DOCSLIB.ORG

Analysis of the Composition and Structure of Eastern

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Analysis of the Composition and Structure of Eastern CURRENT COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF EASTERN HEMLOCK ECOSYSTEMS OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO AND IMPLICATIONS OF HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID INFESTATION Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Thomas Daniel Macy, B.S. Graduate Program in Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University 2012 Thesis Committee: Dr. David M. Hix, Advisor Dr. P. Charles Goebel Dr. Stephen N. Matthews Copyright by Thomas Daniel Macy 2012 ABSTRACT Ohio’s eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) ecosystems provide important ecological and economic benefits to the state. As a foundation species, eastern hemlock has a major influence on forest structure and functional processes. Eastern hemlock is also dominant in several popular outdoor recreation and tourist areas in Ohio. Since its accidental introduction in 1951 hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand; HWA), an invasive insect native to Japan, has been causing widespread mortality of eastern hemlock in an expanding portion of its range. We sampled two types of hemlock forests that occur in northeastern Ohio: hemlock swamp forests of the Huron-Erie Lake Plain physiographic region (ELP) and stream-ravine forests of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau physiographic region (GAP). Vegetation and environmental data were collected from seven mature stands in northeastern Ohio. Information on the current composition and structure of these forests will be critical for predicting potential pathways of stand development in response to the possible decline of eastern hemlock and for informing management and restoration plans. The objectives of our study were to: 1) compare the community composition and structure of eastern hemlock forest ecosystems of the ELP and GAP; 2) identify environmental factors influencing plant composition and structure; and 3) model HWA- ii induced eastern hemlock mortality and predict changes in forest composition and structure using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Event Monitor. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed clear separation between stands of the two physiographic regions based on slope percent and slope position, with stands of the ELP occupying flat bottomlands and stands of the GAP occupying middle- and upper-hillslope positions. Hierarchical cluster analysis failed to group trees, saplings, seedlings, or ground-flora by physiographic region, while multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) detected a significant difference only in the seedling stratum (p = 0.03) between physiographic regions. The plant community composition and structure of stands in the ELP and GAP were similar due to the influence of eastern hemlock, which was dominant in both the tree layer (> 55% importance value for both physiographic regions) and the sapling layer (> 47% relative density for both physiographic regions), but was absent from the seedling layer. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed species- environment relationships consistent with species life-history traits and habitat requirements. FVS analysis forecast significant decreases (p < 0.05) in the total basal area and basal area of eastern hemlock following HWA infestation in both physiographic regions. FVS predicted decreases in eastern hemlock basal area up to 80% thirty years after infestation. The potential loss of this foundation species is forecast to drastically alter forest composition, structure, and functional processes. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. David Hix, for his guidance and advice during both my undergraduate and graduate careers at Ohio State. I would also like to thank committee member Dr. Charles Goebel for providing very useful insights that improved this research. Their generosity in helping me to attend and present at various professional conferences has greatly increased my knowledge and broadened my understanding of natural systems. I would also like to thank committee member Dr. Stephen Matthews, for his interest in this research and helpful comments. I am grateful to the School of Environment and Natural Resources for the opportunity to be a teaching associate, as well as the faculty and staff for their assistance. I would like to thank the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center for awarding me a SEEDS Grant, without which, this research would not have been possible. Thank you to The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Friends of Wooster Memorial Park, The Holden Arboretum, The Nature Conservancy, and Ohio State Parks for granting me access to their properties to conduct this research. Finally, I would like to thank Sarah Adams and my family for their love and support. iv VITA 2010........................................B.S. Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife, specialization in Forestry and Wildlife Management, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University 2010 to 2012 ..........................Graduate Teaching Associate, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Environment and Natural Resources Area of Specialization: Forest Science v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Vita .......................................................................................................................................v List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ......................................................................................................................x Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Background ....................................................................................................................1 Biology and Characteristics of Hemlock .......................................................................2 Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ..............................................................................................6 Research Justification and Objectives ...........................................................................9 References ....................................................................................................................12 Chapter 2: Plant Community Composition and Structure of Eastern Hemlock Forest Ecosystems of Northeastern Ohio ......................................................................................19 Introduction ..................................................................................................................19 Study Area ...................................................................................................................21 Methods........................................................................................................................23 Vegetation ..............................................................................................................23 Environmental Attributes .......................................................................................24 Data Analyses ........................................................................................................25 Results ..........................................................................................................................29 Principal Components Analysis .............................................................................29 Plant Community Composition and Structure .......................................................29 Plant Community Diversity ...................................................................................31 vi Downed Woody Debris..........................................................................................31 Hierarchical Cluster Analysis ................................................................................32 Multi-response Permutation Procedure ..................................................................32 Redundancy Analysis.............................................................................................32 Discussion ....................................................................................................................34 References ....................................................................................................................41 Chapter 3: Modeling Hemlock Woolly Adelgid-Induced Mortality and Predicting Stand Development Using the Forest Vegetation Simulator .......................................................70 Introduction ..................................................................................................................70 Study Area ...................................................................................................................73 Methods........................................................................................................................75 Vegetation ..............................................................................................................75 Forest Vegetation Simulator ..................................................................................75 Data Analyses
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Survey of the Taxonomic and Tissue Distribution of Microsomal Binding
    Survey of the Taxonomic and Tissue Distribution of Microsomal Binding Sites for the Non-Host Selective Fungal Phytotoxin, Fusicoccin Christiane Meyer3, Kerstin Waldkötter3, Annegret Sprenger3, Uwe G. Schlösset, Markus Luther0, and Elmar W. Weiler3 a Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenphysiologie, Ruhr-Universität, D-44780 Bochum, Bundesrepublik Deutschland b Pflanzenphysiologisches Institut (SAG) der Universität, D-37073 Göttingen, Bundesrepublik Deutschland c KFA Jülich, D-52428 Jülich, Bundesrepublik Deutschland Z. Naturforsch. 48c, 595-602(1993); received June 4/July 13, 1993 Vicia faba L., Fusicoccin-Binding Sites. Taxonomie Distribution, Tissue Distribution, Guard Cell Protoplasts The recent identification of the fusicoccin-binding protein (FCBP) in plasma membranes from monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous angiosperms has opened the basis for an elucida­ tion of the toxin’s mechanism(s) of action and indicated a widespread occurrence of the FCBP in plants. Results of a detailed taxonomic survey of fusicoccin-binding sites are reported. Bind­ ing sites were not found in prokaryotes, animal tissues, fungi and algae including the most direct extant ancestors of the land plants (Coleochaete). From the Psilotales (Psilophytatae) to the monocotyledonous angiosperms, all taxa analyzed possessed high-affinity microsomal fusicoccin-binding sites. A heterogeneous picture emerged for the Bryophvta. Anthoceros cri- spulus (Anthocerotae), the only hornwort available to study, lacked fusicoccin binding. Within the Hepaticae as well as the Musci, species lacking and species exhibiting toxin binding were found. The binding site thus seems to have emerged very early in the evolution of the land plants. The tissue distribution of fusicoccin-binding sites was studied in Vicia faba L. shoots. All tissues analyzed showed fusicoccin binding, although not to the same extent.
