Long-term effects of smelter pollution at Sudbury, Ontario, on forest community composition

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (19) ◽  
pp. 2123-2140 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Freedman ◽  
T. C. Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Soil Toxicity ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Ground Flora ◽  
Vigorous Growth ◽  
Remnant Forest

Forest communities were quantitatively analyzed along a south-southeast transect from a large, 70- to 80-year-old smelter complex near Sudbury, Ontario. None currently exist within 3 km SSE of this smelter. At distances of up to 8 km, pockets of remnant forest communities of various sizes occur, mainly on protected slopes and in valley bottoms. Most hilltops are bare of vegetation, denuded of soil, and blackened from the effects of sulfur dioxide fumigations. Beyond this distance, the forests are more or less continuous, although there are still some bare hilltops as far as 15 km from the smelter. The forests which do occur are relatively depauperate in terms of tree diversity and biomass at the closer sites. Similar effects on the ground flora are also documented, although the forest canopy appears to be more greatly affected than the ground flora. Certain species are widely distributed in the inner polluted areas, while others, notably conifers and such ground flora components as bracken fern and most lichens and bryophytes, are absent from sites closer to the smelter.Some changes in the plant communities close to the Copper Cliff smelter have occurred subsequent to the building of a tall (380 m) smokestack in 1972. These have mainly occurred at sites where soils remain, where residual soil toxicity is not excessive, and where midsummer drought is not severe. Colonization has largely involved the spread of such pioneer grasses as Agrostis hyemalis var. tenuis, A. stolonifera var. major, and Deschampsia caespitosa, and more vigorous growth of certain surviving woody species. The recovery of denuded, blackened hilltops, essentially a primary succession on naked Precambrian bedrock, will be a much slower process.

scholarly journals Vegetation and ecoregion analysis at Sipirok Botanic Gardens, South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustaid Siregar ◽  
DANANG W. PURNOMO ◽  
HARTUTININGSIH M-SIREGAR ◽  
JOKO RIDHO WITONO
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Botanic Gardens ◽  
Remnant Forest ◽  
North Sumatra

Abstract. Siregar M, Purnomo DW, Siregar HM, Witono JR. 2020. Vegetation and ecoregion analysis at Sipirok Botanic Gardens, South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2526-2535. Botanic Gardens is an ex-situ plant conservation area. Enrichment of plant collections of Botanic Gardens in Indonesia is based on ecoregion types. To find out the type of ecoregion, the existing vegetation, main native species should be known. The research aimed to analyze the existing vegetation and ecoregion type at Sipirok Botanic Gardens. Existing vegetation has been carried out using a separate plot method 20x20 m which is placed on purposively in nine locations considered to have different vegetation types, namely remnant forest, young secondary forests and shrubs, rubber plantation, and grasslands. Around 66 species belonged to 45 genera and 27 families were found in vascular plants (dbh ≥ 10 cm). There were 66 species of sapling belonged to 54 genera and 35 families, and 110 seedlings belonged to 87 genera and 50 families. The tree species that have the highest Importance Value Index are Ficus sumatrana (PU-1), Myristica fatua (PU-3), Hevea brasiliensis (PU-4 and PU-7), Artocarpus elasticus (PU-8), and Knema cinerea (PU-9). No trees were found in young secondary forest/shrub plots and grasslands. Unlike the species dominance index, the species diversity index and species equitability index are higher in natural forest plots. Beta diversity based on Jaccard similarity index and Whittaker's index shows a relatively different species composition among plots. Cluster analysis shows the tendency of grouping in 2 types of communities, namely: a) remnant forest communities, and b) secondary communities. The natural forest community is further divided into two communities consisting of remnant forest tree species and industrial/plantation plant species also secondary tree species. Secondary communities are also further divided into secondary forest communities and grasslands. Based on ecoregion analysis using previous publications, altitude, and diversity of plant species in the study site, Sipirok Botanic Gardens is a transitional zone of the Sumatran lowland rainforest and mountain rainforest.

scholarly journals COMPOSIÇÃO FLORÍSTICA E ESTRATÉGIAS DE DISPERSÃO E REGENERAÇÃO DE GRUPOS FLORÍSTICOS EM FLORESTAS ESTACIONAIS DECIDUAIS NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL

