Beth A Middleton, Ph. D.
Beth Middleton is a Research Ecologist at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Wetland function may be altered in the future because of dynamic shifts in droughts, water extraction, water fluctuation, salinity intrusion, CO2 levels, and storm intensity. Populations of species can be extirpated especially by drought, and tree mortality is especially common at the edges of species diestribution ranges during drought. Beth Middleton examines patterns of ecosystem function along latitudinal gradients in baldcypress swamps, monsoonal wetlands, mangrove swamps, northern peatleands, prairie fens, and floodplain wetlands. She has organized symposia, written three books, and edited three special journal volumes, which support multidisciplinary comparisons and research analysis of wetland function. Other research topics include the effects of hurricanes on coastal wetlands, flood pulsing in restoration, and biodiversity loss in fens of Europe, Asia and North America. Middleton maintains a research network of baldcypress swamps (North American Baldcypress Swamp Network) and invites other researchers to work in these study sites dedicated to the study of long term function of swamps in the southeastern US.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Botany, Iowa State University, 1989
Advisors: van der Valk/DavisM.S., University of Minnesota Duluth, 1983
B.S., University of Wisconsin Madison, 1978
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, Taxodium distichum growth
In 2013 five Taxodium distichum trees along a 125 m long transect of Hickory Point State Forest outside Pocomoke City, Maryland were outfitted with dendrobands. Each year the growth of the T. distichum trees was measured in terms of the ratio of that year's circumference to the previous year's circumference. Tree growth was measured until the year the tree died or the conclusion of the study in 20
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, tree height and density 2021
On November 11, 2021, the height, density, and species richness of trees were recorded in five plots along a 175 m transect at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland. This data was divided into categories depending on if the tree was alive, dead, or a sapling. Emergent species' height, density, and richness was also recorded.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, vegetation
This dataset documents the water quality in depth, salinity, and pH as well as the vegetation found in the freshwater swamps of Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland from 2013 to 2021.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, CTD Diver data
This dataset represents data collected from 2018 to 2021 by a submersible datalogger known as a CTD Diver located in a well 48 cm below soil level at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, roots
Annual root production over time was measured by collecting data on ingrowth into mesh root bags. The study was conducted on tidal freshwater swamp environments subjected to salinity intrusion at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland. Root bags were collected at 5 set locations within the study area from 2013 to 2021 and analyzed to determine the weight in grams of new root produ
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, SET
This study was conducted using surface elevation tables (SETs) to determine the change in soil height over time. The study took place at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland from 2015 to 2021. Instead of using the SETs to measure elevation, this dataset uses the concept of the height of the topographic surface established with respect to a local vertical datum, which can be more
Regeneration trends along climate gradients in Taxodium distichum forest of the southeastern United States, 2007-2019
Data provided are the volumes of cypress cones, collected in the North American Baldcypress Swamp Network along the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (southern Illinois to southern Louisiana, and Gulf of Mexico, east Texas to west Florida Panhandle, 2007 - 2019.
