Spatial patterns of vegetation structure and structural diversity across edges between forested wetlands and upland forest in Atlantic Canada

Forested wetlands are an integral but understudied part of heterogeneous landscapes in Atlantic Canada, although they known to provide habitat for species at risk. Our objectives were explore patterns forest structure across edges between forested wetland and upland forest, locate changes vegetation assess multivariate relationships structure. study sites temperate (Acadian) landscapes. We sampled trees recorded canopy cover every 20 m along 120-m-long transects. estimated the trees, saplings, shrubs three height classes, Sphagnum, other bryophytes, lichens, graminoids, ferns, forbs contiguous 1 × quadrats. calculated structural diversity using Shannon index used wavelet analysis spatial patterns. found few clear except lower tree edge wetlands. Structural was not a reliable measure distinguishing from forest. many their detection differentiation surrounding ecosystems can be difficult. Policy should err on side caution when mapping include them protection.