FLORESTA ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Callegari Scipioni ◽  
Franklin Galvão ◽  
Solon Jonas Longhi
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecology ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Ecological Guilds ◽  
Floristic Similarity

 As Florestas Estacional Decidual Aluvial e Submontana encontram-se ao longo de um gradiente topográfico com variações geomorfológicas e pedológicas. Para entender as variações das guildas ecológicas e do contingente geográfico das comunidades florestais em uma microbacia do rio Jacuí, no Rio Grande do Sul, foram alocadas 200 parcelas de 100 m², distribuídas em 40 pontos amostrais, com 5 parcelas cada, desde as cabeceiras de drenagem até a planície de inundação do referido rio. Em cada unidade amostral foram medidos e identificados todos os indivíduos lenhosos com diâmetro à altura do peito de ≥5 cm. A partir da amostra total, foi realizada uma análise de agrupamento de similaridade florística, resultando em três comunidades florestais distintas. Elas foram nomeadas de formações aluvial e submontana e área dominada por ambas as formações. Para a amostra total e dos grupos obtidos, foram determinadas as porcentagens de contribuição das espécies e indivíduos, por meio da classificação de guildas ecológicas de dispersão de diásporos e grupos ecológicos, além dos contingentes fitogeográficos. O contingente geográfico de composição das comunidades florestais foi dominado por espécies de ampla distribuição. Os padrões das guildas ecológicas entre os grupos foram distintos. Entretanto, todos os grupos apresentaram maior contribuição de espécies zoocóricas.Palavras-chave: Comunidades florestais; fitogeografia; similaridades florísticas; ecologia florestal. AbstractFloristic composition and dispersal and regeneration strategies of woody species in Deciduous Seasonal Forests. The connected fragments of submontane and alluvial deciduous forests are present along the topographic gradient with large pedological and geomorphological variations. In order to understand the variations of ecological guilds and geographical contingent of forest community in a watershed, 200 plots of 100 m² divided into 40 sampling points with five plots each were distributed from the headwaters to the floodplain of the Jacuí River. In each sampling unit were identified and measured all woody plants with diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm. From the total sample was performed a cluster analysis of floristic similarity, resulting in three forest communities. These were termed formation, submontane and alluvial, and the area dominated by both formations.For the total sample and the groups was determined the percentage contribution of species and individuals, by classification of ecological guilds of dispersal of seeds and regeneration and geographic quotas. The geographic contingent composition of forest communities was dominated by species of wide distribution. The patterns of ecological guilds were different between groups. However, all groups revealed higher contribution of zoocoric species. Keywords: Forest communities; phytogeography; floristic similarity; forest ecology.

Plant traits as predictors of woody species dominance in climax forest communities

2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumito Koike
Keyword(s):  
Plant Traits ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Species Dominance ◽  
Climax Forest

scholarly journals Natural Regeneration of the Tree Stand in the Bilberry Spruce Forest—Clear-Cutting Ecotone Complex in the First Post-Logging Decade

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1542
Author(s):  
Nadezhda V. Genikova ◽  
Viktor N. Mamontov ◽  
Alexander M. Kryshen ◽  
Vladimir A. Kharitonov ◽  
Sergey A. Moshnikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting

Bilberry spruce forests are the most widespread forest type in the European boreal zone. Limiting the clear-cuttings size leads to fragmentation of forest cover and the appearance of large areas of ecotone complexes, composed of forest (F), a transition from forest to the cut-over site under tree canopy (FE), a transition from forest to the cut-over site beyond tree canopy (CE), and the actual clear-cut site (C). Natural regeneration of woody species (spruce, birch, rowan) in the bilberry spruce stand—clear-cut ecotone complex was studied during the first decade after logging. The effects produced by the time since cutting, forest edge aspect, and the ground cover on the emergence and growth of trees and shrubs under forest canopy and openly in the clear-cut were investigated. Estimating the amount and size of different species in the regeneration showed FE and CE width to be 8 m—roughly half the height of first-story trees. Typical forest conditions (F) feature a relatively small amount of regenerating spruce and birch. The most favorable conditions for natural regeneration of spruce in the clear-cut—mature bilberry spruce stand ecotone are at the forest edge in areas of transition both towards the forest and towards the clear-cut (FE and CE). Clear-cut areas farther from the forest edge (C) offer an advantage to regenerating birch, which grows densely and actively in this area.

