scholarly journals A proposed microcosm for landscape ecology – beyond the binary to the patch-mosaic model

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda F. Wiersma ◽  
Rachel D. Wigle ◽  
R. Troy McMullin
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Ecology ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Realistic Model ◽  
Rock Surface ◽  
Limited Area ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
The North ◽  
Patch Mosaic ◽  
North And South

AbstractBackgroundMicrocosms such as pitcher plants, or patches of mosses on a rock surface, have been used worldwide to allow for manipulative experiments that test hypotheses for patterns observed at larger extents, such as dispersal or community assemblage. Such microcosms can also be applied to questions in landscape ecology, but are limited by their binary (patch/non-patch structure). Here we examine a more realistic model landscape system that shares the patch-mosaic structure common to kilometres-extent landscapes. This system of lichen thalli on tree trunks has been shown to have consistent spatial patterns across replicate microcosms, but only when sampling within a limited area. To be relevant for experimentation across scales, it is necessary to determine whether previously observed patterns are consistent when sampling across a broader region and when using different tree species. Here, we test for consistent landscape patch pattern in both maco- and micro-lichens across 21 balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) trees.MethodsWe measured spatial pattern of lichen thalli along the trunks of two species of trees, at two spatial resolutions; trees within a single stand (∼100 × 50 m) and trees dispersed across a larger region (500 km2). We used a “lichen ladder” comprised of 5 10 × 10 cm sampling blocks to quantify number of species and individuals in a 50 cm section of the tree trunk. We tested for similar patterns along the trunk and between the north and south sides at both sampling intensities using perMANOVA.ResultsWe find that lichen patches on tree trunks can function as replicate microscoms for landscape ecology. Patterns of thalli along the trunks of trees and between the north and south aspects of the trunk are statistically significantly consistent, although there is variation between tree species, and groups of lichens included. Our microcosm could be used as a model system for landscape ecology research; but researchers should test for consistent patterns first.

Serial slaughter: the development of the north Norwegian sealing fleet: 1859–1909

Polar Record ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell-G. Kjær
Keyword(s):  
Limited Area ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The North ◽  
Svalbard Reindeer ◽  
Denmark Strait ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
North And South ◽  
Species Being

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the growth and development of the sealing industry of northern Norway from 1859 to 1909 and is based largely on hunting returns and shipping records of the Tromsø fleet. Arctic hunting operations displayed remarkable diversity across the years and the ascendancy of sealing only emerged towards the end of the 19th century. The paper shows how the fleet increased in size despite the lack of capital in northern Norway for investment in new vessels and how hunting grew in significance as a commercial operation following the introduction of modern hunting techniques and better weapons. The fleet increased almost eightfold, from 6 vessels in 1859 to 46 in 1909 while the harvest of seals increased from less than 1500 to over 30000 animals annually. The geographical range of the hunting grounds expanded correspondingly from a limited area around Jan Mayen and the west coast of Spitsbergen to a huge area which included the western ice (north and south of Jan Mayen), the northern ice (Svalbard), the eastern ice (Kola Peninsula to Novaya Zemlya, the White Sea), Zemlya Frantsa-Isoifa [Franz Joseph Land], the Denmark Strait and northeast Greenland. The species composition of the harvest underwent a remarkable series of transitions, one species being replaced by another as local stocks became successively depleted. Thus, it was dominated numerically first by Svalbard reindeer and walrus, then beluga whales and then cod before finally consisting largely of polar bears, bottlenose whales and seals. Owners and skippers responded to reductions in numbers by searching for new hunting grounds and, in doing so, sailed further north, then east and then west than ever before, coincidentally making a series of historical voyages of discovery. By the end of these five decades sloops had largely been replaced by ketch rigged diesel sealers, these being an assortment of new, salvaged and second hand foreign ships.

Fire return intervals and tree species succession in the North Shore region of eastern Quebec

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1621-1633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Bouchard ◽  
David Pothier ◽  
Sylvie Gauthier
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Forest Succession ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
The North ◽  
Species Succession ◽  
South Axis

We evaluated geographic variations in mean fire return intervals and postfire forest succession within a 66 497 km2 land area located in the eastern Quebec boreal forest. Fire return intervals were calculated using a time since last fire map for 1800–2000, and forest dynamics were studied by superimposing 3204 forest inventory plots onto the fire map. Mean fire return interval proved significantly shorter in the western part of the study area, at 270 years, compared with the eastern part, where it was probably more than 500 years. The two main tree species in the study area were balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) P. Mill.) and black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP). Balsam fir abundance increased progressively as a function of time since fire, whereas black spruce abundance increased during the first 90 years after fire and then declined. Balsam fir was significantly more abundant in the southeastern portion of the study area, which we attribute to the combined limitations imposed by temperature along the north–south axis and by fire along the east–west axis. Large forest patches (i.e., ≥200 km2) dominated by early successional tree species, within a matrix of irregular black spruce – balsam fir mixtures, are an important feature of preindustrial forest landscapes in this region.

scholarly journals Contrasting Litter Nutrient and Metal Inputs and Soil Chemistry among Five Common Eastern North American Tree Species

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 613
Author(s):  
Neil F. J. Ott ◽  
Shaun A. Watmough
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Base Cations ◽  
Forest Composition ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Yellow Birch

