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Geographic distribution, habitat characterization, and conservation status of Bolboschoenus bulrushes (Cyperaceae) in the Hudson River Estuary, USA

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Abstract

Bulrushes of the genus Bolboschoenus are robust, ecologically important sedges occurring in wetlands, including intertidal marshes and mudflats. Despite their importance and multiple serious threats to their habitats, estuarine Bolboschoenus species remain poorly known. We conducted herbarium and field research in order to document historic and current geographic distributions, characterize the habitats, and assess the conservation status of Bolboschoenus species in the Hudson River Estuary, New York, U.S.A. Three species of Bolboschoenus grow in intertidal zones in the Hudson Estuary. Bolboschoenus fluviatilis occurs in the northern, upstream, and freshwater portion of the estuary with multi-year mean surface salinities of 0.078–2.0 ppt. Bolboschoenus robustus occupies the southernmost, downstream, and brackish to saline portion of the estuary with salinities of 4.9–16 ppt. Bolboschoenus novae-angliae occurs in the slightly to strongly brackish region between the other two species with salinities of 1.8–8.0 ppt. The geographic ranges of B. fluviatilis and B. robustus do not overlap, but B. novae-angliae has short zones of sympatry with each of the other two species. Syntopy of B. novae-angliae with each of the other two species is rare. In the Hudson Estuary, B. fluviatilis is secure, but B. novae-angliae and B. robustus are critically imperiled. Threats to future survival of Bolboschoenus species in the Hudson Estuary include competition from invasive plant species (especially Phragmites australis), eutrophication resulting from excess nutrient pollution, and habitat destruction. Our data and analyses provide critical new information for management of existing environmental problems and planned habitat restoration efforts in the Hudson River Estuary.

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Acknowledgements

We thank My Good Fund Trust for generously funding fieldwork, GIS mapping, and GIS analyses. Hudson River Foundation funded a portion of the fieldwork. Curators of the following herbaria provided assistance and access to specimens during our visits: BH, BKL, DOV, GH, NY, NYS, PENN, PH, US, Bard College Field Station Herbarium. Jesse Jaycox (New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation), David Hayes (National Park Service), Betsy Blair (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation), John Baker and Kathleen O’Connor (Westchester Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation), and Eric Lind and David Decker (Audubon New York) prepared our collecting permits. Jenna Dorey and Brian DeGasperis assisted with fieldwork. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments, which enabled us to improve our manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY, 10458-5126, USA

    Robert F. C. Naczi, Scottie L. Sheaffer & Charles J. Zimmerman

  2. David Werier Botanical and Ecological Consulting, 245 Eastman Hill Rd., Willseyville, NY, 13864, USA

    David A. Werier

Authors
  1. Robert F. C. Naczi
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  2. Scottie L. Sheaffer
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  3. David A. Werier
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  4. Charles J. Zimmerman
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Correspondence to Robert F. C. Naczi.

Electronic supplementary material

Suppl. Material 1

Locations, names, and internet links to data from monitoring stations used to calculate multi-year mean salinity values at different locations in the Hudson River Estuary. (XLSX 16 kb)

Appendix

Appendix

1. Specimens examined. All collections are from New York, USA. Unless noted, all are from shores of the Hudson River. We cite the earliest known collection per population, for historic sites and also for current sites, but do not cite later collections that are population duplicates. Historic collections = those collected 1869–2005. Current collections = 2011–2017. Herbarium abbreviations are as in Thiers (2017), except “Bard” = Bard College Field Station Herbarium.

