disturbance and ecology of coastal plain forests
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Disturbance & Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests
with a focus on Longleaf Pine
Dr. Steve Jack
Conservation Ecologist and Applied Forest Scientist Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center
![Page 2: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Disturbance Ecology
• Develop understanding of what is “natural” for a given location and forest type
![Page 3: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Disturbance Ecology
• Develop understanding of what is “natural” for a given location and forest type
• For disturbance should consider: – Frequency – Scale – What is left after disturbance
![Page 4: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
EXAMPLE: Natural Variation in Disturbances (based on ca. 20 studies; Seymour et al 2002)
1
Interval between Disturbances (at the same point on the landscape) - years
Con
tiguo
us A
rea
Dis
turb
ed a
nd R
egen
erat
ed -
ha
Severe Fire and Wind
100 1000 10000 0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
10000
Natural Canopy Gaps
100-year return interval
Range =
.001 - .1 ha
![Page 5: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Natural Disturbance Agents
In southeast many things can cause disturbance: – Wind – Lightning – Insects – Disease – Water – Fire
![Page 6: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Natural Overstory Disturbance
More common sources in longleaf forest result in small scale disturbance – Lightning (more prevalent on xeric sites) – Competition (more prevalent on hydric
sites) – Wind (more prevalent on hydric sites) – Beetles/root rot – Fire
From Palik and Pederson (1996)
Suppression
DBH class (cm)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
Perc
enta
ge o
f tot
al p
opul
atio
n0
10
20
30
40
Unknown
0
4
8
12
16
Lightning
02468
10121416
Wind
0
4
8
12
16
Live
0
2
4
6
8
10
Mortality (trees ha-1 5 yr-1)
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Num
ber o
f plo
ts
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
Mortality (m2 ha-1 5 yr-1)
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
![Page 7: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Conceptual Longleaf Model
from Michener et al. 1996
![Page 8: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Natural Disturbances
In longleaf forests result in: • Perpetual forests with multiple age classes • Continuous fuels through time and across
space – supports fire • Variable density and spacing (heterogeneity) • Advance regeneration seedling pools in
more open areas
![Page 9: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Fire in Coastal Plain Forests
![Page 10: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Role of Fire
• Maintain early successional state • Reduce fuel accumulations • Affects structure and function
– Reduced or absent midstory – Species rich ground cover – Nutrient cycling
Day 1 3 months
1 year
3 years
10 years
30 years
![Page 11: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Fire and Biodiversity
Fire is the overriding feature that sustains the biodiversity of the longleaf pine ecosystem – Frequent – Continuous over
time
![Page 12: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Diverse Ground Cover Community
![Page 13: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Diverse Faunal Community
![Page 14: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Longleaf Pine Prior to European Settlement
![Page 15: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Longleaf Communities - Montane
![Page 16: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Longleaf Communities - Sandhills
![Page 17: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Longleaf Communities - Mesic
![Page 18: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Longleaf Communities - Flatwoods
![Page 19: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Longleaf – Wide Ecological Amplitude
• High water use efficiency – tolerates droughts, extensive root system
• Overstory trees can survive short-duration flooding
• Unique regeneration habit – tolerates fire, drought-tolerant once established
• Associated understory species have similar characteristics
• Resistant to pests, disease, physical damage • FIRE adapted (required?) species
![Page 20: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Management at Ichauway
![Page 21: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
With Predicted Climate Change …
• What factors will change, and how will the changes affect the forest? – Altered precipitation patterns? – Elevated average temperatures? – More severe weather events? – More wildfires? Reduced use of Rx-fire?
• What forest types will be best adapted to the
“new” (and changing?) conditions?
![Page 22: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Disturbance Frequency & Extent with Climate Change
from Michener et al. 1996
Catastrophic flooding
Droughts
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
![Page 23: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Heard from Experts
![Page 24: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
![Page 25: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
![Page 26: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Hurricane Damage
![Page 27: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Hurricane Damage
![Page 28: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Hurricane Damage
• Southern MS Katrina Damage • Two 20 year old plantations, each with stands of
loblolly, slash and longleaf
Species Type of Hurricane Damage (%)
None Snapped Leaning Blown Over
Loblolly 16.3 75.9 5.7 2
Slash 52.4 38.1 7.8 1.7
Longleaf 64 8.9 16.9 10.2
Source: MS Forestry Commission
![Page 29: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Flooding Events
![Page 30: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Drought Response
• Large effects on regeneration – Seedling survival – Seed production
• Cumulative effects on overstory – Decreased vigor – Increased susceptibility to pests
• Ability to burn, mortality following fires
![Page 31: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Changes in Fire Regimes
![Page 32: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Changes in Fire Regimes
![Page 33: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Forest Responses to These Changes?
• Fire-maintained longleaf forests may be in best position to continue under altered climate
• But what about other forest types that are more common on the landscape?
![Page 34: Disturbance and Ecology of Coastal Plain Forests](https://reader031.vdocuments.site/reader031/viewer/2022030305/58724fe81a28ab852f8b6cfd/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Mixed Pine – Hardwood Forests