The extent of old-growth Thuja occidentalis on cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1628-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Larson ◽  
P. E. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Forest Ecology ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Southern Ontario ◽  
Thuja Occidentalis ◽  
Selective Sampling ◽  
Niagara Escarpment ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Extensive random sampling of populations of Thuja occidentalis growing on vertical cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment in southern Ontario, Canada, was conducted to determine the extent of an old-growth forest that had recently been described. Nine sites distributed along the length of the escarpment were intensively sampled and from these, 1254 increment cores or cross sections were obtained from 872 trees in all age categories. The results show that all cliffs support a broadly similar old-growth forest of stunted trees, but that statistically significant differences were found in the numbers of trees among sites. No large differences among sites were found in heights or diameters of trees. Maximum ages of 532 (sampled) and 814 years (estimated) were found in the random census, although in subsequent selective sampling, intact stems up to 1032 years were found. The incidence of fire and cutting by humans was also measured, but little evidence of such disturbances was found. It is concluded that exposed cliff faces of the Niagara Escarpment support one of the oldest, most extensive, and most intact old-growth forest ecosystems yet described for eastern North America. The opportunities for the study of basic forest ecology and especially for dendrochronology are considerable. Key words: Thuja occidentalis, old growth, Niagara Escarpment, cliff, age structures.

Effects of climate change on biomass carbon sequestration in old-growth forest ecosystems on Changbai Mountain in Northeast China

2013 ◽  
Vol 300 ◽  
pp. 106-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Limin Dai ◽  
Juan Jia ◽  
Dapao Yu ◽  
Bernard J. Lewis ◽  
Li Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Changbai Mountain ◽  
Biomass Carbon ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest

A 400-year history of fire and oak recruitment in an old-growth oak forest in western Maryland, U.S.A.

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1437-1443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Durland L Shumway ◽  
Marc D Abrams ◽  
Charles M Ruffner
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Fire History ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
European Settlement ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Old Trees

We document the fire history and associated ecological changes of an old-growth forest stand in western Maryland, U.S.A. The study area is located on the side slopes of a ridge system (Savage Mountain). Twenty basal cross sections were obtained from old trees cut in 1986, which provided evidence of 42 fires from 1615 to 1958. Nine fires were recorded in the sample trees in the 17th century, 13 in the 18th century, 12 in the 19th century, and eight in the early to mid-20th century. However, there were no major fire years after 1930. The Weibull modal fire interval was 7.6 years. Oaks recruited consistently from the early 1600s to the early 1900s, but there was increased Acer rubrum L. and Betula lenta L. recruitment with fire suppression after 1930. Species recruitment patterns and long-term fire history reported in this study offer important direct support for the hypothesis that periodic fire played an important role in the historical development and perpetuation of oak forests of the mid-Atlantic region before and after European settlement.

Soil organic carbon accumulation modes between pioneer and old‐growth forest ecosystems

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (12) ◽  
pp. 2419-2428
Author(s):  
Xin Xiong ◽  
Guoyi Zhou ◽  
Deqiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Carbon Accumulation ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Stand-level spatial dependence in an old-growth Jeffrey pine – mixed conifer forest, Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Mexico

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1803-1814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danny L. Fry ◽  
Scott L. Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Spatial Correlations ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Jeffrey Pine ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest

Descriptions of spatial patterns are important components of forest ecosystems, providing insights into functions and processes, yet basic spatial relationships between forest structures and fuels remain largely unexplored. We used standardized omnidirectional semivariance modeling to examine the spatial pattern of fuels and forest structure measured in a systematic nested plot grid covering 144 ha. Forest structure variables were spatially dependent at scales ranging from 62 to 572 m. Cross-variograms of fuels and forest structure showed both positive and negative correlations, ranging from 0.04 to 0.67. Notably, fine fuels were correlated positively and negatively with forest structure variables of white fir ( Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr.) and Jeffrey pine ( Pinus jeffreyi Balf.), respectively. Old-growth Jeffrey pine – mixed conifer forest within the study area exhibited both identifiable spatial correlations and high stand-level spatial heterogeneity, as demonstrated by the influence of outliers on the underlying spatial pattern. The spatial dependency of fuels with species-specific variables suggests that less common species may have a large influence in the characterization of forest attributes and that fuel classifications may be improved by accounting for the spatial distributions of overstory species. Spatial correlations have many applications to forest management, including the classification and mapping of forest structure, establishing guidelines for fuel treatments, and restoration of old-growth forest ecosystems.

