Flora and vegetation of temporary pods of northwester Morocco

The flora and vegetation of 14 seasonal wetlands on different substrates in northwest Morocco were studied. 79 taxa were identified in 48 samples. 14 plant-community types were recognized as characteristics of these ecosystems according to their floristic composition. Principal Component Analysis of the wetlands based on their vegetation composition shows three groups: one group includes wetlands with plant communities occurring in longer flooded habitats and/or fine substrates, another group contains oligotrophic wetlands with isoetid vegetation, and a last group encompasses wetlands with ephemeral aquatic and helophytic communities.