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Author: Raleigh Dean Ricart Publisher: ISBN: Category : Forest ecology Languages : en Pages : 221
Book Description
The drivers of plant diversity and community composition are often influenced by deterministic mechanisms, such as existing environmental conditions, including landscape-level topographic features. In addition, evidence suggests that stochastic mechanisms can also play a critical role in plant community assemblage. Therefore, I investigated how diversity and composition are distributed through space in a mid- successional mixed hardwood forest in northern lower Michigan, USA. This region has been heavily influenced by its glacial past, which resulted in geographically and abiotically distinct glacial landforms that have been shown to influence spatial dynamics of forest communities. Vegetation sampling plots (n=87) were established at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS). Vegetation data of the overstory (>9cm dbh), sapling (1.5-9cm dbh) and groundcover (% cover) layers were collected. Abiotic variables, including elevation, pH, and soil nutrients, were collected in a subset of plots (n=40). I conducted various multivariate statistical analyses to assess the difference in plant communities and abiotic condition, including ANOVA, Variation Partitioning, PERMANOVA, NMDS, and RDA. Variation Partitioning results demonstrated that both deterministic and stochastic mechanisms influenced the community composition of all vegetation layers, however the overstory was mostly influenced by stochastic mechanisms, while the sapling and groundcover layers were opposite. ANOVA results showed strong differences in diversity between glacial landforms. Additionally, PERMANOVA and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) showed strong differences in community composition between the glacial landforms. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) revealed a strong influence of abiotic variables on composition, with the strongest effects coming from elevation and O horizon depth (O_depth). My findings indicate a large influence of glacial landforms on the production and maintenance of local plant diversity and community composition in this area. Plant diversity and composition are also strongly influenced by successional dynamics following a disturbance event. Moreover, spatial and temporal dynamics are interactive, and rates of successional advancement can be variable depending on underlying spatial gradients. I investigated how diversity and composition are distributed through time using the same system and vegetation data described above. However, vegetation sampling plots were censused in 1990 and again in 2015, which allowed for me to track compositional change over a 25-year-period. ANOVA results showed relatively stable levels of species diversity between census periods. In addition, PERMANOVA results revealed very little difference in community composition over the twenty-five-year period. Furthermore, we found no evidence of differences in successional rates between landforms. My findings suggest that successional dynamics may manifest themselves over much longer time periods in these northern biomes. Finally, I tested the effects of competition of Pteridium aquilinum (“bracken” fern) on the growth and survival of two prominent tree seedlings, Pinus strobus and Acer saccharum. Furthermore, I was interested in how above- and belowground competition from bracken varied across a fertility gradient. Twelve plots were established in four bracken-dominated stands at the UMBS. Seedlings of both species were subjected to one of the following treatments: aboveground competition removal, belowground competition removal, above- and belowground competition removal, and control. Each replicate was a split-plot design, where the soil fertility in half of the plot was altered using nitrogen fertilizer. Differences across collected variables were analyzed using ANOVA. Bracken had an overall negative effect on the growth of both seedlings, with significantly lower values for Relative Growth Rate in both shoot and root biomass under full bracken- competition treatments. There was no difference between fertility treatments, suggesting that competitive strategy does not change with increased availability of soil nitrogen. Finally, there was a significant difference between the overall performance of the two species, where P. strobus outperformed A. saccharum across most of the collected variables. This suggests a possible species-specific “filtering effect” of bracken that may have long-term consequences for the composition of future forests in the area.