Research Article: Soil respiration in upper Great Lakes old-growth forest ecosystems

BIOS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Liebman ◽  
Julia Yang ◽  
Lucas E. Nave ◽  
Knute J. Nadelhoffer ◽  
Christopher M. Gough
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Upper Great Lakes ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Research Article

Effects of tree functional diversity and environmental gradients on belowground biomass in a natural old-growth forest ecosystem

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 1623-1632
Author(s):  
Yuanjie Xu ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Weiyi Liu ◽  
Xu Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Root Biomass ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Fine Root ◽  
Belowground Biomass ◽  
Fine Root Biomass ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Coarse Root ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Old Growth Forest

The positive effects of biodiversity on aboveground biomass in natural terrestrial ecosystems have been well documented, whereas the relationships between tree biodiversity and belowground biomass remain largely unexplored. Traditionally, two sets of hypotheses based on the functional trait approach, niche complementarity (NC) and mass ratio (MR), have been proposed to explain the positive effects of biodiversity. Whereas NC emphasizes that functional discrepancy enhances the collective functioning of a given ecosystem, MR states that ecosystem functioning is mainly regulated by the functional traits of dominant species. This study explored the relative importance of these two hypotheses and the effects of forest stand and environmental characteristics on belowground biomass in an old-growth broad-leaved evergreen forest. The mean coarse-root biomass, fine-root biomass, and fine-root necromass were 117.78 ± 54.000, 4.09 ± 0.85, and 0.60 ± 0.31 Mg·ha−1, respectively. We found positive effects of functional diversity on belowground biomass; however, the community-weighted mean trait values were more relevant, indicating that MR exhibited more explanatory power than NC. The combination of informative environmental factors explained 62.0%, 53.2%, and 37.8% of the variation of coarse-root biomass, fine-root biomass, and fine-root necromass, respectively. Our results suggest that the functional identity of dominant tree species exerts more influence than functional diversity on the belowground biomass in old-growth forest ecosystems and that forest stand characteristics and topographic and edaphic factors also play important roles in shaping belowground biomass patterns in old-growth forest ecosystems.

scholarly journals Input and output of dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen in subtropical forests of South China under high air pollution

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. T. Fang ◽  
P. Gundersen ◽  
J. M. Mo ◽  
W. X. Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
South China ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
N Deposition ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Subtropical Forests ◽  
N Retention ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Abstract. The nitrogen (N) emissions to the atmosphere and N deposition to forest ecosystems are increasing rapidly in Southeast Asia, but little is known about the fates and effects of elevated N deposition in forest ecosystems in this warm and humid region. Here we report the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved inorganic (DIN) and organic N (DON) in precipitation, throughfall, surface runoff and soil solution for three subtropical forests in a region of South China under high air pollution over two years (2004 and 2005), to investigate how deposited N is processed, and to examine the importance of DON in the N budget. The precipitation DIN input was 32–34 kg N ha−1 yr−1. An additional input of 18 kg N ha−1 yr−1 as DON was measured in 2005, which to our knowledge is the highest DON flux ever measured in precipitation. A canopy uptake of DIN was indicated in two young conifer dominated forests (72–85% of DIN input reached the floor in throughfall), whereas no uptake occurred in an old-growth broadleaf forest. The DON fluxes in throughfall were similar to that in precipitation in all forests. In the younger forests, DIN was further retained in the soil, with 41–63% of precipitation DIN leached below the 20-cm soil depth. Additionally, about half of the DON input was retained in these forests. The N retention in two young aggrading forests (21–28 kg N ha−1 yr−1) was in accordance with the estimates of N accumulation in biomass and litter accretion. In the old-growth forest, no N retention occurred, but rather a net loss of 8–16 kg N ha−1 yr−1 from the soil was estimated. In total up to 60 kg N ha−1 yr−1 was leached from the old-growth forest, indicating that this forest was completely N saturated and could not retain additional anthropogenic N inputs. We found that the majority of DIN deposition as well as of DIN leaching occurred in the rainy season (March to August) and that monthly DIN concentrations and fluxes in leaching were positively related to those in throughfall in all three forests, implying that part of the N leaching was hydrologically driven. Our results suggest that long-term high N deposition has caused elevated N leaching in all three forest types although most pronounced in the old-growth forest where wood increment was negligible or even negative. N availability even exceeded the biotic N demand in the young aggrading forests, with intensive rain in the growing season further enhancing N leaching in these forests.

