scholarly journals Microsite Influence on Woody Plant Regeneration in a Pinus palustris Woodland Following Catastrophic Disturbance

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra T. Logan ◽  
Jonathan D. Goode ◽  
David J. Keellings ◽  
Justin L. Hart
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Pinus Palustris ◽  
Developmental Pathways ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Ecological Memory ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Biological Legacies

Information and material biological legacies that persist after catastrophic forest disturbance collectively constitute the ecological memory of the system and may strongly influence future stand development. Catastrophic disturbances often result in an influx of coarse woody debris (CWD), and this material legacy may provide beneficial microsites that affect successional and structural developmental pathways. We examined how microenvironmental characteristics influence the regeneration of woody plants in a subtropical woodland that experienced a large influx of CWD from a catastrophic wind disturbance. Specifically, we asked (1) what microenvironmental factors best explain woody plant density, richness, and height in the regeneration layer and (2) does woody plant density, richness, and height benefit from the large influx of CWD to a degree that competition dynamics and succession may be modified? Data were collected in a Pinus palustris woodland that had experienced an EF3 tornado and was subjected to a four-year prescribed fire rotation. We documented live woody plants <5 cm diameter at breast height, soil, and site characteristics and tested for differences in seedling and sapling density, species richness, and height in relation to CWD proximity. We used a random forest machine learning algorithm to examine the influence of microenvironmental conditions on the characteristics of woody plants in the regeneration layer. Woody plant density and species richness were not significantly different by proximity to CWD, but plants near CWD were slightly taller than plants away from CWD. The best predictors of woody plant density, richness, and height were abiotic site characteristics including slope gradient and azimuth, organic matter depth and weight, and soil water content. Results indicated that the regeneration of woody plants in this P. palustris woodland was not strongly influenced by the influx of CWD, but by other biological legacies such as existing root networks and soil characteristics. Our study highlights the need to consider ecological memory in forest management decision-making after catastrophic disturbance. Information and material legacies shape recovery patterns, but, depending on the system, some legacies will be more influential on successional and developmental pathways than others.

A structural gradient in cerrado vegetation of Brazil: changes in woody plant density, species richness, life history and plant composition

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 775-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luci Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
Marcelo Tabarelli
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Lower Layer ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Cerrado Vegetation ◽  
Structural Types

Four structural types of cerrado vegetation were examined to test the following hypotheses: (1) there are predictable changes in woody plant density, species richness and life-history strategies from one structural type to another; and (2) plant species composition in the less-rich structural types represent particular and impoverished subsets of those found in the richer ones. The study was conducted at Fazenda Palmares (5°33′S, 42°37′W) Piauí State, Brazil. A 47% decrease in woody plant density between cerradão (forest) and the least-dense type of cerrado sensu stricto (scrub) was associated with a 40% decrease in species richness. The percentage of lower-layer species was reduced by 29% in the least dense type of cerrado sensu stricto compared to cerradão. The proportion of species that flower and fruit during the rainy season was also reduced by one third. Species were not distributed as impoverished subsets along the cerradão–cerrado sensu stricto gradient. It is argued that the reduction in woody plant density and richness is partly due to factors limiting the occurrence of species with particular life-history strategies. The species composition of structural types is affected by the ‘mass effect’ and also by surrounding biotas, which provide species that colonize particular types of cerrado vegetation. Both these processes reduce the likelihood that the species composition in the poorer structural types are simple subsets of those present in the richer types.

scholarly journals Woody Plant Cover Estimation in Texas Savanna from MODIS Products

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuebin Yang
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Model ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
Vertical Projection ◽  
And Function

Abstract Woody plant cover, the area of the vertical projection of woody plants (trees, shrubs, and bushes), plays an important role in the structure and function of savanna ecosystems and is needed by the savanna modeling community. Recent problems facing savanna ecosystems such as woody plant encroachment and subsequent habitat fragmentation further underscore the relevance of regional-scale and even larger-scale woody plant cover mapping. The mixture of woody plants and herbaceous vegetation in savanna landscapes lends woody plant cover mapping to fractional representation. This study endeavors to develop a simple and reliable approach for fractional woody plant cover mapping in savanna ecosystems. It was tested in the savanna of central Texas, which features a wide woody plant density gradation. A multiple linear regression model was calibrated between orthophoto-based fractional woody plant cover and metrics derived from time series MODIS products of surface reflectance (MOD09A1) and fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (MOD15A2H). By applying this model, woody plant cover was extrapolated to Texas savanna at MODIS scale (500 m). Validation suggests a mean absolute error of 0.098 and an R-squared value of 0.60. This study demonstrates a potential approach for woody plant cover mapping in other savanna ecosystems of the world. It also highlights the utility of time series MODIS products in savanna woody plant cover estimation.