    [Show full text]
  • Shifts in Forest Composition in the Eastern United States T ⁎ Jonathan A
    Forest Ecology and Management 433 (2019) 176–183 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Forest Ecology and Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foreco Shifts in forest composition in the eastern United States T ⁎ Jonathan A. Knotta, Johanna M. Despreza, Christopher M. Oswaltb, Songlin Feia, a Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States b USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, Knoxville, TN 37919, United States ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Forest ecosystems in the United States (U.S.) are facing major challenges such as climate change, exotic species Forest dynamics invasions, and landscape fragmentation. It is widely believed that forest composition in the eastern U.S. is Fire tolerance transitioning from shade-intolerant, fire-tolerant species to shade-tolerant, fire-intolerant species, but most Shade tolerance evidence is anecdotal or localized. No comprehensive studies exist to quantify the shifts in forest composition Mesophication across multiple genera at a regional scale. Here, we examined the genus-level compositional changes in eastern Quercus U.S. forests to: (1) quantify the extent and magnitude of this transition, and (2) assess the influence of shade and Acer fire tolerance traits on abundance change. Genus-level data were compiled from the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database across 37 states in the eastern U.S. for the last three decades. We analyzed shifts in forest composition with three metrics—stem density, basal area, and importance value—for 10 of the most abundant genera (Acer, Betula, Carya, Fraxinus, Nyssa, Pinus, Populus, Prunus, Quercus, and Ulmus). In addition, we esti- mated density-weighted fire and shade tolerances for each genus using species-level published data, assessed the shifts in spatial patterns of these traits, and analyzed the associations between these traits and county-level abundance changes.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Release of the Leaf-Feeding Moth, Hypena Opulenta (Christoph)
    United States Department of Field release of the leaf-feeding Agriculture moth, Hypena opulenta Marketing and Regulatory (Christoph) (Lepidoptera: Programs Noctuidae), for classical Animal and Plant Health Inspection biological control of swallow- Service worts, Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench and V. rossicum (Kleopow) Barbarich (Gentianales: Apocynaceae), in the contiguous United States. Final Environmental Assessment, August 2017 Field release of the leaf-feeding moth, Hypena opulenta (Christoph) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), for classical biological control of swallow-worts, Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench and V. rossicum (Kleopow) Barbarich (Gentianales: Apocynaceae), in the contiguous United States. Final Environmental Assessment, August 2017 Agency Contact: Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits Plant Protection and Quarantine Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture 4700 River Rd., Unit 133 Riverdale, MD 20737 Non-Discrimination Policy The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To File an Employment Complaint If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must contact your agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action.
    [Show full text]
  • "National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1996 National Summary."
    Intro 1996 National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands The Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared a National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1996 National Summary (1996 National List). The 1996 National List is a draft revision of the National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1988 National Summary (Reed 1988) (1988 National List). The 1996 National List is provided to encourage additional public review and comments on the draft regional wetland indicator assignments. The 1996 National List reflects a significant amount of new information that has become available since 1988 on the wetland affinity of vascular plants. This new information has resulted from the extensive use of the 1988 National List in the field by individuals involved in wetland and other resource inventories, wetland identification and delineation, and wetland research. Interim Regional Interagency Review Panel (Regional Panel) changes in indicator status as well as additions and deletions to the 1988 National List were documented in Regional supplements. The National List was originally developed as an appendix to the Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin et al.1979) to aid in the consistent application of this classification system for wetlands in the field.. The 1996 National List also was developed to aid in determining the presence of hydrophytic vegetation in the Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland regulatory program and in the implementation of the swampbuster provisions of the Food Security Act. While not required by law or regulation, the Fish and Wildlife Service is making the 1996 National List available for review and comment.
    [Show full text]
  • The Distribution and Habitat Selection of Introduced Eastern Grey Squirrels, Sciurus Carolinensis, in British Columbia
    03_03045_Squirrels.qxd 11/7/06 4:25 PM Page 343 The Distribution and Habitat Selection of Introduced Eastern Grey Squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, in British Columbia EMILY K. GONZALES Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia, Forest Sciences Centre, 3004-2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 Canada Gonzales, Emily K. 2005. The distribution and habitat selection of introduced Eastern Grey Squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis,in British Columbia. Canadian Field-Naturalist 119(3): 343-350. Eastern Grey Squirrels were first introduced to Vancouver in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia in 1909. A separate introduction to Metchosin in the Victoria region occurred in 1966. I surveyed the distribution and habitat selection of East- ern Grey Squirrels in both locales. Eastern Grey Squirrels spread throughout both regions over a period of 30 years and were found predominantly in residential land types. Some natural features and habitats, such as mountains, large bodies of water, and coniferous forests, have acted as barriers to expansion for Eastern Grey Squirrels. Given that urbanization is replacing conifer forests throughout southern British Columbia, it is predicted that Eastern Grey Squirrels will continue to spread as habitat barriers are removed. Key Words: Eastern Grey Squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, distribution, habitat selection, invasive, British Columbia. The vast majority of introduced species do not suc- such as backyards, parks, and cemeteries (Pasitschniak- cessfully establish populations in novel environments Arts and Bendell 1990). EGS co-occur with North (Williamson 1996). Many successful non-native species American Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are human comensals which thrive in human-modified throughout much of their range where habitat special- environments (Williamson and Fitter 1996; Sax and ization and not competition determines the differences Brown 2000).
