Introduction Forest lands are a tremendously important natural resource in and to Alabama. Of Alabama’s total estimated land area of 32.6 million acres, 67 percent or 21.9 million acres of it is forested. Alabama’s forests have always and still do make a substantial and essential contribution to both the economic and environmental well-being of her citizens. Only 5% of Alabama’s forest land is publicly owned and managed by a government entity. The rest of the forest land is private property (62% is owned by families and individuals, 25% is owned by forest industry and the remaining 7% is owned by other corporate investors). Alabama’s land surface consists of eight distinct physiographic regions, each having some similarities and some differences in soils, topography and climate. Within each region, further diversity is provided through local variations in topography, soils and drainage patterns which create micro-sites within the landscape. Besides natural factors, a great deal of diversity in the landscape and forest composition occurs as the result of historical and recent human activity. Land ownership and development objectives determine the extent of land or forest manipulation in terms of appearance, age, size and shape. The degree of change to forest composition depends upon the type and amount of management, abuse or neglect that has been applied. A third factor in forest diversity comes from the adaptability of each tree species. Some species can survive and thrive under a wide variety of site conditions (generalists), while others are very restrictive in their habitat requirements (specialists). Forestry's Effects on the Alabama Economy . Forestry is Alabama's #1 industry . Forestry generates approximately $13 billion for Alabama each year . Forestry generates approximately $4.2 billion in Alabama wages each year . Over 170,000 Alabamians are employed directly or indirectly by the Forestry industry . The above statement represents about 10% of Alabama's total work force . There are over 1,100 Forest Manufacturing operations in the state . Hunting and Fishing, activities which rely heavily on Alabama's healthy forest lands, generate over $600,000 in taxes, license fees, hunting rights and equipment sales every year . The Forest industry averages $800 to $900 Million a year in capital spending in Alabama . Alabama forest product companies inject approximately $1.9 Billion into local communities in the form of payroll Forestry Presence in Alabama . Alabama currently has around 23 Billion cubic feet of timber "in the bank" . There are twice as many trees in Alabama today as there were 50 years ago . For every tree harvested in the state of Alabama, 5 are planted . Alabama forest consist of 35% pine, 45% hardwood, and 20% mixed pine and hardwood . 71% of Alabama forest are owned by private, non-industrial land owners (http://www.alaforestry.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=169&mm=resources) OBJECTIVE 1:Identify common trees without a key & identify specific or unusual species of trees or shrubs through the use of a key. Dendrology Dendrology stems from the Greek word for tree, 'Dendron', and 'ology' meaning the study of. The study of dendrology includes: identification, silvical characteristics, ranges, taxonomy, morphology and ecology. A plant is considered to be a tree if it has the following characteristics: usually has a single dominant woody stem (trunk or bole), is capable of diameter growth as a result of the vascular cambium, is a perennial plant, will reach heights over 4.5 meters. In comparison a plant is considered a shrub if: it is multi-stemmed, is capable of diameter growth as a result of the vascular cambium, is a perennial plant, height is usually less than 4.5 meters. Classification of Trees and Shrubs All trees and shrubs are separated in to two Divisions, based primarily on the flower types and seed produced. 1) Pinophyta - (also known as Gymnosperms) are the conifers. There are over 700 species world wide and include members of the Pine, Cedar, Yew, and Ginkgo families. Characteristics of Pinophyta leaves are often needle or scale-like, seeds are naked, often borne in a cone, the wood is composed primarily of tracheids, are also commonly known as evergreens however, Larches, Ginkgo, Bald-cypress and Dawn Red-wood lose their foliage each year. 2) Magnoliophyta - (also known as Angiosperms) are the broad-leaf trees and shrubs. There are over 200,000 species described in 385 families. Members of Magnoliophyta are divided into two classes. Liliopsida (monocots) include; Palms, Yuccas and Bamboos. The second class Magnoliopsida (dicots) such as: Maples, Oaks, Ashes. All have woody stems. Characteristics of Magnoliophyta leaves are simple or compound, fruit requires double-fertilzation, woody dicots have both trachea and tracheids in their wood. Reference: http://gaia.flemingc.on.ca/~dhendry/trelec.htm