Temporal changes in boreal forest tree canopy cover along a gradient of gamma radiation

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Amiro ◽  
J. R. Dugle
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Radiation ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Dose Rates ◽  
Tree Canopy Cover

A forest site in southeastern Manitoba has been irradiated by a point source of gamma rays continuously since 1973, and measurements have been made yearly to study the change in boreal forest canopy cover along the radiation gradient. After 10 years of chronic irradiation, a zone of total tree death has resulted from mean dose rates between 25 and 62 mGy h−1. Tree canopy cover was reduced at mean dose rates exceeding ~ 4.5 mGy h−1 and the largest reduction occurred in the first 2 years of irradiation. The temporal responses of seven woody species to gamma radiation are presented. Bebb's willow, trembling aspen, speckled alder, and paper birch were less sensitive to radiation than black spruce, balsam fir, and jack pine. The results confirm that gymnosperms are more sensitive to gamma rays than angiosperms.

Forest communities: New frameworks for assessing sustainability

1999 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 747-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solange Nadeau ◽  
Bruce Shindler ◽  
Christina Kakoyannis
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Capacity ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Community Stability ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Community Resiliency ◽  
The Relationship

In both Canada and the United States, there has been a growing interest in the sustainability of forests and forest communities. Policy makers and scientists have attempted to understand how forest management practices can enhance or harm the future of such communities. Although many studies have historically used economic indicators as measures of community stability, more recently researchers have demonstrated that the relationship between communities and forests goes far beyond simple economic dependency. Thus, recent frameworks for assessing forest communities have also addressed the need for broader social and institutional components. In this article, we briefly review three of these recent concepts — community capacity, community well-being and community resiliency — and examine what each of these terms has to contribute to the assessment of forest communities. Key words: forest community, community stability, community capacity, community well-being, community resilience

scholarly journals First syntaxonomical contribution to the invasive Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle forest communities at its southern limit in Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-160
Author(s):  
Silvia Montecchiari ◽  
Marina Allegrezza ◽  
Veronica Pelliccia ◽  
Giulio Tesei
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Ailanthus Altissima ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Southern Limit ◽  
Canopy Density

Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven), an invasive alien tree native to China, has become invasive all over the world and in Italy is present in all the administrative regions where it can form dense forest communities. Although there are several ecological studies on this species there is a lack of floristic-vegetational data for southern-Europe. The study presents the results of a floristic vegetational study on A. altissima forest communities of central Italy that aims to highlight the possible floristic-vegetational autonomy of these coenoses. The results have allowed the characterization of A. altissima coenoses at the ecological, biogeographic, syntaxonomic and landscape levels. These represent first A. altissima syntaxa described for the Italian peninsula and for southern-Europe. We propose two new sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean associations comprised in the recently described alliance Lauro nobilis-Robinion pseudoaciae, in the Chelidonio-Robinietalia order and the Robinietea class: Asparago acutifolii-Ailanthetum altissimae: forest community with stratified structure and high canopy density on the warmer slopes of the hills in dry soil conditions and low anthropic disturbance and Aro italici-Ailanthetum altissimae: paucispecific forest communities with a monolayered structure typically found in agricultural, and peri-urban areas on pelitic, alluvial silty-sandy substrates, in conditions of edaphic humidity and high anthropogenic disturbance. The comparison with literature data highlights the autonomy of these associations of the sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean alliance Lauro nobilis-Robinion pseudoacaciae alliance from the Balloto nigrae-Ailanthetum altissimae association of the Central and SE-European Balloto nigrae-Robinion pseudoacaciae alliance.

scholarly journals Long-term Effects of Four Groundcover Management Systems in an Apple Orchard

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 1176-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amaya Atucha ◽  
Ian A. Merwin ◽  
Michael G. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Production ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Long Term Trends ◽  
Total Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Surface Vegetation