Forest composition has been altered throughout Eastern North America, and changes in species dominance may alter nutrient cycling patterns, influencing nutrient availability and distribution in soils. To assess whether nutrients and metals in litterfall and soil differed among sites influenced by five common Ontario tree species (balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.), white pine (Pinus strobus L.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.)), litterfall and soil chemistry were measured at a managed forest in Central Ontario, Canada. Carbon (C) and macronutrient (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg)) inputs in litterfall varied significantly among sites, primarily due to differences in litterfall mass, which was greatest in deciduous-dominated sites, while differences in elemental concentrations played relatively minor roles. Trace metal inputs in litterfall also varied, with much higher zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in litterfall within yellow birch dominated stands. Mineral soil oxide composition was very similar among sites, suggesting that differences in soil chemistry were influenced by forest composition rather than parent material. Litter in deciduous-dominated stands had lower C/N, and soils were less acidic than conifer-dominated sites. Deciduous stands also had much shorter elemental residence times in the organic horizons, especially for base cations (Ca, Mg, K) compared with conifer-dominated sites, although total soil nutrient pools were relatively consistent among sites. A change from stands with greater conifer abundance to mixed hardwoods has likely led to more rapid cycling of elements in forests, particularly for base cations. These differences are apparent at small scales (100 m2) in mixed forests that characterize many forested regions in Eastern North America and elsewhere.

Substrate type and the distribution of sugar maple at its elevational limit in the White Mountains, New Hampshire

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason D Demers ◽  
Thomas D Lee ◽  
James P Barrett
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Range Limit ◽  
Substrate Type ◽  
Yellow Birch

The relationships between tree species distribution and substrate characteristics were examined at the upper elevational limit of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. Four tree species were studied: sugar maple, balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton). At 51 individual trees (>=2.5 cm diameter at breast height) of each species, "substrate type" was described based on the parent material, soil horizons, depth and texture of the B and C horizons, nature of surface boulders, and the depth to and type of impermeable layer. Substrate type was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with tree species. Sugar maple was relatively more frequent on deep fine and compact tills, less frequent on washed or shallow till, and absent on shallow, organic, or grus (weathered granite) substrates. Red spruce, balsam fir, and yellow birch were less sensitive to substrate type. Red spruce and yellow birch were most frequent on organic material or grus over rock. Balsam fir most frequently occurred on washed till. As the frequency of substrates favorable to sugar maple declined with elevation, it is possible that the upper elevational range limit of this species is influenced by substrate availability.

scholarly journals Comparative growth trends of five northern hardwood and montane tree species reveal divergent trajectories and response to climate

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 743-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra M. Kosiba ◽  
Paul G. Schaberg ◽  
Shelly A. Rayback ◽  
Gary J. Hawley
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Heat Index ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Yellow Birch

In the northeastern United States, tree declines associated with acid deposition induced calcium depletion have been documented, notably for red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). There is conflicting evidence concerning whether co-occurring tree species capitalized on these declines or suffered similar growth reductions and on how growth has fluctuated relative to environmental variables. We examined five species along three elevational transects on Mt. Mansfield, Vermont: sugar maple, red spruce, red maple (Acer rubrum L.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton), and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.). We found baseline differences in growth. Red maple and yellow birch had the highest growth, sugar maple and red spruce had intermediate growth, and balsam fir had the lowest growth. While some year-to-year declines were associated with specific stress events, protracted patterns such as recent increases in red spruce and red maple growth were correlated with increased temperature and cooling degree days (heat index). For most species and elevations, there was a positive association between temperature and growth but a negative association with growth in the following year. Based on our comparisons, for some species, growth at Mt. Mansfield aligns with regional trends and suggests that patterns assessed here may be indicative of the broader region.

scholarly journals Simulated winter warming has negligible effects on germination success of Acadian Forest tree species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Robert Vaughn ◽  
Anthony R. Taylor ◽  
David A. MacLean ◽  
Loïc D'Orangeville
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Winter Warming ◽  
Germination Success ◽  
Acadian Forest

Dormant seeds that require long periods of cold stratification to become germinable may be most sensitive to increases in winter temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change. In this study, we used outdoor plots with infrared heaters to simulate the effects of projected winter warming (+6°C) for Canada’s Acadian Forest Region and compared seed germination success of tree species with varying stratification requirements. We evaluated four seedlots each of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), white pine (Pinus strobus L.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton). Three central findings emerged from this study: (1) none of the tested species were significantly affected by warming; (2) the random effect of seedlot explained more variation in germination success of deciduous species than it did for conifers; and (3) balsam fir seedlots exhibited considerable differences in their response to warming, implying intraspecific variation in depth of dormancy. These results suggest seed germination success of the tested tree species may not be impeded by their individual seed characteristics under the magnitude of winter warming projected over the coming century in our study area.

Author response for "Geological and geophysical differences between the north and south sections of the Yap trench‐arc system and their relationship with Caroline Ridge subduction"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng‐Long Xia ◽  
Yan‐Peng Zheng ◽  
Bao‐Hua Liu ◽  
Qing‐Feng Hua ◽  
Kai Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Author Response ◽  
Ridge Subduction ◽  
The North ◽  
North And South
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