    [Show full text]
  • November 27,2014 Available Description Potsize 4 Abies Alba
    November 27,2014 Available Description Potsize 4 Abies alba Barabit's Spreader- std 24"hd #3 8 Abies alba Pendula #2 4 Abies alba Pendula #3 2 Abies alba Pendula #5 13 Abies alba Pyramidalis #3 213 Abies balsamea Nana #1 8 Abies balsamea Prostrata- std 18"hd #3 5 Abies balsamea Prostrata- std 2' #3 10 Abies cephalonica Meyer's Dwarf- std 18"hd #3 2 Abies concolor Blue Cloak #3 15 Abies concolor Candicans #3 8 Abies delavayi Herford #5 2 Abies forestii var. Forestii #5 20 Abies fraseri Klein's Nest- std 18"hd #3 28 Abies homolepis Tomomi- std 18"hd #3 11 Abies John's Pool #5 5 Abies koreana Gelbunt #1 7 Abies koreana Green Carpet #5 2 Abies koreana Oberon -std #3 2 Abies lasiocarpa Green Globe- 12" std #3 24 Abies lasiocarpa Green Globe #3 3 Abies nordmanniana Munsterland- std 18"hd #3 3 Abies nordmanniana Trautmann #5 2 Abies pinsapo Glauca #1 6 Abies pinsapo Glauca Nana #3 2 Abies procera Blaue Hexe- std 8"hd #3 4 Abies procera Prostrata #3 5 Abies procera Sherwoodii #3 5 Abies procera Sherwoodii #5 8 Abies veitchii Olivaceae #3 3 Abies veitchii var. Olivaceae #5 6 Acer griseum #3 1 Acer griseum #7 47 Acer griseum- 6'tall #5 14 Albizzia julibrissin #3 1 Albizzia julibrissin Summer Chocolate #3 5 Buxus microphylla John Baldwin #3 840 Buxus microphylla John Baldwin #1 20 Buxus sempervirens Faulkner #3 1 Buxus sempervirens Green Velvet #3 10 Buxus sempervirens Raket #3 263 Buxus sempervirens Suffruticosa #1 100 Buxus sempervirens Vardar Valley #1 185 Buxus sinica var.
    [Show full text]
  • Tree Growth and Mortality , Reproductive Patterns, and Soil Characteristics in a 27 Year-Old Maple-Basswood Forest Restoration Project
    St. Olaf College Local Ecology Research Papers Tree growth and mortality , reproductive patterns, and soil characteristics in a 27 year-old maple-basswood forest restoration project Robby Holmes 2017 © Robby Holmes, 2017 “​Tree growth and mortality, reproductive patterns, and soil characteristics in a 27 year-old maple-basswood forest restoration project​” by Robby Holmes is licensed under a ​Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License​. Holmes 1 Tree growth and mortality, reproductive patterns, and soil characteristics in a 27 year-old maple-basswood forest restoration project Robby Holmes Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Shea Biology Department, St. Olaf College Northfield MN, 55057 Fall 2017 Holmes 2 Abstract Forests have been on the decline since the rise of agriculture and urbanization in the last few centuries. The maple-basswood forest, a unique forest type found in southeastern Minnesota, is no exception. Keeping these forests healthy, or restoring them to health, is important in order to preserve high levels of biodiversity to facilitate ecosystem resilience. In this study, we measured over 2000 trees at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, to assess their health and compare tree growth among four sections in two adjacent fields. We also gathered seedling and sapling data as well as soil data to assess the overall health and growth of the forests. The restoration project is dominated by white ash, with black walnut, maples, and oaks being the next most common. Sections one and two had the trees with the largest diameter, lead by red oak, white oak, and basswood, while sections three and four had higher levels of moisture and organic matter.
