orchidaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Violaceae.”
Claim · model-written summary
Species dependent on fungi declined relative to other species.
Verbatim
e0“Species dependent on fungi during at least part of their life cycle declined relative to other species”
Claim · model-written summary
Species with fleshy fruits increased relative to species with ant-dispersed seeds.
Verbatim
e0“Species with fleshy fruits increased relative to those with ant-dispersed seeds.”
Claim · model-written summary
Annuals increased relative to biennials and perennials.
Verbatim
e0“Annuals increased relative to biennials and perennials”
Claim · model-written summary
Graminoids showed greater apparent increases than forbs.
Verbatim
e0“Graminoids showed greater apparent increases than forbs”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants of ruderal habitats increased markedly.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee0
- Outcome
- plants of ruderal habitatse0
- Direction
- marked increasese0
Verbatim
e0“marked increases in plants of ruderal habitats”
Claim · model-written summary
Northern taxa appear to be declining relative to other species, especially in lower-elevation towns.
Verbatim
e0“Northern taxa appear to be declining relative to other species, particularly in towns at lower elevations.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors call for further documentation of regional floras to assess future floristic change.
Verbatim
e0“Additional documentation of regional floras is needed to facilitate assessments of future floristic changes.”