Storage of Nutrients In Different Components of Selected Tree Species, Shrubs and Herb Layer Under the Tree Species

Influence of introduced northern red oak stands (Quercus rubra L.) on herb understory with comparison with herb understory of autochthonous Sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg. L) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) was observed in Louny region area on 14 plots. The analysis of the ground vegetation was performed using classical phytosociological methods. Significant changes were not determined in the site character, when comparing particular tree species stands, the differences consisted especially in the natural regeneration of tree species. Northern red oak showed a tendency of more fast penetration in the neighboring stands.

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The Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer, and Watershed Characteristics on Nitrogen Cycling in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest

10.33915/etd.8223 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sian E Eisenhut

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Cycling ◽

Tree Species ◽

Hardwood Forest ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Watershed Characteristics

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Nitrogen Fertilization, Stand Age, and Overstory Tree Species Impact the Herbaceous Layer in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12070829 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 829

Author(s):

Lacey J. Smith ◽

Kirsten Stephan

Keyword(s):

Community Composition ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Tree Species ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Stand Age ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Herbaceous Layer ◽

Overstory Tree

Research Highlights: Herb-layer community composition, abundance, species richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index are shaped by nitrogen fertilization, disturbance history, and the overstory tree species in its immediate vicinity. Background and Objectives: While the herbaceous layer in deciduous forests is increasingly recognized for its importance in various aspects of forest ecosystem function, this study sought to describe the factors impacting the herbaceous layer. Specifically, this study’s objective was to quantify and compare herb-layer species composition, cover, and other community indices in watersheds with (a) different levels of N deposition, (b) different stand ages due to differing disturbance histories, and (c) different watershed aspects. This study also tested the hypothesis that herb-layer characteristics vary beneath tree species with contrasting nutrient dynamics (i.e., red and sugar maple). Materials and Methods: At the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia (USA), the cover of all herb-layer species was recorded directly under nine red maple and nine sugar maple trees in each of four watersheds (WS): long-term fertilized WS3 and unfertilized WS7, both with a stand age of about 50 years, and two unmanaged watersheds with 110-year-old stands and opposite watershed aspects (south-facing WS10, north-facing WS13). Community composition and plot-level indices of diversity were evaluated with multivariate analysis and ANOVA for watershed-level differences, effects of the maple species, and other environmental factors. Results: In the fertilized watershed (WS3), herb-layer diversity indices were lower than in the unfertilized watershed of the same stand age (WS7). In the unfertilized watershed with the 50-year-old stand (WS7), herb-layer diversity indices were higher than in the watershed with the 110-year-old stand of the same watershed aspect (WS13). WS10 and WS13 had similar herb-layer characteristics despite opposite watershed aspects. The presence of sugar maple corresponded to higher cover and diversity indices of the herb-layer in some of the watersheds. Conclusions: Despite the limitations of a case study, these findings bear relevance to future forest management since the forest herb layer plays important roles in deciduous forests through its influence on nutrient cycling, productivity, and overstory regeneration.

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Diverging effects of two contrasting tree species on soil and herb layer development in a chronosequence of post-agricultural forest

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2012.04.026 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 278 ◽

pp. 90-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Arno Thomaes ◽

Luc De Keersmaeker ◽

Hans Van Calster ◽

An De Schrijver ◽

Kris Vandekerkhove ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Layer Development

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Variation in floristic and trait composition along environmental gradients in the herb layer of temperate forests in the transition zone between Central and SE Europe

Plant Ecology ◽

10.1007/s11258-021-01203-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Janez Kermavnar ◽

Lado Kutnar ◽

Aleksander Marinšek

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Tree Species ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Climatic Parameters ◽

Tree Layer ◽

Plant Growth Habit

AbstractSpecies- and trait-environment linkages in forest plant communities continue to be a frequent topic in ecological research. We studied the dependence of floristic and functional trait composition on environmental factors, namely local soil properties, overstory characteristics, climatic parameters and other abiotic and biotic variables. The study area comprised 50 monitoring plots across Slovenia, belonging to the EU ICP Forests monitoring network. Vegetation was surveyed in accordance with harmonized protocols, and environmental variables were either measured or estimated during vegetation sampling. Significant predictors of species composition were identified by canonical correspondence analysis. Correlations between plant traits, i.e. plant growth habit, life form, flowering features and CSR signature, were examined with fourth-corner analysis and linear regressions. Our results show that variation in floristic composition was mainly explained by climatic parameters (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation), soil properties (pH) and tree layer-dependent light conditions. Trait composition was most closely related with tree layer characteristics, such as shade-casting ability (SCA, a proxy for light availability in the understory layer), tree species richness and tree species composition. Amongst soil properties, total nitrogen content and soil texture (proportion of clay) were most frequently correlated with different species traits or trait states. The CSR signature of herb communities was associated with tree layer SCA, soil pH and mean annual temperature. The floristic composition of the studied herb-layer vegetation depended on temperature and precipitation, which are likely to be influenced by ongoing climate change (warming and drying). Trait composition exhibited significant links to tree layer characteristics and soil conditions, which are in turn directly modified by forest management interventions.

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