Table 2 Total vegetative cover (VC), % cover by vegetation groups and site characteristics, 2007 compared to 2014 (with standard error for major groups). See text for explanation of the estimated site age
Class | Sample year | Site A (2002) | Site B (1982) | Site C (1954) | Site D (1945) | Site E (1938) | Site F (1960) | Site G (1890–1904) | Site H (pre-1890) | Site I (pre-1890) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VC | 2007 | 16.0 ± 4.9 | 49.1 ± 5.9 | 47.4 ± 8.4 | 79.1 ± 8.1 | 63.8 ± 4.5 | 67.9 ± 8.5 | 66.2 ± 11.2 | 75.2 ± 12.1 | 86.1 ± 9.6 |
|  | 2014 | 13.6 ± 2.9 | 31.2 ± 3.7 | 45.2 ± 15.7 | 100 ± 5.6 | 57.7 ± 11.7 | 100 ± 8.2 | 93.8 ± 2.9 | 92.5 ± 6.9 | 92.7 ± 11.5 |
Moss | 2007 | 10.5 ± 5.2 | 32.7 ± 5.2 | 35.1 ± 8.5 | 36.9 ± 3.0 | 35.4 ± 8.1 | 48.8 ± 7.4 | 49.9 ± 13.6 | 54.7 ± 12.5 | 76.0 ± 8.8 |
|  | 2014 | 7.6 ± 3.4 | 15.2 ± 3.6 | 20.4 ± 8.5 | 69.0 ± 8.2 | 37.2 ± 13.4 | 60.4 ± 8.8 | 77.6 ± 6.3 | 62.8 ± 16.7 | 79.4 ± 9.2 |
Low shrubs | 2007 | 0.6 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.9 | 4.9 ± 1.8 | 24.8 ± 4.6 | 6.9 ± 1.4 | 13.1 ± 5.2 | 9.0 ± 5.2 | 9.1 ± 4.4 | 5.6 ± 2.9 |
|  | 2014 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 4.1 ± 0.8 | 13.8 ± 5.1 | 27.3 ± 7.1 | 8.2 ± 2.2 | 29.0 ± 6.1 | 14.6 ± 5.3 | 25.1 ± 10.3 | 11.7 ± 6.7 |
Graminoids | 2007 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 |
| Â | 2014 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
Forbs | 2007 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 12.0 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 0.6 |
| Â | 2014 | 0.8 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 10.8 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 |
Willow | 2007 | 0 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.7 |
| Â | 2014 | 0 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 9.7 | 0.3 | 7.4 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0 |
Birch | 2007 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 3.8 | 0 | 0.8 | 7.1 | 1.6 |
| Â | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.3 |
Soil N (%) | 2007 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.09 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
Surface type | Â | Moraine | Moraine | Moraine | Moraine | Moraine | Channel swale | Moraine margin | Outwash plain | Outwash plain |