    [Show full text]
  • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Fact Sheet
    w Department of HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID RK 4 ATE Environmental Adelges tsugae Conservation ▐ What is the hemlock woolly adelgid? The hemlock woolly adelgid, or HWA, is an invasive, aphid-like insect that attacks North American hemlocks. HWA are very small (1.5 mm) and often hard to see, but they can be easily identified by the white woolly masses they form on the underside of branches at the base of the needles. These masses or ovisacs can contain up to 200 eggs and remain present throughout the year. ▐ Where is HWA located? HWA was first discovered in New York State in 1985 in the lower White woolly ovisacs on an Hudson Valley and on Long Island. Since then, it has spread north to eastern hemlock branch Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Capitol Region and west through the Catskill Mountains to the Bugwood.org Finger Lakes Region, Buffalo and Rochester. In 2017, the first known occurrence in the Adirondack Park was discovered in Lake George. Where does HWA come from? Native to Asia, HWA was introduced to the western United States in the 1920s. It was first observed in the eastern US in 1951 near Richmond, Virginia after an accidental introduction from Japan. HWA has since spread along the East Coast from Georgia to Maine and now occupies nearly half the eastern range of native hemlocks. ▐ What does HWA do to trees? Once hatched, juvenile HWA, known as crawlers, search for suitable sites on the host tree, usually at the base of the needles. They insert their long mouthparts and begin feeding on the tree’s stored starches.
    [Show full text]
  • Sass Forestecomgt 2018.Pdf
    Forest Ecology and Management 419–420 (2018) 31–41 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Forest Ecology and Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foreco Lasting legacies of historical clearcutting, wind, and salvage logging on old- T growth Tsuga canadensis-Pinus strobus forests ⁎ Emma M. Sassa, , Anthony W. D'Amatoa, David R. Fosterb a Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA b Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 324 N Main St, Petersham, MA 01366, USA ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Disturbance events affect forest composition and structure across a range of spatial and temporal scales, and Coarse woody debris subsequent forest development may differ after natural, anthropogenic, or compound disturbances. Following Compound disturbance large, natural disturbances, salvage logging is a common and often controversial management practice in many Forest structure regions of the globe. Yet, while the short-term impacts of salvage logging have been studied in many systems, the Large, infrequent natural disturbance long-term effects remain unclear. We capitalized on over eighty years of data following an old-growth Tsuga Pine-hemlock forests canadensis-Pinus strobus forest in southwestern New Hampshire, USA after the 1938 hurricane, which severely Pit and mound structures damaged forests across much of New England. To our knowledge, this study provides the longest evaluation of salvage logging impacts, and it highlights developmental trajectories for Tsuga canadensis-Pinus strobus forests under a variety of disturbance histories. Specifically, we examined development from an old-growth condition in 1930 through 2016 across three different disturbance histories: (1) clearcut logging prior to the 1938 hurricane with some subsequent damage by the hurricane (“logged”), (2) severe damage from the 1938 hurricane (“hurricane”), and (3) severe damage from the hurricane followed by salvage logging (“salvaged”).
