a tree species will host vines is generally based on tree physiology, including branch
formation, crown shape, and leaf morphology (Putz 1984). Of the tree genera found on
the reclaimed forested wetlands, Magnolia virginiana and Taxodium spp. had the greatest
percent of trees hosting vines (Figure 6.11). Previous research suggests that the large
leaves of Magnolia virginiana may promote vine attachment, and the textured bark of
Taxodium spp. may provide attachment opportunities for the tendrils and adventitious
roots of vines (Hegarty 1989; Putz 1984). However, the high percentage of Magnolia
virginiana and Taxodium spp. hosting vines may also be an artifact of the characteristics
of where the trees are planted within the wetlands and the number of trees and basal area
of the site.

 Despite the negative effects vines are thought to impart to their trees hosts, there
 was no significant difference in the dbh of trees hosting vines or not (Figure 6.12). In
 fact, the mean dbh for a majority of the tree species hosting vines, including Acer
 rubrum, Fraxinus sp., Liquidambar styraciflua, Magnolia virginiana, Myrica cerifera,
 and Quercus laurifolia, appeared slightly greater than the mean dbh for trees of those
 same species that did not host vines.

 An additional stand characteristic relating to the occurrence of vines is tree basal
 area. Vines occurred throughout the entire range of tree basal area (Figure 6.14). The
 greatest tree basal area on the reclaimed forested wetlands was 18.22 m2/ha occurring at
 the 14-year-old SP11 site (Table 6.7). Mitsch and Gosselink (1993) compiled average
 stand statistics for riparian forested wetlands throughout the United States, and the mean
 basal areas recorded ranged from 17.7-42.0 m2/ha. Basal area at the SP11 site falls
 within that range after only 14 years. This suggests SP11 may be the "oldest" site in
 terms of structural successional development having conditions that promote tree stand
 development or this may result from greater tree densities. However there where sites
 with equivalent or greater tree densities not yet supporting basal areas within this range.

 As expected, there was greater sunlight transmittance in areas with smaller tree
basal areas. Vines occurred throughout the entire range of tree basal area and therefore
throughout the entire range of sunlight transmittance. This contradicts the widely held
theory that vines are restricted to high light environments. Jones and others (1994) found
that vines were the second most shade tolerant category of vegetation, second to shrubs.
They found that both older and younger vines had high survival rates in the shade, with
the exception of Campsis radicans.

 Many vines are intolerant of flooding during seedling establishment, but can
tolerate standing water for periods once they have become established. For example, the
woody vine Vitis spp. is relatively intolerant of flooding in the seedling stage (Jones and
others 1994). Few vine species can tolerate extended periods of inundation. Mikania
scandens was the only vine found rooted in areas of standing water as deep as 23 cm
(Figure 6.31). Mikania scandens was also the most frequent vine species found on
reclaimed forested wetland sites, occurring on 8 of the 9 chronosequence sites sampled
(Figure 6.8). Mikania scandens.prevails over a wide range of site characteristics, and has


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