Author: Raleigh Dean Ricart Publisher: ISBN: Category : Forest ecology Languages : en Pages : 221
Book Description
The drivers of plant diversity and community composition are often influenced by deterministic mechanisms, such as existing environmental conditions, including landscape-level topographic features. In addition, evidence suggests that stochastic mechanisms can also play a critical role in plant community assemblage. Therefore, I investigated how diversity and composition are distributed through space in a mid- successional mixed hardwood forest in northern lower Michigan, USA. This region has been heavily influenced by its glacial past, which resulted in geographically and abiotically distinct glacial landforms that have been shown to influence spatial dynamics of forest communities. Vegetation sampling plots (n=87) were established at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS). Vegetation data of the overstory (>9cm dbh), sapling (1.5-9cm dbh) and groundcover (% cover) layers were collected. Abiotic variables, including elevation, pH, and soil nutrients, were collected in a subset of plots (n=40). I conducted various multivariate statistical analyses to assess the difference in plant communities and abiotic condition, including ANOVA, Variation Partitioning, PERMANOVA, NMDS, and RDA. Variation Partitioning results demonstrated that both deterministic and stochastic mechanisms influenced the community composition of all vegetation layers, however the overstory was mostly influenced by stochastic mechanisms, while the sapling and groundcover layers were opposite. ANOVA results showed strong differences in diversity between glacial landforms. Additionally, PERMANOVA and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) showed strong differences in community composition between the glacial landforms. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) revealed a strong influence of abiotic variables on composition, with the strongest effects coming from elevation and O horizon depth (O_depth). My findings indicate a large influence of glacial landforms on the production and maintenance of local plant diversity and community composition in this area. Plant diversity and composition are also strongly influenced by successional dynamics following a disturbance event. Moreover, spatial and temporal dynamics are interactive, and rates of successional advancement can be variable depending on underlying spatial gradients. I investigated how diversity and composition are distributed through time using the same system and vegetation data described above. However, vegetation sampling plots were censused in 1990 and again in 2015, which allowed for me to track compositional change over a 25-year-period. ANOVA results showed relatively stable levels of species diversity between census periods. In addition, PERMANOVA results revealed very little difference in community composition over the twenty-five-year period. Furthermore, we found no evidence of differences in successional rates between landforms. My findings suggest that successional dynamics may manifest themselves over much longer time periods in these northern biomes. Finally, I tested the effects of competition of Pteridium aquilinum (“bracken” fern) on the growth and survival of two prominent tree seedlings, Pinus strobus and Acer saccharum. Furthermore, I was interested in how above- and belowground competition from bracken varied across a fertility gradient. Twelve plots were established in four bracken-dominated stands at the UMBS. Seedlings of both species were subjected to one of the following treatments: aboveground competition removal, belowground competition removal, above- and belowground competition removal, and control. Each replicate was a split-plot design, where the soil fertility in half of the plot was altered using nitrogen fertilizer. Differences across collected variables were analyzed using ANOVA. Bracken had an overall negative effect on the growth of both seedlings, with significantly lower values for Relative Growth Rate in both shoot and root biomass under full bracken- competition treatments. There was no difference between fertility treatments, suggesting that competitive strategy does not change with increased availability of soil nitrogen. Finally, there was a significant difference between the overall performance of the two species, where P. strobus outperformed A. saccharum across most of the collected variables. This suggests a possible species-specific “filtering effect” of bracken that may have long-term consequences for the composition of future forests in the area.
Author: Nina Katherine Lany Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 226
Book Description
A long-standing focus of ecology is to understand how abiotic factors as well as species interactions shape food web structure. This topic has increasing societal relevance as global temperatures increase. In this research, I performed field tests of three main hypothesis of the effects of temperature on the physiology and phenology of interacting species: 1) that the effect of temperature on the body velocity of predators will have the greatest effect on consumer-resource interactions, 2) that temperature-driven variation in nutrient content can cause the synchronous fluctuations of a diverse community of primary consumers, and 3) that changes in temperature can decouple the phenological synchrony of predator and prey. These studies generally supported predictions that arise from the general effects of temperature on biological rates, with some important qualifications. I found that the effects of temperature on the body velocity of predators measured in the field had an effect on consumer-resource interactions consistent with theoretical models of the temperature sensitivity of predator-prey interactions. Consistent with predictions from ecological stoichiometry, the nitrogen content of leaves was typically reduced at higher temperatures, and this reduction in nutrient content had strong effects on the abundance of primary consumers. However, this thesis revealed additional important factors that should be considered when evaluating the effects of temperature on species interactions. Heterogeneity of mortality risk, for example due to habitat structure and patchiness of predators, lessened top-down control and could prevent the total suppression of prey at warmer temperatures predicted by theoretical models. Species diversity was also important in buffering the potentially negative effects of increased temperatures on food webs. Variation among host species in the nutrient content of leaves lessened fluctuations in aggregate biomass of herbivores, increasing the stability of abundance of primary consumers. A diverse prey base also buffered against a phenological mismatch in the timing of breeding of a migratory songbird and peak food availability for their young.