Trends in organic matter in baldcypress swamps of the southeastern United States: 2007-2011
A better understanding of the potential of climate change to affect carbon dynamics in wetlands can be gained through the study of plant decomposition and soil organic matter trends across continental gradients. This study from 2007 and 2011 examines patterns of wood, leaf and cloth decomposition, as well as soil organic matter storage in Taxodium distichum (T. distichum) swamps along the Mississi
Morphology and genetics of Lythrum salicaria from latitudinal gradients of the Northern Hemisphere grown in cold and hot common gardens
Genetic diversity may promote a plant species' invasiveness by facilitating the evolution of local adaptation, enhanced competitive abilities, and phenotypic plasticity. We examined the possible role of genetic diversity in the invasiveness of purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L., a Eurasian native introduced to North America, through a broad geographic comparison of eight populations, four fr
Data for sediment application to cypress and tupelo seedlings in greenhouse study - 2016
The decline of Taxodium distichum, bald cypress, forests along the Gulf Coast of North America is partly due to elevation loss and subsequent flooding. In many coastal wetlands, a common approach for coastal restoration is to rebuild elevation through the application of dredge spoil, but this technique has not been used widely in coastal forests due to concerns of negatively impacting trees. This
Repeated drought alters resilience of seed bank regeneration in Taxodium distichum swamps of North America
Recurring drying and wetting events are likely to increase in frequency and intensity in predicted future droughts in the central United States and alter the regeneration potential of species. We explored the resistance of seed banks to successive droughts in 53 sites across the nine locations in baldcypress swamps in the southeastern United States. Along the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley and
Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: gaps and opportunities for developing a coordinated regional sampling network
The study area included the coasts of all five U.S. states along the northern Gulf of Mexico (i.e., Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). We contacted federal, state, and university-affiliated scientists working with SET-MH data within this area to obtain the geographic coordinates and the installation year for each SET-MH station. Please note that while our inventory is extensive
Filter Total Items: 118
Worldwide wetland loss and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Aim: Best strategies for future conservation and management to address global and regional trends in wetland loss and degradation are assessed in this article.Main concepts covered: Direct drivers of wetland loss and change include land drainage and filling, hydrologic alteration, degradation from pollutants and sediments, and conversion to agriculture, urban and industrial usage. Estimates of glo
Authors
Beth Middleton
Salinification of coastal wetlands and freshwater management to support resilience
Climates are rapidly changing in wetland ecosystems around the world and historical land-use change is not always given enough consideration in climate adaptation discussions. Historical changes to hydrology and other key environments can exacerbate vegetation stress; e.g., recent drought and flood episodes are likely more extreme because of climate change. The contributions of global and regional
Authors
Beth Middleton, Jere Boudell
Regeneration trends along climate gradients in Taxodium distichum forests of the southeastern United States
The development of relict vegetation at the edges of some ecosystems has taken place particularly in environments where the regeneration of foundational species is declining. As an important stage of regeneration in the Taxodium distichum, this study explored the relationship of cone volume and seed number across environmental gradients in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MRAV) and northern
Authors
Beth Middleton, Ting Lei, Omag Villegas, Xiaohui Liu
Restoration of organic coastal and inland freshwater forests
Peatland forests occur worldwide in inundated soils where primary production and anaerobic conditions contribute to the building of soil organic matter (Günther et al., 2020). Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) can be substantial from drained freshwater forests with organic soils. Therefore, rewetting peat via hydrologic restoration (see factsheet n°12 on Peatland restoration, this volume) can restore
Authors
Beth Middleton, Eric Ward, Lorenzo Menichetti
Restoration of mangrove forest
Mangrove forests occur worldwide along tropical coasts in inundated soils where primary production and anaerobic conditions contribute to the building of soil organic matter (Also see Mangroves Hot-spot, Volume 2). Note that peat may accumulate in certain coastal mangrove (Middleton and McKee, 2001). The actual amount of soil organic matter stored in these wetlands depends on the balance between p
Authors
Beth Middleton, Eric Ward
A U.S.-China EcoPartnership study of disturbed wetland vegetation in West Dongting Lake, China
West Dongting Lake in China is important for human livelihoods and habitat of migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. The waterway re-engineering and agriculture intensification have contributed to changes in hydrology, sediment, and vegetation on the floodplain. This paper describes an EcoPartnership program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, and Beijing