Bolboschoenus fluviatilis, historic. Albany Co.: Glenmont, 29 Jul 1919, House 6572 (GH, NYS, US); Green Island, 22 Jul 1924, House 10,372 (NYS). Columbia Co.: just S of city of Hudson, 18 Jul 1933, House 20,490 (NYS); Stuyvesant, Mill Creek, 29 Jul 1933, McVaugh 1817 (NYS); Hotaling Island, 25 Jun 1935, McVaugh 3146 (NYS). Dutchess Co.: 2 mi S of Tivoli, E of Cruger’s Island, 11 Aug 1934, McVaugh 2898 (NYS); Tivoli Bays, North Bay, 31 Aug 1972, Kiviat s.n. (Bard); Tivoli Bays, South Bay, 2 Jul 1973, Kiviat s.n. (Bard); Cruger Island Neck, 14 Jun 1985, Westad s.n. (Bard); Red Hook, Mudder Kill, 18 Aug 1987, Zaremba 4713 (NYS). Greene Co.: on the island opposite New Baltimore, Aug 1869, Howe s.n. (NY); Catskill, Embough Road [Imbocht Bay], 15 Jun 1993, Barbour s.n. (BH). Orange Co.: New Windsor, Moodna Creek, 5 Aug 1988, Zaremba 5670 (NYS). Putnam Co.: Philipstown, foot of Philipse Brook, 14 Aug 2003, Werier 1794 (NYS).

Bolboschoenus fluviatilis, current. Albany Co.: 0.7 mi SSE of Coeymans, Hannacrois Creek, 19 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,536 (NY); 0.3 mi S of Coeymans, 7 Oct 2013, Naczi 15,170 (NY). Columbia Co.: 3.4 mi SSW of city of Hudson, opposite S end of Rogers Island, 10 Sep 2011, Naczi 13,937 (NY); 3.0 mi SW of city of Hudson, NW side of Rogers Island, 28 Aug 2013, Naczi 15,034 (NY); 1.9 mi N of Poolsburg, Schodack Creek, 20 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,558 (NY); Stuyvesant, small tributary of Hudson River, 6 Oct 2013, Werier 5371 (NY); Stuyvesant, 8 Oct 2013, Werier 5401 (NY); Hudson, South Bay, 9 Oct 2013, Werier 5410 (NY); Greenport, N end of North Bay, 9 Oct 2013, Werier 5411 (NY). Dutchess Co.: 2.1 mi SSW of Tivoli, channel to South Bay, 13 Sep 2013, Naczi 15,098 & Zimmerman (NY); Poughkeepsie, Wappinger Creek, 24 Sep 2013, Werier 5281 (NY); Beacon, Fishkill Creek, 25 Sep 2013, Werier 5303 (NY); Fishkill, NE of Pollepel Island, 25 Sep 2013, Werier 5308 (NY). Greene Co.: 2.8 mi N of Coxsackie, Coxsackie Creek, 22 Sep 2011, Naczi 14,050 et al. (NY); 2.0 mi NE of Cementon, Duck Cove, 29 Aug 2013, Naczi 15,043 (NY); 0.4 mi SE of Cementon, 29 Aug 2013, Naczi 15,056 (NY); Athens, NW side of Middle Ground Flats, 29 Aug 2013, Werier 5136 (NY); SW of Athens, Brandow Point, 2 Oct 2012, Werier 4825 (NY); Athens, Murderers Creek, 7 Oct 2013, Werier 5392 (NY). Putnam Co.: Philipstown, Philipse Brook, 26 Sep 2013, Werier 5325 (NY); Philipstown, Constitution Marsh, 26 Sep 2013, Werier 5327 (NY). Rensselaer Co.: 0.2 mi W of community of Schodack Landing, Schodack Creek, 20 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,550 (NY); Schodack, Papscanee Creek, 11 Sep 2013, Werier 5196 (NY). Ulster Co.: Marlborough, tributary of Lattintown Creek, 24 Sep 2013, Werier 5293 (NY). Westchester Co.: Cortlandt, ca. 900 m NW of mouth of Annsville Creek, 30 Sep 2013, Werier 5359 (NY).

Bolboschoenus novae-angliae, historic. Bronx Co.: Spuyten Duyvil Creek, 1 Jul 1891, Bicknell s.n. (NY). Orange Co.: Con Hook, 19 Aug 1987, Zaremba 4302 (NYS). Putnam Co.: Philipstown, foot of Philipse Brook, 14 Aug 2003, Werier 1794 (NY). Rockland Co.: Haverstraw, Grassy Point, 25 Aug 1936, Muenscher 5679 & Curtis (BH); Piermont, 26 Aug 1936, Muenscher 5678 & Curtis (BH, GH); Iona Island, S side of entrance road, 31 Aug 1954, Lehr 575 (NY); N of Dunderberg, between Iona Island and route 9W, 25 Jun 1993, Barbour 908 (NYS); Iona Island, S end near railroad tracks, 21 Sep 1993, Tucker 9432 et al. (NYS). Westchester Co.: North Tarrytown, 18 Jun 1895, Barnhart 999 (NY); between Glenwood and Hastings, 5 Sep 1898, Bicknell s.n. (NY); near mouth of Peekskill Creek, 22 Aug 1936, Muenscher 5680 & Curtis (BH).

