No description available.

Canopy gaps in many forests are thought of as resetting the successional sequence due to increased light availability. In this study, canopy gaps were identified with a LiDAR digital canopy model in a Key Largo hardwood forest. Sapling structure and composition were recorded in the gaps. Weighted averaging calibration was applied to relative abundances of trees to determine the successional age optimum for each tree species, and weighted averaging regression was used to calculate inferred stand ages for each gap’s saplings. The inferred stand ages were greater in young forest gaps than in surrounding, unimpacted forest, suggesting that succession was actually advanced. Canopy heights in Key Largo were shorter than many other tropical and temperate forests, canopy gaps were smaller and therefore light availability did not vary with gap area. This suggests that the largest gaps may not be big enough to produce the light conditions required to reestablish pioneer tree species. Soil and water conditions in young forest gaps may also favor mature rather than pioneer species. Resetting of the forest successional sequence may not occur without intense disturbances such as fires or major hurricanes that remove the entire canopy and consume or erode soils.

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Growth release of trees following canopy disturbances is of interest to ecological scientists and forest managers. Using dendroecological techniques, I examined growth release of canopy and subcanopy trees following the formation of natural, fine-scale canopy gaps in old-growth, western red cedar-western hemlock forests of coastal British Columbia. I aimed to quantify detailed information on release of the three shade-tolerant tree species that constitute these stands: western red cedar (Thuja plicata), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis). As a first step, I calibrated the radial-growth averaging method to account for regional-scale variability and capture a more complete range of growth releases that may occur following the formation of fine-scale gaps in the study stands. A 25% threshold, 5-year moving average, and 10-year window emerged as appropriate parameters for detecting releases using radial-growth averaging. Basal area increment was also the most appropriate growth index for detecting releases. Establishing these empirically-based criteria was important for quantifying the magnitude and duration of releases. Tree diameter and growth rate prior to release were the most important predictors of the magnitude and duration of releases, but identity of the tree species and distance from the gap center were also important predictors. Western hemlock and Pacific silver fir were often growing slowly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them tremendous potential to release. For these species, releases were generally intensive and persistent. In contrast, western red cedar were often growing quickly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them less potential to release. Compared to western hemlock and Pacific silver fir, western red cedar releases were less intensive and persistent. Patterns related to distance from the gap center emerged for trees growing along the north-south axis of gaps. Regardless of species, increasing distance from the gap center resulted in decreasing magnitude and duration of releases. However, patterns for duration were complex, as the distance effect was greater for trees north of the gap center. Information on growth release of trees is useful for reconstructing the history of past canopy disturbances, elucidating mechanisms of tree species coexistence, and assessing and predicting stand changes due to forest management in coastal British Columbia.

The Cerulean Warbler is a small migratory that is currently considered a species of special concern. Cerulean Warbler response to two types of silvicultural treatments in southern Indiana was assessed by comparing relative abundance and territory data collected during the two years prior to tree harvest to data collected one year immediately following the harvest. ArcGIS was then used to identify spatial attributes of territories that appeared to be important to the species. Lastly, a method of sampling canopy openings by using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit was introduced. The results suggest that Cerulean Warblers were not negatively affected by the harvest and that moderate prescribed silviculture treatments that create small canopy openings can benefit the species. / Immediate Cerulean warbler response to silviculture in southern Indiana -- Effects of silviculture on spatial characteristics of Cerulean warbler territories -- A method of sampling canopy openings associated with Cerulean warbler territories. / Department of Biology

Growth release of trees following canopy disturbances is of interest to ecological scientists and forest managers. Using dendroecological techniques, I examined growth release of canopy and subcanopy trees following the formation of natural, fine-scale canopy gaps in old-growth, western red cedar-western hemlock forests of coastal British Columbia. I aimed to quantify detailed information on release of the three shade-tolerant tree species that constitute these stands: western red cedar (Thuja plicata), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis). As a first step, I calibrated the radial-growth averaging method to account for regional-scale variability and capture a more complete range of growth releases that may occur following the formation of fine-scale gaps in the study stands. A 25% threshold, 5-year moving average, and 10-year window emerged as appropriate parameters for detecting releases using radial-growth averaging. Basal area increment was also the most appropriate growth index for detecting releases. Establishing these empirically-based criteria was important for quantifying the magnitude and duration of releases. Tree diameter and growth rate prior to release were the most important predictors of the magnitude and duration of releases, but identity of the tree species and distance from the gap center were also important predictors. Western hemlock and Pacific silver fir were often growing slowly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them tremendous potential to release. For these species, releases were generally intensive and persistent. In contrast, western red cedar were often growing quickly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them less potential to release. Compared to western hemlock and Pacific silver fir, western red cedar releases were less intensive and persistent. Patterns related to distance from the gap center emerged for trees growing along the north-south axis of gaps. Regardless of species, increasing distance from the gap center resulted in decreasing magnitude and duration of releases. However, patterns for duration were complex, as the distance effect was greater for trees north of the gap center. Information on growth release of trees is useful for reconstructing the history of past canopy disturbances, elucidating mechanisms of tree species coexistence, and assessing and predicting stand changes due to forest management in coastal British Columbia.

