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The Cerrado is a biodiversity hotspot undergoing land conversion with need of broad-extent quantification of species and associated ecosystem function. The effects of species on ecosystems can be tested when functional traits are related to ecosystem properties. The patterns of ecophysiologically-linked leaf traits were characterized with the goals of understanding functional diversity of the above ground biomass for ecosystem characterization and discrimination of this status using remote sensing spectroscopy data. Functional groups of plant life form had more consistently different trait status than taxonomy based groups. Specific leaf area and leaf water content were the most significant traits distinguishing functional groups. Spectral indices from a handheld spectrometer were insufficient to capture the variation of these key traits. Future studies integrating remote sensing to understand the effects of Cerrado functional diversity on ecosystem properties would benefit from incorporating life form functional groups, specific leaf area and leaf water content.

abstract: As an industrial society, humans have increasingly separated agricultural processes from natural ecosystems. Many areas of the Southwestern US, however, maintain traditional practices that link agricultural systems to the natural environment. One such practice, diverting river water into fields via earthen irrigation canals, allows ditch water to recharge groundwater and riparian vegetation to prosper along canal banks. As there is growing interest in managing landscapes for multiple ecosystem services, this study was undertaken to determine if irrigation canals function as an extension of the riparian corridor. I was specifically interested in determining if the processes within semi-arid streams that drive riparian plant community structure are manifested in earthen irrigation ditches. I examined herbaceous and woody vegetation along the middle Verde River, AZ, USA and three adjacent irrigation ditches across six months. I also collected sieved hydrochores--seeds dispersing through water--within ditches and the river twelve times. Results indicate that ditch vegetation was similar to streamside river vegetation in abundance (cover and basal area) due to surface water availability but more diverse than river streamside vegetation due to high heterogeneity. Compositionally, herbaceous vegetation along the ditch was most similar to the river banks, while low disturbance fostered woody vegetation along the ditches similar to high floodplain and river terrace vegetation. Hydrochore richness and abundance within the river was dependent on seasonality and stream discharge, but these relationships were dampened in the ditches. Species-specific strategies of hydrochory, however, did emerge in both systems. Strategies include pulse species, which disperse via hydrochory in strict accordance with their restricted dispersal windows, constant species, which are year round hydrochores, and combination species, which show characteristics of both. There was high overlap in the composition of hydrochores in the two systems, with obligate wetland species abundant in both. Upland species were more seasonally constant and abundant in the ditch water than the river. The consistency of river processes and similarity of vegetation suggest that earthen irrigation ditches do function as an extension of the riparian corridor. Thus, these man-made irrigation ditches should be considered by stakeholders for their multiple ecosystem services. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Biology 2010

There are numerous examples of how exotic insect pests and pathogens have altered the dominance of native tree species and the ecological processes and function related to those species. While targeted species may persist in a functionally altered state via vegetative sprouting, the widespread decimation of a species can have dramatic direct and indirect consequences for organisms in multiple trophic levels. Devastation due to alien insect herbivores poses the greatest threat to native insect larvae that specialize on the impacted host species. The loss of pollinators whose larvae feed on impacted species and provide services for native plants may also be a serious but yet undocumented indirect threat of these exotic invasions. The disruption of mutualistic relationships between native species will have negative consequences for those species and could potentially benefit exotic species. In the southeastern US, laurel wilt disease (LWD) is impacting numerous species in the Lauraceae family, with the majority of cases observed on Persea borbonia, a common sub-canopy tree found in many Coastal Plain habitats. This species is also known to be the primary larval host of the palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes). While infection rates and crown dieback are catastrophically high (>90%), basal resprouting is a common response in P. borbonia. The exotic Cinnamomum camphora is the only Lauraceae species that has shown resistance to LWD and could benefit from opportunities to replace P. borbonia and other Lauraceae species threatened by LWD. The primary objectives of this study were four fold: 1) to quantify P. borbonia sprouting responses in the field and greenhouse and determine the effect of P. borbonia removal on the composition and abundance of woody and herbaceous plant species in the understory layer, 2) to test the relative suitability of C. camphora as an alternative larval host for P. palamedes, 3) to determine the reliance of the Platanthera ciliaris on P. palamedes for successful pollination and the relative availability of alternative long-tongued