Floristic Survey of a Highly Disturbed Wetland within Shaker Median Park, Beachwood (Cuyahoga County), Ohio

Author Institution: Dept. of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, OHAuthor Institution: Dept. of Biology, John Carroll University, OHAuthor Institution: Division of Ecological Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FLA 1.5 year-long investigation of a highly disturbed suburban wetland revealed 298 species, varieties, and formas of vascular plants, including several taxa uncommon elsewhere in Cuyahoga County. The site exhibited five vegetation subtypes which we compared using several measures including Floristic Quality Assessment Index and Shannon Diversity Index. Historically, the site has been subjected to numerous massive disturbances, but none in a period of 20 years from ca. 1982-2002. Data indicated that the site had recovered partially from disturbance, but was threatened by invasive species