Authors
Ting Lei, Beth Middleton
Late Pleistocene baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) forest deposit on the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico
Approximately 13 km south of Gulf Shores, Alabama (United States), divers found in situ baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) stumps 18 m below the ocean surface. These trees could have only lived when sea level fell during the Pleistocene subaerially exposing the tectonically stable continental shelf. Here we investigate the geophysical properties along with microfossil and stratigraphical analyses of
Authors
Kristine L. DeLong, Suyapa Gonzalez, Jeffrey B. Obelcz, Jonathan T. Truong, Samuel J. Bentley, Kehui Xu, Carl A. Reese, Grant L. Harley, Alicia Caporaso, Zhixiong Shen, Beth Middleton
Germination potential of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamp soil seed bank along geographical gradients
Changing environments of temperature, precipitation and moisture availability can affect vegetation in ecosystems, by affecting regeneration from the seed bank. Our objective was to explore the responses of soil seed bank germination to climate-related environments along geographic gradients. We collected seed banks in baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps along the Mississippi River and the Gul
Authors
Ting Lei, Beth Middleton
Effects of water level alteration on carbon cycling in peatlands
Globally, peatlands play an important role in the carbon (C) cycle. High water level is a key factor in maintaining C storage in peatlands, but water levels are vulnerable to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. This review examines literature related to the effects of water level alteration on C cycling in peatlands to summarize new ideas and uncertainties emerging in this field. Peatlan
Authors
Yehui Zhong, Jiang Ming, Beth Middleton
Spatial distribution of heavy metals in the West Dongting Lake floodplain, China
The protection of Dongting Lake is important because it is an overwintering and migration route for many rare and endangered birds of East Asia and Australasia, but an assessment of heavy metal contamination in West Dongting Lake is lacking. A total of 75 sediment samples (five sites x three sediment depths x five repeats) were collected in West Dongting Lake in January 2017 to assess the spatial
Authors
Dong Peng, Ziyu Liu, Xinyue Su, Yaquin Xiao, Yuechen Wang, Beth Middleton
Carbon stock trends of baldcypress knees along climate gradients of the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley using allometric methods
Carbon stock trends of the knees of Taxodium distichum likely vary across climate gradients of the southeastern United States and contribute an unknown quantity of “teal” carbon to inland freshwater wetlands. Knee metrics (e.g., density, height, biomass) were measured in mixed T. distichum swamps across the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MRAV) from Illinois to Louisiana. Based on their geometr
Authors
Beth A. Middleton
Non-USGS Publications**
Middleton, B.A. 2002. Nonequilibrium dynamics of sedge meadows grazed by cattle in southern Wisconsin. Plant Ecology 161:89-110. www.springerlink.com/content/v0l42625k0g21141/
Xiao, N., D.A. Bennett, B. Middleton, and K. Fessel. 2002. SISM: a multiscale model cypress swamp regeneration. Geographical & Environmental Modelling 6:99-116. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13615930220127314
Middleton, B.A. 2002. Winter burning and the reduction of Cornus sericea in sedge meadows in southern Wisconsin. Restoration Ecology 10:1-8. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-100X.2002.01053.x
Middleton, B.A. 2001. A case for wetland restoration. Book review. Restoration Ecology 9:247-248. www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118995575/PDFSTART
Spyreas, G., D.J. Gibson, and B.A. Middleton. 2001. Effects of endophyte infection in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea: Poaceae) on community diversity. International Journal of Plant Science 162:1237-1245. www.plantbiology.siu.edu/faculty/Gibson/IJPS2001.pdf
Middleton, B.A. 2000. Hydrochory, seed banks, and regeneration dynamics across landscape boundaries in a forested wetland. Plant Ecology 146:169-184. www.springerlink.com/content/w28pp67819819074/
Gibson, D. J., B.A. Middleton, G.W. Saunders, M. Mathis. W.T Weaver, J. Neely, J. Rivera and M. Oyler. 1999. Learning by doing ecology: long term field experiments in ecology. IF0.3/C12 American Biology Teacher 61:217-222. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4450654?uid=3739688&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55902219473
Rice, M., B.A. Middleton and D. Gibson. 1999. Fractal analysis of movement pathways in vegetated and unvegetated microlandscapes. Bios 1:176-184. _/C2. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4608479?uid=3739688&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55902222123
Oyler, M., J. Rivera, M. Roffel, D. J. Gibson, B.A. Middleton and M. Mathis. 1999. The macaroni lab: a directed inquiry project on predator-prey relationships. American Biology Teacher 40:39-41. IF0.3/C1 www.plantbiology.siu.edu/faculty/gibson/macaron.pdf
Middleton, B.A. 1999. Flood pulsing in restoration: a feasible alternative for India? Journal of the Ecological Society 12:10-14.