pollinators, and 4) to forecast how disease-induced shifts in the relative abundance of native (P. borbonia) and exotic (C. camphora) fruit may alter patterns of consumption and subsequent dispersal of C. camphora by birds. The field component (Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR), Jackson County, MS) of chapter two involved the removal of P. borbonia main stems to mimic the impacts of LWD which resulted in a significant increase (~50%) in light transmission. All treated individuals produced sprouts and the size and number of sprouts was positively related to initial tree size. Following the removal of P. borbonia from treatment plots, Ilex vomitoria showed the greatest increase in basal area after two years. Both woody seedlings and herbaceous plants showed no significant trends in composition and/or abundance over time. In the greenhouse (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL), the stem and leaf biomass of vegetative sprouts was significantly greater in a high-nutrient treatment. Light treatments had no effect on sprout production. Results from chapter two suggest that the loss of P. borbonia from the canopy layer may have little direct effect on plant community dynamics. In addition, I found that sprout production is vigorous in P. borbonia and the capacity to persist and tolerate future disturbances may be enhanced on more nutrient-rich sites. In chapter three, I used laboratory experiments and field observations to compare larval performance and adult female preference of P. palamedes between C. camphora and P. borbonia foliage. My results indicate moderate survivorship on C. camphora (46%) compared to P. borbonia (87%) and there were no differences in first and fourth instar growth rates between treatments. Fourth instars consumed less C. camphora foliage than P. borbonia, but metabolic efficiency did not differ between treatments. In the field and laboratory, I found no oviposition preference for C. camphora relative to P. borbonia. While females laid eggs on C. camphora during laboratory trials, the same number of eggs was also laid on inanimate objects. I conclude that C. camphora is suitable for larval development but host-switching to this species by P. palamedes will be primarily constrained by oviposition behaviors. In chapter four, I monitored pollinator visitation and measured nectar spur lengths of P. ciliaris flowers and proboscis lengths of its floral visitors (at GBNERR). Papilio palamedes was the primary visitor (44 visits) but Phoebis sennae was also observed (4 visits). There were no significant differences among P. ciliaris nectar spurlength and the proboscis lengths of P. palamedes and P. sennae. Fruit set was 55 ± 10.8% with access to pollinators and 0% on bagged inflorescences (pollinators excluded). Although I found a positive relationship between visitation and inflorescence size, there was no such pattern in fruit set, indicating that fruit set was not limited by pollinator visitation within the range of visitation rates I observed. Phoebis sennae may provide supplemental pollination service but is likely constrained by habitat preferences that do not always overlap with those of P. cilaris. Although additional observations are needed, my results suggest that expected LWD-induced declines of P. palamedes will threaten the reproductive success and persistence of P. ciliaris populations. In chapter five, I investigated redundancy between C. camphora and P. borbonia with respect to fruit characteristics (physical and chemical) and selectivity by frugivorous birds (at GBNERR). Across two winter survey periods I observed fruit removal from artificial infructescences. I manipulated background species upon which displays were hung (Myrica cerifera and Triadica sebifera) and the accessibility of the displays. Using motion-activated cameras I confirmed foraging bouts on both P. borbonia and C. camphora fruits by three bird species (Dumetella carolinensis, Turdus migratorius, and Catharus guttatus). There was no significant difference in selectivity between fruit types during year one of my surveys but there was a significant preference for C. camphora in year two, which coincided with significantly lower mean daily temperatures. Background tree species and accessibility had no apparent effect on fruit preference. Total polyphenols and pulp:seed ratio were significantly higher in C. camphora fruit. I conclude that the fruits of C. camphora and P. borbonia represent nearly substitutable resources for native birds. However, native species may prefer C. camphora fruit in times of energetic stress. The decline of P. borbonia will likely increase the consumption and dispersal of C. camphora fruits. Additional studies are required to determine if such changes could ultimately increase the distribution and abundance of this exotic species. Combined, the chapters of this dissertation present substantial empirical evidence for the potential multi-trophic level impacts of an exotic plant disease. While it remains unclear how dramatic these impacts will be, the approach used here is vital for understanding and mitigating the long-term ecological effects of species/disease invasions.