    [Show full text]
  • Dry White Pine (Hemlock) Oak Forest
    Dry white pine (hemlock) oak forest This community type occurs on fairly dry sites, often with 25% or more of the forest floor covered by rocks, boulders and/or exposed bedrock. The canopy may be somewhat open and tree growth somewhat suppressed. The tree stratum is dominated by a mixture of Pinus strobus (eastern white pine), or occasionally Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock), and a mixture of dry-site hardwoods, predominantly oaks. On most sites, the conifer and the hardwood component both range between 25% and 75% of the canopy. The oak species most often associated with this type are Quercus montana (chestnut oak), and Q. alba (white oak), although Q. velutina (black oak), Q. coccinea (scarlet oak), or Q. rubra (northern red oak) may also occur. Other associated trees include Nyssa sylvatica (black-gum), Betula lenta (sweet birch), Fraxinus americana (white ash), Prunus serotina (wild black cherry), and Castanea dentata (American chestnut) sprouts. There is often a heath-dominated shrub layer with Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel) being especially important; Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry), Vaccinium spp. (blueberries), and Kalmia angustifolia (sheep laurel) are also common. Other shrubs, like Cornus florida (flowering dogwood), Hamamelis virginiana (witch-hazel), Viburnum acerifolium (maple-leaved viburnum) may also occur on less acidic sites. There is typically a sparse herbaceous layer with a northern affinity; Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla), Pteridium aquilinum (bracken fern), Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower), Gaultheria procumbens (teaberry), Trientalis borealis (star-flower), and Medeola virginiana (Indian cumber-root) are typical. The successional status of this type seems variable, in some cases, especially on harsher sites, it appears relatively stable, in other cases it appears to be transitional.
    [Show full text]
  • An Ecological Classification of Groundwater-Fed
    ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF GROUNDWATER-FED SEEPAGE WETLANDS OF THE MARYLAND COASTAL PLAIN By Jason W. Harrison Wildlife and Heritage Service Maryland Department of Natural Resources 909 Wye Mills Rd. Wye Mills, Maryland 21679 410-827-8612 ext. 109 [email protected] Wesley M. Knapp Wildlife and Heritage Service Maryland Department of Natural Resources 909 Wye Mills Rd. Wye Mills, Maryland 21679 410-827-8612 ext. 100 [email protected] June 2010 (updated February 2015) Prepared for United States Fish and Wildlife Service Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford Lt. Governor Mark J. Belton Acting Secretary The facilities and services of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are available to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or physical or mental disability. This document is available in an alternative format upon request from a qualified individual with a disability. Toll free in Maryland: 1-877-620-8DNR ext. 3 Out of State call: 1-410-260-8540 TTY users call via the MD Relay www.dnr.maryland.gov Printed on recycled paper Citation: Harrison, J.W., W.M. Knapp. 2010. Ecological classification of groundwater-fed wetlands of the Maryland Coastal Plain. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis, MD. June 2010. 98 pp. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ..............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Why Are Evergreen Leaves So Contrary About Shade?
    Opinion Why are evergreen leaves so contrary about shade? Christopher H. Lusk1*, Peter B. Reich2*, Rebecca A. Montgomery2, David D. Ackerly3 and Jeannine Cavender-Bares4 1 Department of Biological Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia 2 Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA 3 Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA 4 Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA Leaf mass per area (LMA) is one of the most widely spectrum (low photosynthetic capacity and respiration measured of all plant functional traits. In deciduous rates, low nitrogen concentrations and long leaf lifespan) forests, there is similarity between plastic and evolution- are not only found in inherently slow-growing species (e.g. ary responses of LMA to light gradients. In evergreens, many evergreen conifers such as Podocarpus and Picea) however, LMA is lower in shaded than sunlit individuals [7,9,10] but are often also expressed within species when of the same species, whereas shade-tolerant evergreens grown in environments unfavorable for rapid growth have higher LMA than light-demanders grown under the [10,11]. For example, leaf lifespan is often longer in shaded same conditions. We suggest that this pattern of ‘coun- individuals than in those grown in brighter light [12,13], ter-gradient variation’ results from some combination of just as it tends to be longer in shade-tolerant species (i) close evolutionary coordination of LMA with leaf adapted to late-successional habitats than in light- lifespan, (ii) selection for different leaf constitutions demanding species, which normally establish under open (relative investment in cell walls versus cell contents) conditions [11,14,15].
    [Show full text]