Mathis, M. and B.A. Middleton. 1999. Simulated herbivory and vegetation dynamics in coal slurry ponds reclaimed as wetlands. Restoration Ecology 7:392-398. IF2.2/C10 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1526-100X.1999.72034.x/abstract
Middleton, B.A. 1998. Succession and herbivory in monsoonal wetlands. Wetland Ecology and Management 6:189-202. IF0.3/C32 www.springerlink.com/content/r30811h62j6741u5/
Middleton, B.A. 1998. The water buffalo controversy in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Ecological Modelling 106:93-95. IF2.7/C9 http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2218674
Middleton, B.A. 1998. Reply to: The water buffalo controversy in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Ecological Modelling 106:95-98. IF2.7/C9 http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2218674
Middleton, B.A., E. Sanchez-Rojas, B. Suedmeyer and A. Michels. 1997. Fire in a tropical dry forest of Central America: A natural part of the disturbance regime? Biotropica 29:515-517. IF2.6/C47 www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2388944?uid=3739688&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55901
Akanil, N. and B.A. Middleton. 1997. Leaf litter decomposition along the Porsuk River, Eskisehir, Turkey. Canadian Journal of Botany 75:1394-1397. www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b97-853 OR www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b97-853
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Ecology of greenways. Book review. Restoration Ecology 3: 319-322.
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Seed banks and species richness potential of coal slurry ponds reclaimed as wetlands. Restoration Ecology 3:311-318.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-100X.1995.tb00099.x/abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-100X.1995.tb00099.x/abstract
Middleton, B.A. and U. Melkania. 1995. Decomposition of wet grassland species in a stream of the Himalayan terai, Pantnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 21:163-168. www.nieindia.org/ijees/abstracts/v21/abstrv21_163.asp
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Sampling devices for the measurement of seed rain and hydrochory in rivers. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Club 122:152-155. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2996454?uid=3739688&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55901569553
Middleton, B.A. 1994. Decomposition and litter production in a northern bald cypress swamp. Journal of Vegetation Science 5:271-274. www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3236160.pdf
Middleton, B.A. and E. Sanchez. 1994. Microhistological analysis of food habits in the tropics. Vida Silvestre 3:41-47.
Middleton, B.A. 1994. Management of monsoonal wetlands for Greylag and Barheaded Geese in the Keoladeo National Park, India. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 20:1263-171. www.nieindia.org/ijees/abstracts/v20/abstrv20_163.asp
van der Valk, A. G., B.A. Middleton, R. L. Williams, D. H. Mason and C. Davis. 1993. The biomass of an Indian monsoonal wetland before and after being overgrown with Paspalum distichum. Vegetatio 109:81-90. www.springerlink.com/content/w3866315p4450555/fulltext.pdf
Middleton, B. A. 1992. Habitat and food preferences of geese overwintering in the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. Journal of Tropical Ecology 8:181-193.
www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2559700.pdf OR www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=5248088
www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2559700.pdf OR www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=5248088
Middleton, B.A., A.G. van der Valk, C.B. Davis, D.H. Mason, and R.L. Williams. 1992. Litter decomposition in an Indian monsoonal wetland overgrown with Paspalum distichum. Wetlands 12:37-44. www.springerlink.com/content/w3866315p4450555/
Middleton, B.A. and D.H. Mason. 1992. Seed herbivory by nilgai, feral cattle, and wild boar in the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. Biotropica 24:538-543. www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2389017.pdf
Middleton, B.A., A.G. van der Valk, R.L. Williams, D.J. Mason, and C.B. Davis. 1991. Vegetation dynamics and seed banks of a monsoonal wetland overgrown with Paspalum distichum in northern India. Aquatic Botany 40:239-259. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304377091900619
Middleton, B.A. 1990. Effect of water depth and clipping frequency on the growth and survival of four wetland plant species. Aquatic Botany 37:189-196. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030437709090091X
Middleton, B.A.1988. Food habits of geese in northern India. Journal of the Ecological Society (India) 1:37-45.