Orientadores: Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos, Maria Imaculada Zucchi / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T23:19:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silvestrini_Milene_D.pdf: 3891912 bytes, checksum: 6bb6bd65f788f261b8387e6c9daf17f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A estrutura genética espacial de populações de plantas pode variar ao longo dos estádios ontogenéticos, através das gerações e entre diferentes condições ambientais. Estas mudanças são direcionadas por fatores ecológicos e evolutivos. As espécies pioneiras apresentam histórias de vida e estruturas populacionais características que são afetadas principalmente pelas mudanças ambientais geradas por distúrbios naturais ou antrópicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar como as características do ciclo de vida, os processos ecológicos e fatores genéticos associados aos distúrbios afetam a diversidade e estrutura genética de populações de uma espécie arbórea pioneira. Nós estudamos Croton floribundus Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae), uma espécie arbórea pioneira abundante em clareiras e em áreas secundárias da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, em duas áreas com níveis contrastantes de distúrbios antrópicos: uma floresta primária e uma floresta secundária em estádio inicial de sucessão. A fim de abordar a principal questão deste estudo, nós avaliamos o padrão de distribuição da espécie sob as diferentes condições ambientais geradas por distúrbios naturais e antrópicos (Capítulo I); testamos e caracterizamos iniciadores universais cloroplastidiais (cpSSR) para C. floribundus (Capítulo II); desenvolvemos e caracterizamos marcadores microssatélites nucleares (SSR) para C. floribundus bem como examinamos algumas características citogenéticas da espécie com o objetivo de testar a ocorrência de poliploidia e avaliar sua implicação para o uso dos marcadores SSR (Capítulo III); avaliamos a diversidade e estrutura genética de C. floribundus entre duas classes de tamanho e entre populações em uma floresta primária e uma floresta secundária em estádio inicial de sucessão (Capítulo IV). C. floribundus foi frequente e igualmente distribuído em clareiras de todos os tamanhos na floresta primária, mas sua estrutura populacional variou entre áreas com níveis contrastantes de distúrbio antrópico. Seis locos cpSSR foram otimizados e caracterizados em C. floribundus. O estudo citogenético permitiu a caracterização mais precisa dos locos SSR, bem como forneceu novos dados sobre a origem e a evolução da espécie. O número de bivalentes observados na meiose, n = 56 (2n = 8x = 112), mostrou a ocorrência de poliploidia em todas as populações estudadas. Altos níveis de diversidade genética foram encontrados para C. floribundus. A dispersão de sementes e as colonizações (e extinções) foram determinantes para a estrutura genética em fina escala encontrada nas populações de C. floribundus em ambos os tipos de florestas. Além disso, os efeitos destes processos associados aos distúrbios antrópicos parecem aumentar fortemente a diferenciação genética entre as populações na floresta em estádio inicial de sucessão. As análises de marcadores moleculares nucleares e cloroplastidias sugeriram que o fluxo gênico por pólen é responsável por manter a diversidade genética dentro das populações de C. floribundus tanto na floresta primária quanto na floresta secundária em estádio inicial de sucessão. Nesta última, o fluxo gênico por sementes parece ser igualmente importante. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a dinâmica de clareiras, o processo de colonização e a dispersão de pólen e sementes afetam a diversidade e estrutura genética da espécie arbórea pioneira, aumentando-os ou diminuindo-os conforme o número de colonizadores, número de populações-fonte, as taxas de fluxo gênico e o nível de perturbação antrópica da área / Abstract: The spatial genetic structure of plant populations may vary across life stages, across generations and among different environmental conditions. These changes are driven by evolutionary and ecological forces. Pioneer tree species exhibit particular life histories and population structures that are mainly affected by environmental changes generated by natural or human disturbances. Our aim was to investigate how the life-history traits, ecological processes, and the genetic factors associated to natural and human disturbances can affect the genetic diversity and structure of populations of a pioneer tree species. We studied Croton floribundus Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae), a pioneer tree species abundant in gaps and secondary areas of the semi-deciduous tropical forest, in two areas with contrasting levels of human disturbance: a primary forest and an early successional forest. In order to address the main question of this study, we examined the pattern of distribution of the species under the different environmental conditions generated by natural and human disturbances (Chapter I); tested and characterized universal chloroplast microsatellite (cpSSR) primers for C. floribundus (Chapter II); developed and characterized nuclear microsatellite (SSR) markers for C. floribundus as well as examined some cytogenetic traits of the species in order to test for polyploidy and to evaluate its implications for the appropriate use of the SSR markers (Chapter III); and evaluated the genetic diversity and structure of C. floribundus between two size classes and among populations in the primary forest and in the early successional forest (Chapter IV). C. floribundus was widespread and equally distributed along the gap size range in the primary forest, but its population structure varied between areas with contrasting levels of human disturbance. Six universal cpSSR loci were optimized and characterized for C. floribundus. The cytogenetic study allowed the accurate characterization of SSR loci as well as provided new data on the origin and evolution of the species. The number of bivalents observed in meiosis n=56 (2n=8x=112) showed the occurrence of polyploidy in all populations studied. High genetic diversity levels were found for C. floribundus. Seed dispersal and colonizations (and extinctions) were determinants of the fine-scale genetic structure of C. floribundus in both forest types. Also, their effects associated to the human disturbances seem to strongly increase the genetic differentiation among populations in the early successional forest. Analysis of nuclear and chloroplast markers suggested that gene flow by pollen is responsible for maintaining the genetic diversity within populations of C. floribundus in both primary and early successional forests. In the latter, gene flow by seeds seem to be equally important. The results showed that gap dynamics, colonization process, and pollen and seed dispersal affect the genetic diversity and structure of the pioneer tree species by increasing or decreasing them depending mainly on the number of colonizers, the number of source populations, the gene flow rates, and the level of human disturbance of the area / Doutorado / Ecologia / Doutora em Ecologia

