Understory patch dynamics and ungulate herbivory in old-growth forests of Olympic National Park, Washington

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward G. Schreiner ◽  
Kirsten A. Krueger ◽  
Douglas B. Houston ◽  
Patricia J. Happe
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Standing Crop ◽  
National Park ◽  
Patch Dynamics ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Patch Type ◽  
Ungulate Herbivory ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Old Growth Forests

The relationship between native ungulates (mainly Roosevelt elk, Cervuselaphus L.) and the occurrence of three patch types in an old-growth (220- to 260-year-old) Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carrière)–western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) temperate coniferous rain forest was investigated on the South Fork Hoh River in Olympic National Park. The distribution, frequency, and size of two understory patches (grass, moss) and patches where shrubs had escaped herbivory (refugia) were sampled along transects. Vegetation standing crop, percent cover, species richness, and equitability along transects were compared with conditions in two 8-year-old 0.5-ha ungulate exclosures. Ungulate herbivory profoundly affected the distribution and abundance of understory patch types. Grass-dominated patches disappeared following 8 years of protection from ungulate herbivory. Ungulates maintained a reduced standing crop, increased forb species richness, and determined the distribution, morphology, and reproductive performance of several shrub species. There is clearly a dynamic relationship between patch type, tree fall, and ungulate herbivory in these old-growth forests. Our results show that ungulate herbivory is a driving force shaping vegetation patterns in coastal coniferous forests.

Species richness and abundance of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete sporocarps on a moisture gradient in the Tsuga heterophylla zone

2000 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 1699-1711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E O'Dell ◽  
Joseph F Ammirati ◽  
Edward G Schreiner
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Standing Crop ◽  
National Park ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Sporocarps of epigeous ectomycorrhizal fungi and vegetation data were collected from eight Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg. - Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco stands along a wet to dry gradient in Olympic National Park, Washington, U.S.A. One hundred and fifty species of ectomycorrhizal fungi were collected from a total sample area of 2.08 ha. Over 2 years, fungal species richness ranged from 19 to 67 taxa per stand. Sporocarp standing crop ranged from 0 to 3.8 kg/ha, averaging 0.58 kg/ha, 0.06 kg/ha in spring and 0.97 kg/ha in fall. Sporocarp standing crop and fungal species richness were correlated with precipitation. These results demonstrated that ectomycorrhizal fungal sporocarp abundance and species richness can be partly explained in terms of an environmental gradient.

Decomposition and nutrient release from green needles of western hemlock and Pacific silver fir in an old-growth temperate rain forest9 Olympic National Park, Washington

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1049-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Edmonds ◽  
Ted B. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
National Park ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Significant Difference

Decomposition rates and nutrient dynamics (for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Na) were determined for green needles of western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and Pacific silver fir (Abiesamabilis (Dougl.) Forb.) in an old-growth forested watershed (58 ha West Twin Creek) in the Hoh River valley, Olympic National Park, Washington. The influence of temperature and substrate chemistry on decomposition was determined. Temperature was the dominant factor controlling decomposition rates in the first year in this watershed, with the fastest decomposition at an elevation of 275 m (lower watershed) and the slowest decomposition at 725 m (upper watershed). After 12 months mass loss averaged 36% in the lower watershed and 28% in the upper watershed. There was no significant difference in decomposition rates between species. Substrate chemistry, i.e., the lignin/N ratio, became a more important factor than temperature as decomposition proceeded. After 37 months mass loss for needles averaged 61% for western hemlock and 50% for Pacific silver fir, with no difference by watershed location. After 61 months both types of substrates appeared to be approaching similar substrate chemistry and similar decomposition rates and there were no significant differences by species or watershed location. Decomposition constants (k values) after 61 months were 0.26 and 0.20 year−1 for western hemlock needles in the lower and upper watershed, respectively, and 0.22 and 0.19 year−1 for Pacific silver fir needles in the lower and upper watershed, respectively. Nitrogen was immobilized during the first 12 months of decomposition in needles of both species and then released. No other elements were immobilized during the initial (0- to 12-month) decomposition period, except for Ca in Pacific silver fir needles. However, in the 37- to 61-month period there was a considerable immobilization of Mg and Na in both species in the upper and lower watershed and K and Mn in both species in the upper watershed.

