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BOTANICAL EVALUATION OF THE GOAT ISLAND COMPLEX, NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK |
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NUMERICAL STUDIES NUMERICAL SUMMARY OF THE FLORA OF THE GOAT ISLAND COMPLEX OVER THE TWO-CENTURY REPORTING PERIOD The figures given below do not include taxa extirpated from the complex since 1940 and so indicate a higher number than are actually present. In the table below, after the Latin family name, numbers of genera and species are given.
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ACANTHACEAE 1 1 Acanthus Family |
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ACERACEAE 1 9 Maple Family |
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ALISMACEAE 1 1 Water-Plantain Family |
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AMARYLLIDACEAE 1 1 Amaryllis Family |
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ANACARDIACEAE 1 4 Cashew Family |
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APOCYNACEAE 1 1 Dogbane Family |
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ARACEAE 2 3 Arum Family |
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ARALIACEAE 4 6 Ginseng Family |
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ARISTOLOCHIACEAE 1 1 Birthwort Family |
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ASCLEPIADACEAE 1 3 Milkweed Family |
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BALSAMINACEAE 1 2 Touch-me-not Family |
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BERBERIDACEAE 3 4 Barberry Family |
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BETULACEAE 5 10 Birch Family |
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BIGNONIACEAE 1 1 Bignonia Family |
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BORAGINACEAE 4 5 Borage Family |
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BUTOMACEAE 1 1 Flowering Rush Family |
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CAESALPINIACEAE 1 1 Caesalpinia Family |
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CAMPANULACEAE 1 3 Harebell Family |
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CAPRIFOLIACEAE 4 11 Honeysuckle Family |
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CARYOPHYLLACEAE 8 12 Pink Family |
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CELASTRACEAE 2 3 Staff-tree Family |
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CHENOPODIACEAE 2 4 Goosefoot Family |
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COMPOSITAE 30 73 Daisy Family |
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CONVOLVULACEAE 2 3 Morning-glory Family |
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CORNACEAE 1 7 Dogwood Family |
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CRASSULACEAE 1 1 Orpine Family |
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CRUCIFERAE 12 20 Mustard Family |
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CUPRESSACEAE 2 3 Cypress Family |
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CYPERACEAE 4 30 Sedge Family |
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DIPSACACEAE 1 1 Teasel Family |
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ELAEAGNACEAE 1 1 Oleaster Family |
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EQUISETACEAE 1 2 Horsetail Family |
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ERICACEAE 4 4 Heath Family |
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EUPHORBIACEAE 2 2 Spurge Family |
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FABACEAE 11 17 Bean Family |
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FAGACEAE 3 8 Beech Family |
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FUMARIACEAE 1 2 Fumitory Family |
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GENTIANACEAE 1 1 Gentian Family |
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GERANIACEAE 1 3 Geranium Family |
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GRAMINEAE 26 46 Grass Family |
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HALORAGACEAE 1 1 Water-milfoil Family |
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HIPPOCASTANACEAE 1 3 Horse-chestnut Family |
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HYDRANGEACEAE 1 1 Hydrangea Family |
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HYDROCHARITACEAE 1 1 Frog's bit Family |
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HYDROPHYLLACEAE 1 1 Waterleaf Family |
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HYPERICACEAE 1 2 St. John's Wort Family |
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IRIDACEAE 2 4 Iris Family |
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JUGLANDACEAE 2 4 Walnut Family |
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JUNCACEAE 1 7 Rush Family |
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LABIATAE 14 20 Mint Family |
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LAURACEAE 1 1 Laurel Family |
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LEMNACEAE 1 1 Duckweed Family |
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LILIACEAE 14 19 Lily Family |
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LIMNANTHACEAE 1 1 False Mermaid Family |
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LOBELIACEAE 1 2 Lobellia Family |
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LYTHRACEAE 1 1 Loosestrife Family |
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MAGNOLIACEAE 1 1 Magnolia Family |