Towards the sustainable management of southern temperate forest ecosystems: lessons from Australia and New Zealand

1994 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony W. Norton ◽  
Neil D. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
European Settlement ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Production ◽  
History Of

The temperate forest ecosystems of Australia and New Zealand have had a similar history of exploitation and destruction since European settlement. This differed markedly from the previous use of these forests by indigenous peoples. Australian Aborigines are considered to have used the forests on a sustainable basis. Fire was the primary management tool and probably had its greatest effect on floristic composition and structure. The Maori of New Zealand initially cleared substantial areas of forest, but by the time of European settlement they appear to have been approaching sustainable management of the remainder. In both countries, the arrival of Europeans disrupted sustainability and significantly changed the evolutionary history of the forests and their biota. The exploitation and destruction of temperate forests by Europeans in both countries has been driven largely by agricultural and forestry activities, based around settlement and export industries. The Australian continent never had substantial forest cover but this has been reduced by more than half in just 200 years. New Zealand has suffered a similar overall level of further loss; although in the lowlands this can reach 95 per cent. In recent times, forest production and management policies in the two countries have diverged. In both countries the majority of remaining indigenous forests are on publicly-owned land. Australia still maintains indigenous forest production as an industry exploiting old growth forests, the management being split between an emphasis on production forestry and nature conservation. New Zealand has largely abandoned indigenous forestry on public lands, the management being vested in a single conservation department. In New Zealand the production emphasis has mostly moved to sustainable plantation forestry, whereas in Australia, despite recommendations to halt or markedly reduce old growth forest logging, the transition to primary dependence on plantation production has yet to occur.

Effects of disturbance on old-growth Thuja occidentalis at cliff edges

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1147-1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Southern Ontario ◽  
Thuja Occidentalis ◽  
Niagara Escarpment ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Annual Productivity ◽  
Forest Stand Structure ◽  
The Relationship

Thuja occidentalis L. is abundant along cliff edges and cliff faces of the Niagara Escarpment in southern Ontario, Canada, but declines in frequency away from the cliff edge. Hiking and climbing disturbance is intense in such areas, and therefore a study was done to determine the relationship between forest stand structure and disturbance. In eight undisturbed and eight disturbed transects, a total of 441 trees were sampled for height, diameter, age, mass, and average annual productivity. In undisturbed areas most of these characters declined in value away from the cliff edge, whereas in disturbed areas their values increased. Seedlings were almost totally absent from the disturbed areas. It appears that the extensive elimination of ground cover in the disturbed areas results in the release of constraints on the growth of this species, but recruitment of new individuals into the population is stopped. The disturbed parts of the cliff-edge ecosystem are therefore not self-sustaining, and this has considerable significance in view of the great age shown by many of the trees.

Preserving Old-Growth Forest Ecosystems: Valuation and Policy

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas E. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document