Middleton, B.A. and A.G. van der Valk. 1987. The food habits of Greylag and Barheaded Geese in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Wildfowl 38:94-102. /C122 http://wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wildfowl/article/view/774/774
Middleton, B.A. and D.J. Schimpf. 1986. Sand movement and vegetation in the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior. Canadian Journal of Botany 64:1671-1674. www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b86-223
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, Taxodium distichum growth
In 2013 five Taxodium distichum trees along a 125 m long transect of Hickory Point State Forest outside Pocomoke City, Maryland were outfitted with dendrobands. Each year the growth of the T. distichum trees was measured in terms of the ratio of that year's circumference to the previous year's circumference. Tree growth was measured until the year the tree died or the conclusion of the study in 20
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, tree height and density 2021
On November 11, 2021, the height, density, and species richness of trees were recorded in five plots along a 175 m transect at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland. This data was divided into categories depending on if the tree was alive, dead, or a sapling. Emergent species' height, density, and richness was also recorded.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, vegetation
This dataset documents the water quality in depth, salinity, and pH as well as the vegetation found in the freshwater swamps of Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland from 2013 to 2021.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, CTD Diver data
This dataset represents data collected from 2018 to 2021 by a submersible datalogger known as a CTD Diver located in a well 48 cm below soil level at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland.
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, roots
Annual root production over time was measured by collecting data on ingrowth into mesh root bags. The study was conducted on tidal freshwater swamp environments subjected to salinity intrusion at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland. Root bags were collected at 5 set locations within the study area from 2013 to 2021 and analyzed to determine the weight in grams of new root produ
Data Release: Peat collapse and vegetation shift after storm-driven saltwater surge in a tidal freshwater swamp, SET
This study was conducted using surface elevation tables (SETs) to determine the change in soil height over time. The study took place at Hickory Point State Forest near Pocomoke City, Maryland from 2015 to 2021. Instead of using the SETs to measure elevation, this dataset uses the concept of the height of the topographic surface established with respect to a local vertical datum, which can be more
Regeneration trends along climate gradients in Taxodium distichum forest of the southeastern United States, 2007-2019
Data provided are the volumes of cypress cones, collected in the North American Baldcypress Swamp Network along the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (southern Illinois to southern Louisiana, and Gulf of Mexico, east Texas to west Florida Panhandle, 2007 - 2019.
Trends in organic matter in baldcypress swamps of the southeastern United States: 2007-2011
A better understanding of the potential of climate change to affect carbon dynamics in wetlands can be gained through the study of plant decomposition and soil organic matter trends across continental gradients. This study from 2007 and 2011 examines patterns of wood, leaf and cloth decomposition, as well as soil organic matter storage in Taxodium distichum (T. distichum) swamps along the Mississi
Morphology and genetics of Lythrum salicaria from latitudinal gradients of the Northern Hemisphere grown in cold and hot common gardens
Genetic diversity may promote a plant species' invasiveness by facilitating the evolution of local adaptation, enhanced competitive abilities, and phenotypic plasticity. We examined the possible role of genetic diversity in the invasiveness of purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L., a Eurasian native introduced to North America, through a broad geographic comparison of eight populations, four fr
Data for sediment application to cypress and tupelo seedlings in greenhouse study - 2016
The decline of Taxodium distichum, bald cypress, forests along the Gulf Coast of North America is partly due to elevation loss and subsequent flooding. In many coastal wetlands, a common approach for coastal restoration is to rebuild elevation through the application of dredge spoil, but this technique has not been used widely in coastal forests due to concerns of negatively impacting trees. This