Author: Aaron M. Ellison Publisher: MDPI ISBN: 3039213091 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 274
Book Description
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Causes and Consequences of Species Diversity in Forest Ecosystems that was published in Forests
Author: Richard Condit Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 9783540641445 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 236
Book Description
By way of a summary of all the data collected by the mapping teams, I will review what is entered on each of the data sheets. The map sheet was already de scribed in some detail (Fig. 2.2.1A), and includes a circle or a point for the location of each tree and the tree's tag number (the last three or four digits) written next to it. The range of tag numbers used in the quadrat should be written at the top of the sheet. The main data sheet is where most other information about each individual is recorded (Fig. 2.2.1B). As for all sheets, the quadrat number, the first date a quadrat is censused, and the mappers' names are recorded at the top. For each plant, there are blanks for the following information: subquadrat number, tag number, species name, dbh, codes, and problems. Subquadrat number and tag number are straight forward. Size in millimeters is entered in the dbh column, except for multiple stemmed plants or big trees, which get a blank dbh on the main data sheet. Species identification will be handled by separate taxonomy teams (chapter 2.3), but map pers should enter a species name if they know it.
Author: M. R. Ahuja Publisher: Springer ISBN: 9783319882420 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
This book provides complete, comprehensive, and broad subject-based reviews for students, teachers, researchers, policymakers, conservationists, and NGOs interested in the biodiversity and conservation of woody plants. Forests cover approximately 31 percent of the world’s total landmass; 93 percent is natural forest and only 7 percent consists of planted trees. Forest decline is progressing at an alarming rate worldwide. In addition to human activities (logging, deforestation, and exploiting forest lands for agriculture and industrial use), a number of other factors – including pests and diseases, drought, soil acidity, radiation, and ozone – are cumulatively contributing to global forest decline. The present situation forces us to focus on forest conservation strategies for the present and future. Gene conservation and maintaining genetic diversity in forest ecosystems are crucial to the preservation of forest genetic resources. This calls for integrated action to implement both the in situ (on site) preservation of forest stands and ex situ (distant from the original site) strategies for the conservation of woody plants’ genetic resources. Selected priority areas include: 1) assessing patterns of genetic diversity and threats, 2) understanding the biological processes regulating genetic diversity, 3) assessing the impact of human activities and climate change on genetic diversity, and 5) finding methods for prioritizing species and populations for the conservation of forest trees genetic resources. All chapters were written by leading scientists in their respective fields, which include: woody plant diversity, ecology and evolution; assessment of genetic diversity in forest tree populations; conservation planning under climate change; and in situ and ex situ strategies, including biotechnological approaches, for the conservation of woody plants genetic resources.
Author: Therese M. Poland Publisher: Springer Nature ISBN: 3030453677 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 455
Book Description
This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.
Author: Dan Binkley Publisher: Springer ISBN: 9781402034466 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 358
Book Description
Almost 50% of the total area of Austria is forested, and the forests are dominated by commercially valuable stands of Norway spruce ( (Picea abies). The few remaining forests that resemble the natural vegetation composition are located in forest reserves with restricted management. These natural forests are used as reference systems for evaluating silvicultural research on sustainable forest management. Natural forests are expected to have high biodiversity, where the structural richness of the habitat enables complex relationships between fauna, flora, and microflora. They also provide refugia for rare plants and animals found only in natural forest types. Austria had 180 of these forest reserves up to the year 2003. Most of these forests are privately owned, and owners are compensated by the government for loss of income associated with conservation status. The Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forest Ecosystems (MCPFE) has launched a world-wide network of protected forest areas which should cover all major forest types (MCPFE and UNECE/FAO, 2003). The sites selected for our investigation of soil conditions and communities were chosen by vegetation ecologists and soil scientists. The stands have developed under natural competition conditions with no management interventions. All sites were well documented with known forest history. Our set of sites spans gradients of environmental conditions as well as species composition, providing a realistic evaluation of the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors.
Author: Raleigh Dean Ricart
Author: Raleigh Dean Ricart
Author: Nina Katherine Lany
Author: Aaron M. Ellison
Author: Ching-Rong Lin
Author: Adrien Claude Finzi
Author: Christel Kern
Author: Richard Condit
Author: M. R. Ahuja
Author: Therese M. Poland
Author: Dan Binkley