Groundcover management systems (GMSs) are essential for fruit production, but very few long-term studies have evaluated orchard GMS sustainability. We evaluated four GMSs—pre-emergence soil-active herbicides (PreHerb), post-emergence herbicide (PostHerb), a turfgrass cover crop (Sod), and hardwood bark mulch (Mulch)—in an apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchard over 16 years of continuous observation. There were no consistent long-term trends in fruit yields among GMSs, although during the first 5 years, yields were lower in trees on Sod. Tree growth was greater in PostHerb and Mulch than in Sod during the first 5 years, and during the next decade, trees in Mulch plots were consistently larger than in other GMSs. Total soil nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) content, C-to-N ratios, and essential plant nutrients were much greater in the Mulch soil after 16 years of treatments. Long-term responses of trees to groundcover vegetation indicated that apple trees respond adaptively to compensate for weed and grass competition. Year-round elimination of surface vegetation with residual soil active herbicides may be unnecessary or even detrimental for orchard productivity and soil fertility in established orchards. Post-emergence herbicides that reduce weed competition primarily during the summer months may offer an optimal combination of weed suppression and soil conservation.

scholarly journals Woody Species Composition Analysis of Shawo Sacred Forest, Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
Alemayehu Haiemicael Mezgebe ◽  
Alemayehu Hailemicael Mezgebe
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Composition Analysis ◽  
Sacred Forest ◽  
Syzygium Guineense

In sacred forests of indigenous communities, landscapes are deemed sacred and are protected through social norms and spiritual values. The main objective of this study was to analyze the woody species composition of Shawo forest and explore the traditional governing systems that safeguard the sacred forest up to the present. Systematic sampling method was used to collect data. Accordingly, 42 quadrats each with 400 m2 (20 m X 20 m)  was laid along the 14 transect lines. All woody plant species were collected and identified in each of these quadrats. Vegetation parameters such as DBH an Height of each quadrat were recorded. Interview and group discussion were held with local community to gather socio-cultural information. From the result,  16 plant species were found. The average plant density was  499 individual ha-1 with  DBH and H value of  9.21 cm and 10.43 m respecitively.. The  maximum mean plant height was 39.43 m (Syzygium guineense).The total basal area of all plant species was found to be 56.1 m2.ha-1. From the total plant species of Shawo forest Syzygium guineense has the largest basal area 35.77 m2.ha-1 (63.77%) occurring in all 42 plots. The most important plant species of Shawo forest was Syzygium guineense with important value index (IVI) of 151.7 contributing to  50.57% of  total IVI. For future sustainability of Shawo forest, community traditional conservation practices should be appreciated and supported.

Vegetation Changes Associated With Invasion by Phytophthora cinnamomi of Defined Plots in the Brisbane Ranges, Victoria, 1975-1985

1986 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 633 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Weste
Keyword(s):  
Slow Growth ◽  
Phytophthora Cinnamomi ◽  
Vegetation Changes ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Slow Growth Rate ◽  
Ground Flora ◽  
Resistant Species ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Vigorous Growth

Changes in plant species composition over a 10 year period were measured by biennial counts of numbers and areas on seven quadrats at each of three sites; one site pathogen free, one in the process of invasion by Phytophthora cinnamomi and one diseased since 1970. Susceptible species died and field-resistant species increased. Partly susceptible species fluctuated in growth. The plant community changed from open forest with sclerophyllous understorey dominated by Xanthorrhoea australis to open forest with large gaps and sedge-dominated ground flora. Tree numbers increased by 25% on the pathogen-free site but decreased by 42.9 and 45.3% on the two infested sites. Susceptible shrub species increased 10% on pathogen-free quadrats but decreased in both numbers and diversity with infestation. The high percentage of bare ground on the old diseased site was gradually colonised by graminoids and legumes. At the end of the 10 year period P. cinnamomi could no longer be isolated from this site, tree crowns showed vigorous growth and seedlings of some susceptible species were observed. The epidemic caused by P. cinnamomi in the Brisbane Ranges may be finite, with peak death periods in 1979 for the invaded site and in 1972 for the old diseased site. The bare ground was later colonised by field-resistant species and the disease potential of the pathogen declined. Regeneration has commenced on the old diseased site and may eventually become complete for the tree stratum, but incomplete for the understorey because Xanthorrhoea australis, formerly dominant, has a very slow growth rate.

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