scholarly journals Woody plants and the prediction of climate-change impacts on bird diversity

2010 ◽  
Vol 365 (1549) ◽  
pp. 2035-2045 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Kissling ◽  
R. Field ◽  
H. Korntheuer ◽  
U. Heyder ◽  
K. Böhning-Gaese
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Bird Species Richness

Current methods of assessing climate-induced shifts of species distributions rarely account for species interactions and usually ignore potential differences in response times of interacting taxa to climate change. Here, we used species-richness data from 1005 breeding bird and 1417 woody plant species in Kenya and employed model-averaged coefficients from regression models and median climatic forecasts assembled across 15 climate-change scenarios to predict bird species richness under climate change. Forecasts assuming an instantaneous response of woody plants and birds to climate change suggested increases in future bird species richness across most of Kenya whereas forecasts assuming strongly lagged woody plant responses to climate change indicated a reversed trend, i.e. reduced bird species richness. Uncertainties in predictions of future bird species richness were geographically structured, mainly owing to uncertainties in projected precipitation changes. We conclude that assessments of future species responses to climate change are very sensitive to current uncertainties in regional climate-change projections, and to the inclusion or not of time-lagged interacting taxa. We expect even stronger effects for more specialized plant–animal associations. Given the slow response time of woody plant distributions to climate change, current estimates of future biodiversity of many animal taxa may be both biased and too optimistic.

Conservation and Restoration of Grasslands

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Wilsey
Keyword(s):  
Community Assembly ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Woody Plant Encroachment ◽  
Humpty Dumpty ◽  
Alternate States ◽  
Density And Biomass ◽  
Acid Test ◽  
Stocking Rates

Conservation programs alter herbivore stocking rates and find and protect the remaining areas that have not been plowed or converted to crops. Restoration is an ‘Acid Test’ for ecology. If we fully understand how grassland systems function and assemble after disturbance, then it should be easy to restore them after they have been degraded or destroyed. Alternatively, the idea that restorations will not be equivalent to remnants has been termed the ‘Humpty Dumpty’ hypothesis—once lost, it cannot be put back together again. Community assembly may follow rules, and if these rules are uncovered, then we may be able to accurately predict final species composition after assembly. Priority effects are sometimes found depending on species arrival orders, and they can result in alternate states. Woody plant encroachment is the increase in density and biomass of woody plants, and it is strongly affecting grassland C and water cycles.

scholarly journals Metabolic engineering in woody plants: challenges, advances, and opportunities

aBIOTECH ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Yu ◽  
Cody S. Bekkering ◽  
Li Tian
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Metabolic Engineering ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Plant Transformation ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
High Biomass ◽  
Generation Times ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Biochemical Diversity

AbstractWoody plant species represent an invaluable reserve of biochemical diversity to which metabolic engineering can be applied to satisfy the need for commodity and specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. Woody plants are particularly promising for this application due to their low input needs, high biomass, and immeasurable ecosystem services. However, existing challenges have hindered their widespread adoption in metabolic engineering efforts, such as long generation times, large and highly heterozygous genomes, and difficulties in transformation and regeneration. Recent advances in omics approaches, systems biology modeling, and plant transformation and regeneration methods provide effective approaches in overcoming these outstanding challenges. Promises brought by developments in this space are steadily opening the door to widespread metabolic engineering of woody plants to meet the global need for a wide range of sustainably sourced chemicals and materials.

