1. Other criteria that should be considered for determining species replacement are: tree physiology such as growth, seed dispersal and maturity. Ecological features should be considered. Feathers such as soil type, drainage, seedbed type, and nutrients. Successional stage of the current forest should also be considered as well. Tree physiology is important to determine what species would replacement. Characteristics that allow tree species to grow fast and tall, allow for the species to be shade intolerant (Bruns and Honkala, 1990, OMNR, 1998; OMNR, 2000; Homes, 2006; Matonis et al, 2011). This characteristic is found in many pioneer species such as: Fraxinus americana, Betula papyrifera Populus tremuloides, Populus balsamifera, Populus grandidentata, all which can be found in the South Drumlin Nature area. Also, the physiology of shade tolerant trees are also as important as shade tolerant species such as Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Tusga canadensis and Ostrya virginiana are facilitators species (Bruns and Honkala, 1990, OMNR, 1998; OMNR, 2000). These species are able to facilitate the environment around them to be suitable for their own species. A study by Woods (1984) found that the canopies of some species are able to influence the area around it. Canopies from species such as Tusga canadensis and Tilia americana discriminate against other species, while the canopy from Acer saccharum favours Fagus grandifolia (Woods, 1984). Matonis et al (2011) suggest that there are multiply variations that influence gap regeneration and that great light availability would be most suitable for species such as Fraxinus americana ; Populus balsamifera, Populus grandidenta and Butula papyrifera.
Many other studies (Poulson and Plati, 1...
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...on from beavers and deer may result in the loss of the main stem. This may cause other stems to sprout out and compete for the role of the main stem (Bruns and Honkala, 1990).
The guideline used in this lab is not a reasonable one as it does not take into account density. As stated before, density can greatly influence the crown diameter of a tree. I think that a guideline that could determine the average crown diameter should include other factors such as: average density, tree height and proximity to edge. The variable “proximity to edge” is an important as trees found near exposed areas then to have larger crowns, as the tree will put more energy to lateral growth (toward direction of most sunlight ) than vertical growth. This can be seen in a study by Clark and Schlarbaum (2003) found that trees that were not shelter and then exposed to light were 65% taller.
Shortleaf pine tends to grow rather slowly in the early stages of its life when compared to its closest competitor, loblolly pine. Therefore it cannot compete for the best sites under natural regeneration, but, because of it's tolerance of a wide range of site conditions, shortleaf pine is found naturally in areas where loblolly pine will not grow effectively. It is for this reason that shortleaf pine was chosen for this site instead of loblolly. When planted artificially, it was found that after the first few years of development, shortleaf pine will match loblolly in height growth on the better sites and will surpass loblolly on the poorer sites (Harrington, 1987). Because of this, shortleaf pine is the most commonly regenerated pine in the northern and western parts of its range where the site conditions are not as ideal as in the southern part of its range.
Runkle, J. R. (1981). Gap regeneration in some old-growth forests of the eastern United States. Ecology, 62(4), 1041-1051.
These are very difficult questions for me personally to answer because I live in the Pacific Northwest, and I have seen the beauty of the old growth forests first-hand.
Redwoods were named for the color of their bark and heartwood. These trees have a high resistance to fungus and diseases due to the high tanin content in the wood. The dense, fibrous bark has an even higher content, and acts as an insulator from periodic fires which have plagued the countryside for centuries. Though these trees are immense, they have delicate foliage. The needles are narrow and sharp-pointed, and combine to form feathery sprays. The cones are an inch long and typically contain fourteen to twenty-four seeds. The older trees offspring sprout form their parents' roots in order to take advantage of the established root system.
Once the gray wolf population had declined in the National Park, many ecological impacts were observed. Without a sustainable wolf population in the park, the elk population began to take over and increase in size. Due to this increase in elk, many of the deciduous woody species began to become overgrazed. With the e...
The importance of root sprout formation with sweetgum regeneration is evident from observations made in natural stands of mixed pines and hardwoods in Georgia Piedmont that have been logged for sawtimber. In most of the stands examined, advance reproduction of sweetgum was clearly evident, accounting for 10 to 60 percent of all hardwood production.
The ecosystem I have chosen is tropical rainforest. In the following paragraphs, I am going to firstly introduced the structure of tropical rainforest in brief, with the second part of the plant ecology and last the diversity within this ecosystem.
Hartwell, Harry D., and Larry E. Johnson. Mountain Beaver Tree Injuries in Relation to Forest Regeneration. Olympia, WA: Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources, Forest Land Management Division, 1992. Print.
Perry, D. A. (1998). The Scientific Basis of Forestry, Annual Review of Ecology and System Thematic 29:435-466, Retrieved July 9, 2005 from: http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/policy_and_events/index.cfm
a) The Daintree rainforest at Cape Tribulation, in far north Queensland is diverse in many ways. It holds 12 of the 19 primitive plant families in the world (Cairns Today, 2007). The forest covers an area of 1100 square kilometres and is approximately eighty kilometres wide. This dense and luxuriant rainforest has the greatest diversity than any other in Australia and many in the world. The Daintree is also the home of rare and threatened of being extinct plant and animal species. The importance of this ecosystem is the very high. This ecosystem contributes to the overall health of this plant in many ways. The diversity contributes in the breakdown of pollution and helps to control the climate to name a few. This rainforest also is a great ‘carbon sink’. It has many photosynthesising plants and this allows the control of carbon dioxide (CO2). The plants take in the CO2 from the atmosphere and return oxygen (O2)
America’s Old Growth Forests are an endangered resource that is quickly disappearing. The ancient forests are being unnecessarily wasted, and are growing smaller and smaller with each passing moment.
Zobel BZ and Talbert JT. 1984. Applied Forest Tree Improvement. New York: Wiley and Sons.
Restate thesis: In reality forests are better left alone, forests provide the earth with a regulated climate, strong biodiversity, and good nutrient rich soil for plants to strive on.
Rainforests once covered 14% of the worlds land surface, however now it only covers a mere 6%. It is estimated that all rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. Trees are becoming more needed and used everyday. We need them cut down for many reasons such as paper and timber, while also needing them ‘untouched’ for other reasons like oxygen, we have to ask ourselves, which is more important? At the current rate, most of the rainforests are being cut down for resources like paper and timber, but less importance is being placed on main resources like oxygen.
“Healthy forests help absorb greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions that are caused by human civilization and contribute to global climate change. Without trees, more carbon and greenhouse gasses enter the...