Bolboschoenus novae-angliae, current. Orange Co.: 1.2 mi S of community of Highland Falls, Con Hook Marsh, 8 Oct 2012, Naczi 14,609 (NY). Putnam Co.: Philipstown, Philipse Brook, 26 Sep 2013, Werier 5324 (NY); Philipstown, Indian Brook, 26 Sep 2013, Werier 5328 (NY). Rockland Co.: 5.3 mi N of community of Stony Point, just W of northern end of Iona Island, 30 Aug 2012, Naczi 14,411 & Werier (NY); 4.9 mi N of community of Stony Point, just W of Iona Island, 30 Aug 2012, Naczi 14,413 & Werier (NY); 4.7 mi NNE of community of Stony Point, just S of Iona Island, 31 Aug 2012, Naczi 14,414 & Werier (NY); 1.0 mi SE of community of Stony Point, along tributary of Hudson River, 30 Aug 2013, Naczi 15,057 (NY); 0.6 mi SE of community of Stony Point, along tributary of Hudson River, 30 Aug 2013, Naczi 15,069 (NY). Westchester Co.: 0.3 mi W of Crotonville, Croton River, 2 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,440 (NY); 1.7 mi SSW of center of Peekskill, Dickey Brook, 11 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,502 (NY); 1.2 mi SW of Montrose, 18 Sep 2013, Naczi 15,105 (NY); 0.2 mi SSW of Crugers, Furnace Brook, 18 Sep 2013, Naczi 15,113 (NY).

Bolboschoenus robustus, historic. Bronx Co.: New York 24th Ward, Aug 1876, Howe s.n. (NY); Harlem River, below Fordham Heights, 14 Oct 1890, Bicknell s.n. (BKL, NY); Spuyten Duyvil Creek, 19 Jul 1891, Bicknell s.n. (BKL); Kingsbridge Creek, 8 Sep 1898, Bicknell s.n. (NY, NYS, PH). New York Co.: Manhattan, Fort Washington Point, 25 Aug 1900, Bicknell 1086 (NY). Rockland Co.: Piermont, 24–26 Aug 1944, Muenscher 21,564 et al. (BH). Westchester Co.: between Yonkers and Hastings, 5 Sep 1898, Bicknell 1100 (NY, NYS, PH).

Bolboschoenus robustus, current. Bronx Co.: Spuyten Duyvil Creek, 19 Sep 2013, Werier 5260 (NY). Rockland Co.: 0.8 mi SE of Piermont, Piermont Marsh, 16 Aug 2012, Naczi 14,370 (NY). Westchester Co.: 0.4 mi NW of Philipse Manor, along small tributary of Hudson River, 19 Sep 2013, Naczi 15,122 & Dorey (NY).

Bolboschoenus unidentifiable, due to absence of infructescences and achenes from source populations. Putnam Co.: 0.5 mi SW of Manitou, Manitou Marsh, 16 Oct 2017, Naczi 17,078 & Sheaffer (NY). Rockland Co.: 0.5 mi SE of Piermont, Piermont Marsh, 22 Sep 2015, Naczi 16,031 & DeGasperis (NY). Westchester Co.: 1.4 mi NW of center of Peekskill, mouth of first tributary of Hudson River W of Annsville Creek, 24 Sep 2012, Naczi 14,573 (NY).

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Naczi, R.F.C., Sheaffer, S.L., Werier, D.A. et al. Geographic distribution, habitat characterization, and conservation status of Bolboschoenus bulrushes (Cyperaceae) in the Hudson River Estuary, USA. Brittonia 70, 289–305 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-018-9530-8

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