Weight–diameter relationships for 22 woody plant species

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1851-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Telfer
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Stem Diameter ◽  
Prediction Equations ◽  
Woody Plant Species ◽  
Leaf Weight ◽  
Ground Line

Prediction equations are presented for use in estimating total aboveground weight and maximum leaf weight for 22 species of woody plants. Stem diameter at the ground line was found to be closely correlated with both total and leaf weights. This diameter was therefore used in the equations as the measurement from which weights were predicted.

scholarly journals Dynamics and Edge Effect of an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poliana Gabriella Araújo Mendes ◽  
Maria Amanda Menezes Silva ◽  
Tassiane Novacosque Feitosa Guerra ◽  
Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva ◽  
Airton de Deus Cysneiros Cavalcanti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Edge Effect ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Canopy Tree ◽  
Forest Interior

ABSTRACT The woody plants in an edge area formed approximately 35 years ago in an Atlantic Forest fragment in northeastern Brazil were examined, and three environments defined: edge, intermediate, and interior. Canopy tree densities and basal areas were found to be similar in all three environments, and also similar to previous published studies in the same region; species richness was greatest at the forest edge. The understory showed greater species richness in the forest interior, but greater diversity and equitability in the intermediate environment. Understory environments close to the forest edge demonstrated larger stem diameters than in the forest interior, although at lesser densities and with smaller total basal areas. Our results indicated the existence of distinct patterns in canopy and understory that most likely reflect differences in the response times of these two vegetation layers, with the understory being more sensitive to alterations in environmental structure.

scholarly journals Factors influencing early restoration progress of a Eucalyptus tereticornis open forest on former agricultural land.

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Lewis ◽  
David Taylor ◽  
Scott Swift ◽  
Valerie Debuse
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Eucalyptus Tereticornis ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Litter Biomass ◽  
Open Forest

We monitored an area that was revegetated with the goal of restoring a Eucalyptus tereticornis open forest on former agricultural land in central, eastern Queensland. Revegetation involved: (1) planting 60 ha of previously cleared and heavily grazed land with eight local trees species; and (2) removing cattle grazing to encourage natural regeneration in areas where some mature trees remained. We compared the revegetation site to native pasture that had also been previously cleared, with only scattered paddock trees remaining, and continued to be managed for livestock production (an area similar to the revegetation site, prior to planting) and a remnant forest (reference area). Nine years since revegetation began there was some evidence that the revegetated site was diverging from pasture in terms of understorey plant composition, sapling density and topsoil C and N. There was little divergence in terms of plant species richness (native, introduced, grass, forb and woody plant richness), herbaceous biomass and woody plant regeneration. Some monitoring plots were subject to fire (prescribed fire and or wildfire) over the period of monitoring. With increasing time since fire, the richness of native species, introduced species and grass species (both native and introduced) declined, and forb and grass species richness declined with increasing litter biomass, suggesting that the occurrence of fire and the associated removal of litter biomass has a positive influence on herbaceous diversity in this ecosystem. Woody plant regeneration persisted through lignotubers at the revegetation site and at the pasture, but this regeneration was stunted at the pasture presumably due to livestock grazing. Hence areas of former E. tereticornis forest showed promising regenerative capacity where mature trees remained and where livestock grazing was removed.

scholarly journals Ecological and biological characteristics of the dendroflora of Cheboksary in the greening system of the city

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-111
Author(s):  
Konstantin Vitalyevich Samokhvalov ◽  
Evgeny Arkadievich Sinichkin ◽  
Aleksandr Petrovich Arsentiev
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Central Zone ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
Degree Of Participation ◽  
Economic Zones ◽  
The City

The paper presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of the species composition of Cheboksary. The analysis of the dendroflora of the urban environment was carried out according to 3 indicators: the territory of woody plants, the occurrence of woody plant species in landscaping, the structure of the landscaping system. The arboreal vegetation of Cheboksary is represented by 73 species belonging to 43 genera and 20 families. The predominant part of the dendroflora is represented by the covered-seeded plants (86,3%), the gymnosperms - 13,7%. In the dendroflora of green areas of the city, the most widely represented families are Rosaceae, Pinaceae, Salicaceae (48%). The analysis of the species composition of woody plants showed that in the functional and economic zones of Cheboksary plantings of general use are represented by 65 species, plantings of limited use - 52 species, plantings along the streets and main roads - 50 species. The analysis of the species composition of woody plants depending on the share of their participation in landscaping revealed that the greatest number of woody plants is used with low (51 species) and medium (50 species) share. The analysis of the degree of participation of woody plants in landscaping in the four identified functional and economic zones of Cheboksary found that the greatest number of taxa prevail with an average participation in the central zone (37 species), the coastal and suburban zones (36 species). The largest number of species of woody plants grow in the green areas of the central functional and economic zone, where the landscaping involved 66 species, the smallest number grow in the green areas of the industrial area (36 species).

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