Repeated drought alters resilience of seed bank regeneration in Taxodium distichum swamps of North America
Recurring drying and wetting events are likely to increase in frequency and intensity in predicted future droughts in the central United States and alter the regeneration potential of species. We explored the resistance of seed banks to successive droughts in 53 sites across the nine locations in baldcypress swamps in the southeastern United States. Along the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley and
Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: gaps and opportunities for developing a coordinated regional sampling network
The study area included the coasts of all five U.S. states along the northern Gulf of Mexico (i.e., Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). We contacted federal, state, and university-affiliated scientists working with SET-MH data within this area to obtain the geographic coordinates and the installation year for each SET-MH station. Please note that while our inventory is extensive
Filter Total Items: 118
Worldwide wetland loss and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Aim: Best strategies for future conservation and management to address global and regional trends in wetland loss and degradation are assessed in this article.Main concepts covered: Direct drivers of wetland loss and change include land drainage and filling, hydrologic alteration, degradation from pollutants and sediments, and conversion to agriculture, urban and industrial usage. Estimates of glo
Authors
Beth Middleton
Salinification of coastal wetlands and freshwater management to support resilience
Climates are rapidly changing in wetland ecosystems around the world and historical land-use change is not always given enough consideration in climate adaptation discussions. Historical changes to hydrology and other key environments can exacerbate vegetation stress; e.g., recent drought and flood episodes are likely more extreme because of climate change. The contributions of global and regional
Authors
Beth Middleton, Jere Boudell
Regeneration trends along climate gradients in Taxodium distichum forests of the southeastern United States
The development of relict vegetation at the edges of some ecosystems has taken place particularly in environments where the regeneration of foundational species is declining. As an important stage of regeneration in the Taxodium distichum, this study explored the relationship of cone volume and seed number across environmental gradients in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MRAV) and northern
Authors
Beth Middleton, Ting Lei, Omag Villegas, Xiaohui Liu
Restoration of organic coastal and inland freshwater forests
Peatland forests occur worldwide in inundated soils where primary production and anaerobic conditions contribute to the building of soil organic matter (Günther et al., 2020). Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) can be substantial from drained freshwater forests with organic soils. Therefore, rewetting peat via hydrologic restoration (see factsheet n°12 on Peatland restoration, this volume) can restore
Authors
Beth Middleton, Eric Ward, Lorenzo Menichetti
Restoration of mangrove forest
Mangrove forests occur worldwide along tropical coasts in inundated soils where primary production and anaerobic conditions contribute to the building of soil organic matter (Also see Mangroves Hot-spot, Volume 2). Note that peat may accumulate in certain coastal mangrove (Middleton and McKee, 2001). The actual amount of soil organic matter stored in these wetlands depends on the balance between p
Authors
Beth Middleton, Eric Ward
A U.S.-China EcoPartnership study of disturbed wetland vegetation in West Dongting Lake, China
West Dongting Lake in China is important for human livelihoods and habitat of migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. The waterway re-engineering and agriculture intensification have contributed to changes in hydrology, sediment, and vegetation on the floodplain. This paper describes an EcoPartnership program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, and Beijing
Authors
Ting Lei, Beth Middleton
Late Pleistocene baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) forest deposit on the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico
Approximately 13 km south of Gulf Shores, Alabama (United States), divers found in situ baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) stumps 18 m below the ocean surface. These trees could have only lived when sea level fell during the Pleistocene subaerially exposing the tectonically stable continental shelf. Here we investigate the geophysical properties along with microfossil and stratigraphical analyses of