Overstory litter inputs and nutrient returns in an old-growth temperate forest ecosystem, Olympic National Park, Washington

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 742-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L Edmonds ◽  
Georgia LD Murray
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Shade Tolerant Species ◽  
Woody Litter ◽  
Fine Wood ◽  
Temperate Forest Ecosystem

Overstory litterfall rates and nutrient returns were determined in an old-growth temperate rainforest watershed in the Hoh River valley, Olympic National Park, Washington. Litter was sorted into green needles, senescent needles, fine wood, reproductive, and miscellaneous litter (mostly arboreal lichens and mosses). Understory and coarse woody debris inputs were not determined. Total annual overstory litterfall averaged 3594 kg·ha–1 and varied among the six plant communities in the watershed. There was a trend for litterfall to be higher in the upper watershed; elevations ranged from 180 to 850 m. Needles provided the greatest amount of litterfall (60%) with woody litter and other material averaging 18 and 22%, respectively. Highest senescent needle litterfall occurred from July to October, but highest woody litterfall was from January to April. Green needles provided only 3% of annual needle litterfall. Green and senescent needle litterfall were related to western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) basal area, suggesting that this shade-tolerant species was the greatest contributor to needle litterfall. The following quantities (kg·ha–1) of nutrients were returned to the forest floor annually: Ca, 26.8; N, 24.6; K, 4.0; Mg, 3.0; P, 2.9; Mn, 1.7; and Na, 1.2.

scholarly journals Degradation of Ecosystem Services and Deforestation in Landscapes With and Without Incentive-Based Forest Conservation in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paúl Eguiguren ◽  
Richard Fischer ◽  
Sven Günter
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Timber Volume ◽  
Ecuadorian Amazon ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Successional Forests

Anthropogenic activities such as logging or forest conversion into agricultural lands are affecting Ecuadorian Amazon forests. To foster private and communal conservation activities an economic incentive-based conservation program (IFC) called Socio Bosque was established. Existing analyses related to conservation strategies are mainly focused on deforestation; while degradation and the role of IFC to safeguard ecosystem services are still scarce. Further on, there is a lack of landscape-level studies taking into account potential side effects of IFC on different forest types. Therefore we assessed ecosystem services (carbon stocks, timber volume) and species richness in landscapes with and without IFC. Additionally, we evaluated potential side-effects of IFC in adjacent forest types; hypothesizing potential leakage effects of IFC. Finally, we tested if deforestation rates decreased after IFC implementation. Forest inventories were conducted in 72 plots across eight landscapes in the Ecuadorian Central Amazon with and without IFC. Plots were randomly selected within three forest types (old-growth, logged and successional forests). In each plot all individuals with a diameter at breast height greater than 10 cm were measured. Old-growth forests in general showed higher carbon stocks, timber volume and species richness, and no significant differences between old-growth forests in IFC and non-IFC landscapes were found. Logged forests had 32% less above-ground carbon (AGC) and timber volume in comparison to old-growth forests. Surprisingly, logged forests near IFC presented higher AGC stocks than logged forests in non-IFC landscapes, indicating positive side-effects of IFC. Successional forests contain 56% to 64% of AGC, total carbon and timber volume, in comparison to old-growth forests, and 82% to 87% in comparison to logged forests. Therefore, successional forests could play an important role for restoration and should receive more attention in national climate change policies. Finally, after IFC implementation deforestation rate decreased on parish level. Our study presents scientific evidence of IFC contribution to conserving ecosystem services and species richness. In addition IFC could help indirectly to reduce degradation effects attributed to logging, indicating potential compatibility of conservation aims with forest activities at a landscape level.

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