Ecology of a southwest New England forest and its invasion by a non native tree species
Item
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Title
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Ecology of a southwest New England forest and its invasion by a non native tree species
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:958fbf23df86:11255
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identifier
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11646
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Creator
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Morgan, Eric Carl,
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Contributor
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Dwight Kincaid
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Date
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2012
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Botany | Ecology | Invasive | Phellodendron | Rutaceae | Spatial Analysis
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Abstract
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With the regeneration of vast forested areas in northeastern North America, a renewed interest in studying these recovering areas has arisen in recent years. The process of accurately inventorying existing forested areas and applying statistical methods to recognize forest types and plant associations has become an important aspect of modern ecological study. While forest change is a natural process and each forest has its own individual mosaic of species, the documentation of species within these areas will allow changes to be recognized more accurately, and earlier than in years past.;Using a 31 hectare forest located in southwest Connecticut as a research site, an annotated flora of all non vascular and vascular plant species was conducted. Results included 71 non vascular and 357 vascular species being recorded and vouchered.;Vegetation analyses of the site were performed through the use of 10 x 10m quadrats. This analysis showed a forest dominated by Fagus grandifolia followed by Acer rubrum and Betula lenta . Four distinct forest types exist with a mixed hardwoods forest type dominating.;A non native species, Phellodendron amurense was recognized as being the 14th most dominant in importance value ranking. Sites were then identified within the forest to locate areas of high concentration of the species, and within the largest of these areas a comprehensive examination of the invasion was performed. An analysis of the age structure, impacts upon the understory, and pattern of the invasion were investigated by creating a large plot encompassing all the P. amurense and gathering cartesian coordinates, diameter at breast height, and age from tree ring analysis.;The results of this thesis provide an accurate and thorough inventory of all non vascular and vascular plants on the site. Furthermore, an examination of the forest types and importance values of the area provide an even better baseline from which future analysis may be based. This thesis also provides significant information regarding a non native invasive species that is currently not recognized as such in much of the pertinent literature.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Biology