Authors
Kristine L. DeLong, Suyapa Gonzalez, Jeffrey B. Obelcz, Jonathan T. Truong, Samuel J. Bentley, Kehui Xu, Carl A. Reese, Grant L. Harley, Alicia Caporaso, Zhixiong Shen, Beth Middleton
Germination potential of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamp soil seed bank along geographical gradients
Changing environments of temperature, precipitation and moisture availability can affect vegetation in ecosystems, by affecting regeneration from the seed bank. Our objective was to explore the responses of soil seed bank germination to climate-related environments along geographic gradients. We collected seed banks in baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps along the Mississippi River and the Gul
Authors
Ting Lei, Beth Middleton
Effects of water level alteration on carbon cycling in peatlands
Globally, peatlands play an important role in the carbon (C) cycle. High water level is a key factor in maintaining C storage in peatlands, but water levels are vulnerable to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. This review examines literature related to the effects of water level alteration on C cycling in peatlands to summarize new ideas and uncertainties emerging in this field. Peatlan
Authors
Yehui Zhong, Jiang Ming, Beth Middleton
Spatial distribution of heavy metals in the West Dongting Lake floodplain, China
The protection of Dongting Lake is important because it is an overwintering and migration route for many rare and endangered birds of East Asia and Australasia, but an assessment of heavy metal contamination in West Dongting Lake is lacking. A total of 75 sediment samples (five sites x three sediment depths x five repeats) were collected in West Dongting Lake in January 2017 to assess the spatial
Authors
Dong Peng, Ziyu Liu, Xinyue Su, Yaquin Xiao, Yuechen Wang, Beth Middleton
Carbon stock trends of baldcypress knees along climate gradients of the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley using allometric methods
Carbon stock trends of the knees of Taxodium distichum likely vary across climate gradients of the southeastern United States and contribute an unknown quantity of “teal” carbon to inland freshwater wetlands. Knee metrics (e.g., density, height, biomass) were measured in mixed T. distichum swamps across the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MRAV) from Illinois to Louisiana. Based on their geometr
Authors
Beth A. Middleton
Non-USGS Publications**
Middleton, B.A. 2002. Nonequilibrium dynamics of sedge meadows grazed by cattle in southern Wisconsin. Plant Ecology 161:89-110. www.springerlink.com/content/v0l42625k0g21141/
Xiao, N., D.A. Bennett, B. Middleton, and K. Fessel. 2002. SISM: a multiscale model cypress swamp regeneration. Geographical & Environmental Modelling 6:99-116. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13615930220127314
Middleton, B.A. 2002. Winter burning and the reduction of Cornus sericea in sedge meadows in southern Wisconsin. Restoration Ecology 10:1-8. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-100X.2002.01053.x
Middleton, B.A. 2001. A case for wetland restoration. Book review. Restoration Ecology 9:247-248. www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118995575/PDFSTART
Spyreas, G., D.J. Gibson, and B.A. Middleton. 2001. Effects of endophyte infection in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea: Poaceae) on community diversity. International Journal of Plant Science 162:1237-1245. www.plantbiology.siu.edu/faculty/Gibson/IJPS2001.pdf
Middleton, B.A. 2000. Hydrochory, seed banks, and regeneration dynamics across landscape boundaries in a forested wetland. Plant Ecology 146:169-184. www.springerlink.com/content/w28pp67819819074/
Gibson, D. J., B.A. Middleton, G.W. Saunders, M. Mathis. W.T Weaver, J. Neely, J. Rivera and M. Oyler. 1999. Learning by doing ecology: long term field experiments in ecology. IF0.3/C12 American Biology Teacher 61:217-222. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4450654?uid=3739688&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55902219473
Rice, M., B.A. Middleton and D. Gibson. 1999. Fractal analysis of movement pathways in vegetated and unvegetated microlandscapes. Bios 1:176-184. _/C2. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4608479?uid=3739688&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55902222123
Oyler, M., J. Rivera, M. Roffel, D. J. Gibson, B.A. Middleton and M. Mathis. 1999. The macaroni lab: a directed inquiry project on predator-prey relationships. American Biology Teacher 40:39-41. IF0.3/C1 www.plantbiology.siu.edu/faculty/gibson/macaron.pdf
Middleton, B.A. 1999. Flood pulsing in restoration: a feasible alternative for India? Journal of the Ecological Society 12:10-14.
