Trajectories of vegetative change in wetlands can be influenced strongly by shifts in water-table elevation driven by evapotranspiration and spatial-temporal variability in groundwater. The specific dynamics of such interactions are difficult to quantify because of spatial complexities associated with local climate, geomorphology, and underlying geology. Nonetheless, a better understanding of the effects of groundwater and landform pattern on plant communities in wetlands can help with future predictions of change. Over two successive growing seasons, we investigated water-balance dynamics in 15 wetlands in a forested Great Lakes coastal wetland complex consisting of relict beach ridges and intervening swales. Our goal was to explore how variation in hydrogeology and landform morphology affected plant community composition. Water-balance analyses from water-level fluctuation methods, along with interpretation of underlying stratigraphy and slope, were used to explain plant-community ordination results. Our findings showed that phreatophytic plant communities developed in locations where hydrogeology or greater slopes allowed for supplemental groundwater flow to the swales. Conversely, shallow water-table slopes maintained standing water in swales, leading to obligate wetland plant communities. This study provides a clearer representation of hydrogeologic and ecohydrologic interactions to help inform our understanding of the relationship between groundwater hydrology and plant communities in wetlands.

水分蒸发量和地下水时空变化驱动的地下水位升高，会对湿地营养变化的轨迹产生重大影响。由于与当地气候，地貌和潜在地质相关的空间复杂性，此类相互作用的具体动力学难以量化。尽管如此，更好地了解地下水和地貌模式对湿地植物群落的影响仍有助于未来的变化预测。在两个连续的生长季节中，我们调查了森林深处的大湖沿岸湿地综合体中15个湿地的水平衡动态，该综合体由残骸海滩山脊和大沼泽组成。我们的目标是探索水文地质和地形形态的变化如何影响植物群落组成。来自水位波动方法的水平衡分析，以及对下层地层和坡度的解释，被用来解释植物群落的排序结果。我们的发现表明，在水文地质学或更大的坡度允许补充的地下水流向沼泽的地区发展了古植物植物群落。相反，浅水位边坡维持了沼泽中的积水，导致湿地植物群落集中。这项研究更清楚地表示了水文地质和生态水文的相互作用，有助于我们了解湿地中地下水水文学与植物群落之间的关系。我们的发现表明，在水文地质学或更大的坡度允许补充的地下水流向沼泽的地区发展了古植物植物群落。相反，浅水位边坡维持了沼泽中的积水，导致湿地植物群落集中。这项研究更清楚地表示了水文地质和生态水文之间的相互作用，以帮助我们了解湿地中地下水水文学与植物群落之间的关系。我们的发现表明，在水文地质学或更大的坡度允许补充的地下水流向沼泽的地区发展了古植物植物群落。相反，浅水位边坡维持了沼泽中的积水，导致湿地植物群落集中。这项研究更清楚地表示了水文地质和生态水文的相互作用，有助于我们了解湿地中地下水水文学与植物群落之间的关系。