Growth release of trees following canopy disturbances is of interest to ecological scientists and forest managers. Using dendroecological techniques, I examined growth release of canopy and subcanopy trees following the formation of natural, fine-scale canopy gaps in old-growth, western red cedar-western hemlock forests of coastal British Columbia. I aimed to quantify detailed information on release of the three shade-tolerant tree species that constitute these stands: western red cedar (Thuja plicata), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis). As a first step, I calibrated the radial-growth averaging method to account for regional-scale variability and capture a more complete range of growth releases that may occur following the formation of fine-scale gaps in the study stands. A 25% threshold, 5-year moving average, and 10-year window emerged as appropriate parameters for detecting releases using radial-growth averaging. Basal area increment was also the most appropriate growth index for detecting releases. Establishing these empirically-based criteria was important for quantifying the magnitude and duration of releases. Tree diameter and growth rate prior to release were the most important predictors of the magnitude and duration of releases, but identity of the tree species and distance from the gap center were also important predictors. Western hemlock and Pacific silver fir were often growing slowly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them tremendous potential to release. For these species, releases were generally intensive and persistent. In contrast, western red cedar were often growing quickly both in the canopy and subcanopy, giving them less potential to release. Compared to western hemlock and Pacific silver fir, western red cedar releases were less intensive and persistent. Patterns related to distance from the gap center emerged for trees growing along the north-south axis of gaps. Regardless of species, increasing distance from the gap center resulted in decreasing magnitude and duration of releases. However, patterns for duration were complex, as the distance effect was greater for trees north of the gap center. Information on growth release of trees is useful for reconstructing the history of past canopy disturbances, elucidating mechanisms of tree species coexistence, and assessing and predicting stand changes due to forest management in coastal British Columbia. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

The Mountain Hemlock (MH) zone includes all subalpine forests along British Columbia’s coast. It occurs at elevations where most precipitation falls as snow and the growing season is less than 4 months long. The zone includes the continuous forest of the forested subzones and the tree islands of the parkland subzones (Figure 1). Old-growth stands are populated by mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and Alaska yellow-cedar, and are among the least-disturbed ecosystems in the world. Canopy trees grow slowly and are commonly older than 600 years, while some Alaska yellow-cedars may be up to 2000 years old. Early regeneration failures followed slashburning and the planting of unsuitable species. Currently, the most successful and feasible option for reforesting cutovers is natural regeneration with a mix of the three main tree species, but uncertainties remain about the temporal and spatial pattern of regeneration, changes in species composition, and the time required for stand establishment after cutting. Our study addressed these concerns by examining regeneration patterns on 6 sites that were clearcut 11-12 years prior to sampling and left to regenerate naturally. The sites were located at the lower limits of the zone in the Tetrahedron Range, near Sechelt, at elevations from 1060-1100m.