Mathis, M. and B.A. Middleton. 1999. Simulated herbivory and vegetation dynamics in coal slurry ponds reclaimed as wetlands. Restoration Ecology 7:392-398. IF2.2/C10 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1526-100X.1999.72034.x/abstract
Middleton, B.A. 1998. Succession and herbivory in monsoonal wetlands. Wetland Ecology and Management 6:189-202. IF0.3/C32 www.springerlink.com/content/r30811h62j6741u5/
Middleton, B.A. 1998. The water buffalo controversy in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Ecological Modelling 106:93-95. IF2.7/C9 http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2218674
Middleton, B.A. 1998. Reply to: The water buffalo controversy in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Ecological Modelling 106:95-98. IF2.7/C9 http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2218674
Middleton, B.A., E. Sanchez-Rojas, B. Suedmeyer and A. Michels. 1997. Fire in a tropical dry forest of Central America: A natural part of the disturbance regime? Biotropica 29:515-517. IF2.6/C47 www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2388944?uid=3739688&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55901
Akanil, N. and B.A. Middleton. 1997. Leaf litter decomposition along the Porsuk River, Eskisehir, Turkey. Canadian Journal of Botany 75:1394-1397. www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b97-853 OR www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b97-853
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Ecology of greenways. Book review. Restoration Ecology 3: 319-322.
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Seed banks and species richness potential of coal slurry ponds reclaimed as wetlands. Restoration Ecology 3:311-318.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-100X.1995.tb00099.x/abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-100X.1995.tb00099.x/abstract
Middleton, B.A. and U. Melkania. 1995. Decomposition of wet grassland species in a stream of the Himalayan terai, Pantnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 21:163-168. www.nieindia.org/ijees/abstracts/v21/abstrv21_163.asp
Middleton, B.A. 1995. Sampling devices for the measurement of seed rain and hydrochory in rivers. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Club 122:152-155. www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2996454?uid=3739688&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55901569553
Middleton, B.A. 1994. Decomposition and litter production in a northern bald cypress swamp. Journal of Vegetation Science 5:271-274. www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3236160.pdf
Middleton, B.A. and E. Sanchez. 1994. Microhistological analysis of food habits in the tropics. Vida Silvestre 3:41-47.
Middleton, B.A. 1994. Management of monsoonal wetlands for Greylag and Barheaded Geese in the Keoladeo National Park, India. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 20:1263-171. www.nieindia.org/ijees/abstracts/v20/abstrv20_163.asp
van der Valk, A. G., B.A. Middleton, R. L. Williams, D. H. Mason and C. Davis. 1993. The biomass of an Indian monsoonal wetland before and after being overgrown with Paspalum distichum. Vegetatio 109:81-90. www.springerlink.com/content/w3866315p4450555/fulltext.pdf
Middleton, B. A. 1992. Habitat and food preferences of geese overwintering in the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. Journal of Tropical Ecology 8:181-193.
www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2559700.pdf OR www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=5248088
www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2559700.pdf OR www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=5248088
Middleton, B.A., A.G. van der Valk, C.B. Davis, D.H. Mason, and R.L. Williams. 1992. Litter decomposition in an Indian monsoonal wetland overgrown with Paspalum distichum. Wetlands 12:37-44. www.springerlink.com/content/w3866315p4450555/
Middleton, B.A. and D.H. Mason. 1992. Seed herbivory by nilgai, feral cattle, and wild boar in the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. Biotropica 24:538-543. www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2389017.pdf
Middleton, B.A., A.G. van der Valk, R.L. Williams, D.J. Mason, and C.B. Davis. 1991. Vegetation dynamics and seed banks of a monsoonal wetland overgrown with Paspalum distichum in northern India. Aquatic Botany 40:239-259. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304377091900619
Middleton, B.A. 1990. Effect of water depth and clipping frequency on the growth and survival of four wetland plant species. Aquatic Botany 37:189-196. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030437709090091X
Middleton, B.A.1988. Food habits of geese in northern India. Journal of the Ecological Society (India) 1:37-45.
Middleton, B.A. and A.G. van der Valk. 1987. The food habits of Greylag and Barheaded Geese in the Keoladeo National Park, India. Wildfowl 38:94-102. /C122 http://wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wildfowl/article/view/774/774
Middleton, B.A. and D.J. Schimpf. 1986. Sand movement and vegetation in the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior. Canadian Journal of Botany 64:1671-1674. www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/b86-223
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.