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MALVACEAE 1 1 Mallow Family |
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MENISPERMACEAE 1 1 Moonseed Family |
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MORACEAE 1 2 Mulberry Family |
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NAJADACEAE 1 1 Pondweed Family |
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OLEACEAE 4 6 Olive Family |
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ONAGRACEAE 3 5 Evening-primrose Family |
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OPHIOGLOSSACEAE 1 1 Adder'stongue Family |
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ORCHIDACEAE 2 2 Orchid Family |
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OROBANCHACEAE 1 1 Broom-rape Family |
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OSMUNDACEAE 1 1 Royal Fern Family |
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OXALIDACEAE 1 1 Wood-sorrel Family |
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PAPAVERACEAE 1 1 Poppy Family |
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PHRYMACEAE 1 1 Lopseed Family |
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PHYTOLACCACEAE 1 1 Pokeweed Family |
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PINACEAE 5 9 Pine Family |
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PLANTAGINACEAE 1 3 Plantain Family |
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PLATANACEAE 1 1 Plane-tree Family |
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POLEMONIACEAE 2 2 Phlox Family |
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POLYGONACEAE 2 9 Smartweed Family |
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POLYPODIACEAE 11 12 Polypody Family |
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PORTULACACEAE 2 3 Purslane Family |
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PRIMULACEAE 3 5 Primrose Family |
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RANUNCULACEAE 7 17 Crowfoot Family |
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RHAMNACEAE 1 2 Buckthorn Family |
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ROSACEAE 13 38 Rose Family |
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RUBIACEAE 4 10 Madder Family |
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SALICACEAE 2 16 Willow Family |
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SANTALACEAE 1 1 Sandalwood Family |
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SAURURACEAE 1 1 Lizard's-tail Family |
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SAXIFRAGACEAE 5 7 Saxifrage Family |
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SCROPHULARIACEAE13 18 Figword Family |
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SELAGINELLACEAE 1 1 Selaginella Family |
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SOLANACEAE 3 5 Nightshade Family |
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TAXACEAE 1 1 Yew Family |
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THYMELAEACEAE 2 2 Mezereum Family |
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TILIACEAE 1 2 Linden Family |
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TYPHACEAE 1 2 Cat-tail Family |
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ULMACEAE 2 5 Elm Family |
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UMBELLIFERAE 11 14 Parsley Family |
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URTICACEAE 2 2 Nettle Family |
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VERBENACEAE 1 2 Vervain Family |
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VIOLACEAE 2 11 Violet Family |
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VITACEAE 2 6 Grape Family |
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Number of families reported during the course of two centuries: 100 (Note: two families occur in the complex that do not exist on Goat Island proper: Alismataceae and Selaginellaceae.) Total number of genera reported over two centuries: 315 Total number of species reported before 1945: 399 Total number of species added to historical reports: 204 (based on field collections made since 1982). Total number of species reported over two centuries: 604 (Note: for the purposes of this study, it was considered that no one has made a systematic botanical study of the Goat Island complex after 1940 (limit of published records and herbarium specimens). The flora has been relatively unexamined until around 1982. Although some recent specimens may exist in storage at the Schoellkopf Geological Museum, it is assumed here that there are no substantial additions to the flora in those collections.]
Total species in the present flora, 1988: 403 Total species absent since 1945: 201 Conclusions: a) around half of the historic (pre-1945) flora on Goat Island and its associated islands has been extirpated. These extirpated plants are associated with the climax condition on the islands, especially the woodland flora of the central woods. Several species deliberately introduced did not remain established after 1945 or earlier. b) around half of the historic flora has been replaced by different species than originally existed in the complex. These new species are primarily horticultural, opportunistic (weeds) and successional. c) total diversity does not appear to have changed by much: the complex supports around four hundred different species of vascular plants today, as it did a century ago. Note, however, that relative abundances have changed drastically, and diversity levels vary greatly within the complex. |