Demographic Responses of Herb Layer Species to Experimental Canopy Gaps in a Northern Hardwoods Forest

Collins, Beverly; Pickett, Steward T. A.

doi:10.2307/2260604

Cited by 93 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Our results confirmed similar findings recorded in natural and managed forests [6,12,13,30]. In an American beech forest, a herbaceous cover increase has already been noticed in small gaps resulting of single tree falls [37].…”

Section: Species Richness and Species Profilesupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In an American beech forest, a herbaceous cover increase has already been noticed in small gaps resulting of single tree falls [37]. As shown in other studies, gaps are critical for establishment, growth and reproduction of plant species [12,13]. Our study clearly showed that the higher species richness observed in forest gaps resulted from two phenomenons: the survival of the understorey species through disturbance and the establishment of new species after disturbance [27,52,53].…”

Section: Species Richness and Species Profilesupporting

confidence: 77%

“…The effect of such canopy gaps on the tree regeneration has received some attention, particularly in natural and managed forest of North America [3,11,48]. However, the effect of canopy gaps on the ground layer vegetation has been less studied, and studies have focused on small to medium gaps, produced by the fall of a single tree or groups of trees, ranging from several square meters to about 2000 m 2 [12,13,23,37]. Those studies showed that plant richness increases already in small gaps.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gaps promote plant diversity in beech forests (Luzulo-Fagetum), North Vosges, France

2005

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-Windstorms are major disturbance factors in temperate forests of Western Europe. With climatic changes those events are likely to become more frequent. The study of their impacts on plant communities is essential. Therefore our objective was to evaluate the differences of the plant community after the 1999 windstorm that blew down approximately 968 000 ha across France. This study took place in the North Vosges (36 800 ha destroyed). The differences in species diversity, resource requirements and functional plant traits were analysed, with floristic surveys, between undisturbed forest (10 plots) and gaps ranging from 250 m 2 and 1.8 ha (65 plots). The results showed a higher plant diversity in the gaps. This increase was mainly due to the presence of more light-requiring forest species and more species with high dispersal abilities (anemochorous or long-term persistent seedbank species). On the contrary, species with greater competitive abilities increased their cover and decreased the diversity. The other resource requirements were not modified in the gaps. This short-term study showed that functional traits and their interactions play a major role to determine the species composition in gaps, especially compared to the species requirements for the resources, except light. forest gaps / vegetation changes / species diversity / functional traits / Ellenberg indicator valuesRésumé -Les trouées favorisent la diversité végétale en hêtraie (Luzulo-Fagetum), dans les Vosges du Nord, France. Les tempêtes sont un facteur perturbateur principal des forêts tempérées d'Europe de l'Ouest. Suite aux changements climatiques, celles-ci deviennent de plus en plus fréquentes. Il apparaît essentiel de mieux comprendre leurs impacts sur les communautés végétales. Notre objectif était donc d'étudier les variations de la communauté végétale, en terme de diversité spécifique, d'exigences écologiques et de traits de vie des espèces. Cette étude fait suite à la tempête de 1999 ayant ravagé la France et provoqué des chablis massifs de l'ordre de 968 000 ha, dont 36 800 ha dans les Vosges du Nord. Des relevés de végétation ont été réalisés, dans une hêtraie des Vosges du Nord, dans 65 placettes au sein de trouées de 250 m 2 à 1,8 ha et dans 10 placettes sous forêt non perturbée. Les résultats ont mis en évidence une plus grande diversité végétale au sein des trouées. Cette augmentation résultait essentiellement d'une augmentation du nombre d'espèces forestières héliophiles (telles que les espèces de lisières) et d'espèces à grande capacité de dissémination (espèces anemochores ou à banque de graines permanente). Par contre, le recouvrement des espèces à plus grande capacité compétitrice augmente, ce qui provoque une diminution de la diversité. Les autres caractéristiques écologiques de la communauté végétale ont été peu modifiées par l'apparition des trouées. Cette étude à court terme a mis en évidence que la composition spécifique des trouées résulte essentiellement des traits fonctionnels et leur interaction, surtout en comp...