Websites: 100 Trees in Alabama http://www.forestry.state.al.us/TreeIDIndex.aspx?bv=5&s=1 A Key to Common trees in Alabama http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0509/ANR-0509.pdf Tree Identification Links http://gaia.flemingc.on.ca/~dhendry/tridlink.htm Arbor Day Foundation Mobile Guide http://www.arborday.org/trees/whattree/mobile/ Anatomy of a Tree http://www.arborday.org/trees/treeGuide/anatomy.cfm Objective 2: Understand forest ecology concepts & factors affecting them, including the relationship between soil & forest types, tree communities, regeneration, competition, & succession. Trees are extremely important in soil building. Their roots grow down and break up the bedrock into smaller soil particles and their fallen leaves contribute to the nutrient richness of the soil. Tree branches soften heavy rainfalls, and their roots provide a support structure within the soil, two factors that help prevent erosion. Roots are the best water absorbing structures of plants, and soil meets nearly all their water and nutrient needs. Trees depend on soil to supply four needs: stability, nutrients, water, and oxygen. Anchorage of roots is particularly important in forests to support tall, healthy trees. Soil types are a major factor in determining what types of plants will grow in a certain area. Plants use inorganic elements from the soil, such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, but the community of fungi, bacteria, and other microscopic creatures living within the soil are also vital. These living organisms help with the decomposition of dead plants and animals, breaking them down into soil. Rich Loamy Soils Some of the most magnificent of our deciduous forests are found on rich loamy soils. Rich loamy soils are usually found in flat or low lying areas. The soil is a blackish or black-brown color and is rich in organic matter (humus). The soil is usually relatively nutrient rich because every fall, the trees drop the leaves that they grew the previous spring. This vast amount of organic material contributes to the "litter layer" on forest soils. The fallen leaves are a great food source for the fungi and bacteria in the soil. These creatures slowly help the leaves to decompose, and they are eventually turned back into soil which the trees can use to grow new leaves in future seasons. The aeration of the soil also promotes the retention of water. The material at the top of the litter layer is newly fallen and recognizable. Towards the bottom, the older leaves are torn and usually covered with a slimy coating of microorganisms which feels gross, but it's vital to returning nutrients to the soil. Sandy Soils Sandy soils are relatively "newly" formed compared to other soil types. It is easy for both air and water to move between the large grains of sand, so this soil type stores water very poorly and is susceptible to drought. Sandy soils are also very nutrient deficient. The opposite problem occurs with clay soils. They are often waterlogged because the tiny clay particles are packed tightly together, making it hard for air and water to move through. Clay soils can be dense enough to make it difficult for plant roots to spread through them. Sandy soils are often associated with pines. In coniferous forests, the litter layer is made up of tough, dry needles and fallen twigs. This layer doesn't decompose easily, and remains on the ground for many years. Usually small fires burn off the fallen needles before they can decompose. http://library.thinkquest.org/17456/soilall.html http://www.nearctica.com/biomes/edf/edfintro.htm Rocky Soils A variety of rocky soils are found on hillsides and other regions of exposed rock. The dominance of the rocks leads to a thin layer of soil deficient in organic nutrients. If the rock is limestone the soil may be alkaline as well. Water drains rapidly in such areas because of the rocks and because these soils are usually found on slopes. The arid nature of the soils and the lack of nutrients lead to forests dominated by small trees dominated by pines, oaks, hickories, and junipers. Red Clay (Ultisols) Red clay soils (technically known as ultisols) are found in parts of the southeastern United States. These soils are heavy in clay and often stained rusty red or yellow because of iron or aluminum oxides. Ultisols are acidic and dominated by clay. They are deficient in nutrients and poorly aerated. Red clay soils are often covered with thick stands of various species of southern pines. http://www.nearctica.com/biomes/edf/soils.htm Tropical Rainforests Although tropical rainforests are some of the richest biomes in biodiversity, they contain some of the poorest soils of all. This is because of the torrential rains that fall regularly on these regions. The heavy rains dissolve nutrients in the soil, which then wash into streams and rivers and are carried away.