Systematics and ecology of the Nearctic species of Neophyllomyza (Diptera: Milichiidae)

2009 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Brochu ◽  
Terry A. Wheeler

AbstractThe Nearctic species of Neophyllomyza Melander are revised and descriptions, illustrations, and an identification key are provided for the two included species, N. quadricornis Melander and N. gaultin. sp. Large numbers of adults of both species were collected in emergence traps on decaying logs of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh. (Aceraceae)) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (Fagaceae)) in eastern Canada, indicating that the larvae of both species are saproxylic, although their exact food source is unknown. Although the two species are sympatric over much of their range and apparently use the same resources for larval development, their habits differ: N. quadricornis was collected from logs in both the early- and the advanced-decay stage from late May until September, with a peak of emergence in late June, whereas N. gaulti was reared almost exclusively from logs in the advanced-decay stage and from mid-July to mid-August. This suggests that N. gaulti is more specialized in its larval habits, which may reduce competition between the two species.

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (02) ◽  
pp. 204-218
Author(s):  
Mohammed Henneb ◽  
Gaetan Pelletier ◽  
Mathieu Fortin ◽  
Nelson Thiffault ◽  
Marie-Andrée Giroux

Natural forest regeneration after natural or anthropogenic disturbance is difficult to predict given its high variability. The process is poorly documented for commercial northern hardwood species in the Acadian forest of eastern Canada. Our objective was to identify the silvicultural, environmental, and ecological factors that best explain the variability in sapling density and occurrence of two commercial tolerant hardwood species in New Brunswick: American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). Forty-three permanent sample plots were established in 2002 and measured before harvesting in 2004. Sapling density and occurrence were measured 14 years after harvesting. The results showed that the interactions between the species and the residual merchantable basal area and between the species and the percent of hardwoods in the original stand best explained the sapling density and occurrence variation of tolerant hardwoods. The sapling density of sugar maple increased with increasing merchantable residual basal area. However, the effect of this variable was not significant for the density of American beech saplings. The density and occurrence of tolerant hardwood saplings both increased along with the percent of hardwoods in the original stand. These results provide an improved understanding about tolerant hardwood regeneration dynamics in New Brunswick forests.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4521 (2) ◽  
pp. 287
Author(s):  
JEFFREY M. CUMMING ◽  
BRADLEY J. SINCLAIR ◽  
SCOTT E. BROOKS ◽  
JULIA Mlynarek ◽  
TERRY A. WHEELER

A large diversity of saproxylic Empidoidea from a temperate deciduous forest in southern Quebec is documented. Adults of 43 empidoid species representing 19 genera in 12 subfamilies and three families were collected from in situ sealed emergence traps placed over decayed logs of American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall). The results of this technique give a clear indication of the saproxylic larval and pupal habitat of these species. The importance of Empidoidea as larval predators in decayed wood niches is noted. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 632-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Bannon ◽  
Sylvain Delagrange ◽  
Nicolas Bélanger ◽  
Christian Messier

Studies have reported divergent results on the effect of soil fertility and canopy opening on understory density and growth of sugar maple (AS; Acer saccharum Marsh.) and American beech (FG; Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a gradient of canopy opening and soil fertility on the density and growth of AS and FG saplings in southwestern Quebec, Canada. We investigated 56 stands containing both AS and FG that were subjected to different disturbance history types (DHTs) (UF, unmanaged forest; PC, partial cut; and CC, clearcut) on various soil types. AS and FG absolute and relative sapling density varied greatly among the 56 stands; however, no significant effects of DHT, soil nutrient availability, or their interaction were found. Both species responded positively in terms of radial growth to canopy openings, with FG growth being slightly better than AS growth in PC stands compared with other canopy treatments. Contrary to our hypothesis, AS did not show significantly higher growth than FG following clear-cutting. These results do not support the idea that AS abundance and growth could be promoted by increasing the intensity of the canopy opening during harvest, at least on the generally acidic and base-poor soils that were investigated.


2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2273-2282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Duchesne ◽  
Rock Ouimet

Recently, sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) decline in northeastern North America has been regarded as a major factor structuring hardwood forests by favouring American beech ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) in the understory of maple-dominated stands. To determine whether soil fertility differences associated with sugar maple decline may have promoted the expansion of American beech, we explored the relationships between the soil base status and the sapling and tree strata density and composition, using data from 426 permanent sample plots distributed throughout Quebec. Our results indicate that American beech is currently expanding in the sugar maple range of Quebec. The abundance and proportion of American beech in the sapling stratum are mainly associated with the proportion of American beech in the tree stratum, the relative basal area of dead sugar maple trees, and the base status of soils. In accordance with the many studies reporting on the high sensitivity of sugar maple to the acid–base status of soils and the decline of the sugar maple population, this study supports the hypothesis that soil base cation depletion, caused in part by atmospheric acid deposition, is among the main factors involved in the present-day expansion of American beech over a large area in Quebec.