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Section: Species Richness and Species Profilesupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Species Richness and Species Profilesupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gaps promote plant diversity in beech forests (Luzulo-Fagetum), North Vosges, France

2005

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“…Also the growth and the species richness of the understory vegetation in forest areas appears closely linked to the amount of PAR reaching the bottom of the tree canopy (e.g. Collins et al 1985Collins et al , 1988Chazdon and Pearcy 1991;Kriebitzsch 1992;Reader and Bricker 1992;Pukkala et al 1993). Thus, species diversity in the forest ecosystem may actually become increased by needle loss.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shedding of older needle age classes does not necessarily reduce photosynthetic primary production of Norway spruce

Beyschlag¹,

Ryel²,

Dietsch³

1994

Trees

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Abstract. The hypothesis that the frequently observed shedding of older needle age classes in stands of Norway spruce suffering from atmospheric pollutants has minimal effect on photosynthetic primary production was assessed. Using structural parameters of young Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] trees, an existing 3-dimensional canopy photosynthesis model was adapted and validated for conifer canopies. This model was employed to quantitatively demonstrate that, depending on the stand density, the loss in photosynthetic active foliage area may be compensated by higher photosynthetic rates of the remaining younger foliage age classes due to higher levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) within the thinned tree crowns. Under certain circumstances, beneficial effects on the tree's water use efficiency may be expected. Extrapolating the model results to mature tree stands is addressed. The potential effects of higher PAR levels on abundance and species diversity of the epiphytic and understory vegetation, as well as the general importance of the older foliage age classes for spruce trees on a long term scale, are discussed.

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“…Current works emphasize habitat comparisons of old growth forest to younger forests Franklin 1991, Arsenault andBradfield 1995), gap dynamics (Collins andPickett 1988, Mladenoff 1990;Philips and Shure 1990) and habitat change along edge gradients (Chen et. a/.…”

Section: ~~~mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological characteristics of forest remnants left by wildfire

DeLong¹

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Increased awareness of the key ecological role of natural disturbance in maintaining ecological integrity and function coupled with forest harvesting becoming a dominant disturbance process has lead to an increasing desire to study natural disturbance at multiple scales. The eventual goal is to design harvesting regimes that achieve the ecological conditions that are maintained in nature by natural disturbance. Legacies of natural disturbance such as unburned forest remnants left by wildfire commonly occur scattered throughout large wildfires. The objective of this dissertation is to develop a better understanding of the role of unburned forest remnants in providing ecological diversity and sources of natural conifer regeneration.Two separate studies were undertaken. The first study characterized remnant habitats and compared them to large contiguous patches of remnant free young, mature and old forest. The second study examined post-fire recruitment surrounding remnant patches ofDouglas-fir.Remnants could be discriminated from other stand types based on measures of tree and snag density. Some remnants displayed a unique unevenaged lodgepole pine regeneration structure compared to other stand types. Differences between remnants and other stand types appear to stem from the influence of the wildfire through which they survived. Remnants displayed high variability in all ecological variables examined which appears to relate to the variable influence of wildfire on them. Remnants share many ecological characteristics with old forest and thus could provide some of the same functions. Douglas-fir remnants provide a positive influence on Douglas-fir recruitment in the post fire regenerating forest.Patches of mature forest left in managed cutovers could serve similar functions as wildfire remnants. However, selection and management criteria must be developed to ensure that the ecological characteristics of wildfire remnants are duplicated within these 111 reserves. The alternate regeneration dynamics demonstrated by some remnants could provide a model for the development of an alternate silviculture system for lodgepole pine dominated stands.

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Demographic Responses of Herb Layer Species to Experimental Canopy Gaps in a Northern Hardwoods Forest

Cited by 93 publications

References 29 publications

Gaps promote plant diversity in beech forests (Luzulo-Fagetum), North Vosges, France

Gaps promote plant diversity in beech forests (Luzulo-Fagetum), North Vosges, France

Shedding of older needle age classes does not necessarily reduce photosynthetic primary production of Norway spruce

Ecological characteristics of forest remnants left by wildfire

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