Environmental modifiers of the relationship between water table depth and Ellenberg’s indicator of soil moisture

Ellenberg indicator values for plant species are widely used metrics in ecology, providing a proxy measure of environmental conditions, without direct measurements. They integrate conditions over time since will only persist where favourable. moisture (F) summarise the hydrological environment experienced by plants. However, relationship between and appears to be influenced range other abiotic biotic factors, limiting our ability fully interpret F. Focussing on F, we evaluated how unweighted mean community F value hydrology, specifically water table depth, is ground cover type alpha diversity UK seasonal coastal wetlands (dune slacks). As expected, depth had strongest influence We show that was more sensitive changes levels communities were nutrient limited, when organic matter layer thicker there less bare cover. Unweighted consistently lower given atmospheric nitrogen deposition, loss ignition (a content) diverse communities. These findings help us better what tell about understanding factors which alter relationship.