2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi A. Forrester ◽  
Kimberly K. Bohn

Abstract Forest management in northern hardwoods benefits from the use of site preparation treatments when the amount of American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and fern species in the understory interferes with regeneration of more desirable species, e.g., sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall). We assessed the cover and diversity of herbaceous and woody species in the ground layer of three Adirondack northern hardwood stands before and 3 years after a mechanical site preparation that removed all trees less than 14 cm with a brush saw. The treatment significantly increased the cover of all species cumulatively, with herbaceous, shrub, and arborescent species increasing significantly more in treated plots than in untreated plots. Sugar maple cover increased more in treated plots than in untreated plots, although American beech did as well. Species richness increased significantly more in treated plots than in untreated plots, but differences in diversity and evenness were not significantly different because of treatment after 3 years. Multivariate analysis indicated only minor changes in the plant community composition. Results show that mechanical site preparation techniques are a viable option for promoting abundance and maintaining diversity of the ground-layer vegetation in northern hardwood forests.


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 873-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Gravel ◽  
Marilou Beaudet ◽  
Christian Messier

Northern hardwoods have undergone a marked change in their dynamics, with American beech ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) increasing in abundance relative to sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.). This study aims to better understand this sudden shift in recruitment dynamics. We performed an extensive analysis of the age structure, radial growth pattern, and release history on >700 saplings from 34 mature maple–beech stands of southern Quebec. We found (i) that the sapling age structures showed a progressive decrease in the establishment of maple relative to beech starting about 40 years ago, (ii) a change in the species growth hierarchy that started in the 1980s due to increasing radial growth of beech, (iii) that this growth trend is negligible for both maple and beech when we account for size and suppression status, and finally (iv) that the growth trend appears to be independent of present soil conditions. These results contrast with previous studies conducted at the adult stage that reported a growth decline for maple. We conclude that this change in recruitment dynamics is not related to growth, and consequently, further studies investigating this phenomenon should concentrate on establishment and survival.


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 654-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Duchesne ◽  
Rock Ouimet

We respond to the comment by Messier et al. (2011. Can. J. For. Res. 41: 649–653) on our recent paper questioning the possible influence of the base status of soils in the present-day expansion of American beech ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) in Quebec (2009. Can. J. For. Res. 39: 2273–2282). From our observations, as well as from a large body of scientific evidence reporting on the high sensitivity of sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) to the acid–base status of soils, we hypothesized that soil base cation depletion, caused in part by atmospheric deposition, is among the main factors involved in the present-day expansion of American beech over large areas in Quebec. Clearly, we suggested in our paper that acid deposition might act with other factors to explain the expansion of American beech. In this context, our conclusions are far from any oversimplified explanation, as stated by Messier et al., but rather, they point out a level of complexity above the one currently discussed.


1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1279-1281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Cypher ◽  
Douglas H. Boucher

We tested the hypothesis that coexistence of forest tree species is promoted by canopy-dependent seedling growth, such that each tree species grows faster under adults of a different species. The study was carried out in the forest of Mont Saint Hilaire, P.Q., using seedlings of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum). The main hypothesis was confirmed, while an auxiliary hypothesis for coexistence involving differential longevity and light gap growth was not confirmed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1402-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Alexander Elvir ◽  
Lindsey Rustad ◽  
G Bruce Wiersma ◽  
Ivan Fernandez ◽  
Alan S White ◽  
...  

The foliar chemistry of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), and red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) was studied from 1993 to 2003 at the Bear Brook Watershed in Maine (BBWM). The BBWM is a paired-watershed forest ecosystem study, with one watershed treated bimonthly since 1989 with ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) at a rate of 25.2 kg N·ha–1·year–1. Foliar N concentrations were higher in all tree species within the treated watershed compared with trees within the reference watershed. Foliar Ca and Mg concentrations were lower in American beech and red spruce within the treated watershed. There were no significant differences in foliar K concentrations between watersheds. Foliar P and Mn concentration differences between watersheds were inconsistent among years. Differences in foliar N concentrations between watersheds declined over time in sugar maple but not in red spruce or American beech. Differences in foliar Ca and Mg concentrations between the treated and reference watersheds increased over time for American beech and red spruce, primarily because of a consistent decline in concentrations of these nutrients in trees within the treated watershed. No temporal trends in foliar Ca and Mg concentration differences between watersheds were observed for sugar maple.


2009 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
pp. 515-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Briana Schroeder ◽  
Christopher M. Buddle ◽  
Michel Saint-Germain

AbstractWe studied the effects of forest height and forest gap on assemblages of flying beetles in an American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (Fagaceae) – sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh. (Aceraceae)) forest in Quebec. From June until August of 2005, beetles were collected in Lindgren funnel traps placed in the canopy (20–25 m height) and upper understorey (3–5 m height) in proximity to five forest gaps (15–30 m in diameter) (at the edge of the forest opening or within the closed-canopy forest). We collected 1852 beetles representing 38 families and 172 species. Based on rarefaction curves, species richness was significantly higher in the canopy than in the upper understorey. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination revealed a change in species composition in relation to vertical stratification but not to the forest gaps. Our findings confirmed the importance of the vertical forest gradient to overall diversity of forest coleopterans.


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