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram analisar a composição florística, a estrutura, alguns aspectos da dinâmica da regeneração de espécies nativas no sub-bosque de povoamentos comerciais de Eucalyptus spp e estudar o impacto que algumas práticas silviculturais (desbaste e corte raso) sobre a regeneração. Para isso, foram locadas 17 parcelas (0,68 ha de área amostral) em um talhão de Eucalyptus grandis (Talhão 48), na Fazenda São José do Bromado, coordenadas geográficas 23°13’30’’S e 48°34’07’’W, município de Itatinga – SP. Na avalia ção da composição e estrutura da regeneração, realizada 30 meses após o corte da primeira rotação do povoamento de eucalipto, foram plaqueados e identificados todos os indivíduos arbóreos ou arbustivos com altura superior a 1,5m. O estudo da evolução temporal da regeneração foi realizado em 2 avaliações, 30 e 45 meses após a exploração do povoamento de eucalipto, utilizando o mesmo método de análise, sendo considerado morto o indivíduo amostrado nos levantamento anterior e não localizado na avaliação seguinte. Após a segunda avaliação as parcelas foram divididas em três tratamentos, sendo: Tratamento 1 – testemunha (área amostral de 0,2ha), no qual o povoamento de eucalipto foi mantido, Tratamento 2 (área amostral de 0,24ha) no qual foi realizado o desbaste de 50% do povoamento de eucalipto e Tratamento 3 (área amostral de 0,24ha) no qual foi realizado o corte raso do eucalipto. Após a implantação dos tratamentos (46 meses após a exploração do povoamento) foram realizadas duas avaliações, a primeira 54 meses e a segunda 61 meses após a exploração da primeira rotação do povoamento de E. grandis. Foram amostrados 1900 indivíduos (104 espécies e 38 famílias) na primeira avaliação. A família de maior riqueza florística foi Myrtaceae seguida de Asteraceae, Fabaceae e Solanaceae, sendo esta última a que apresentou a maior densidade de indivíduos. As espécies de maior densidade relativa foram Solanum variabile e Matayba elaeagnoides. 76,66% dos indivíduos amostrados pertenciam a famílias que apresentaram padrão de distribuição espacial agregado. Na avaliação da dinâmica da regeneração, constatou-se que o recrutamento de novos indivíduos no sub-bosque do eucalipto no período de 30-45 meses da exploração comercial se concentrou nos grupos de espécies secundárias iniciais, secundárias tardias e espécies típicas da condição de sub-bosque. Enquanto a mortalidade se concentrou nos indivíduos pertencentes ao grupo das espécies pioneiras e das espécies não classificadas sucessionalmente. No período o índice para diversidade de Shannon (H´), apresentou crescimento de 3,48 para 3,573, e a equabilidade (J’), crescimento de 0,751 para 0,762, mostrando que houve ganho em relação a diversidade de espécies na área. No estudo do impacto que diferentes práticas silviculturais impõem a regeneração, o tratamento 1 – testemunha foi o que apresentou as menores taxas de mortalidade e o maior ingresso de espécies no período analisado. As operações de corte e remoção causaram grande impacto nos tratamentos 2 – desbaste de 50% do povoamento de E. grandis e tratamento 3 – corte raso, aumentando a taxa de mortalidade e diminuindo a taxa de recrutamento de indivíduos na regeneração. O Tratamento 2 foi o único a apresentar ganhos em diversidade (H’) em todos os levantamentos. / The objectives of this study were to analyze a floristic composition, the structure, some aspects of the dynamics of regeneration of native species in understory of commercial stands of Eucalyptus spp and to study the impact that some silvicultural practices (thinning and clear cut) have on regeneration. For this purpose, 17 samples (0.68 ha total sample area) were located in a stand of Eucalyptus grandis (Stand 48), on the São José do Bromado Farm, geographical coordinates 23°13’30’’S and 48°34’07’’W, municipal of Itatinga, Sao Paulo. In the evaluation of the composition and structure of the regeneration, done 30 months after the clear cut of the first rotation of Eucalyptus grandis, all of the individual trees up to 1.5m of height were tagged and identified. The study of the temporal evolution of regeneration was done in 2 evaluations, 30 and 45 months after the clear cut of the stand. The same method of analysis was used, being that the individual trees measured previously and not found in the second evaluation were considered dead. After the second evaluation the samples were divided into three treatments: Treatment 1- control (sample area of 0.2ha), of which the trees were maintained, Treatment 2 (sample area of 0.24ha), of which 50% thinning was done, and Treatment 3 (sample area of 0.24ha), of which clear cut was done. After the implementation of the treatments (46 months after the exploration), two evaluations were accomplished. The first at 54 months and the second at 61 months, after the exploration of the first rotation of the stand. One thousand nine hundred trees (104 species and 38 families) were sampled in the first evaluation. The largest floristic family verified was Myrtaceae followed by Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Solanaceae, the family which presented the largest density of individuals. Whereas the species with the greatest relative density were Solanum variabile and Matayba elaeagnoides. Among the individual samples, 76.66% were of the families that present a pattern of aggregate spatial distribution. In evaluating the dynamics of regeneration, it was found that the recruitment of new individuals in understory of eucalyptus during the period of 30-45 months after the commercial exploration was focused on the groups of initial secondary species, late secondary and typical species of understory. The mortality was concentrated in the group of pioneer species and non-classified species, respectively. The index period to the Shannon diversity (H’), presented growth of 3.48 to 3.573, and eqüability (J’), growth of 0.751 to 0.762, showing to have gained in relation to the diversity of species of the area. The study of the impact that different silvicultural practices have on regeneration, treatment 1- presented the least incidence of mortality and the greatest incidence of species during the analysis period. The practices of thinning and clear cut caused a great impact on treatments 2 and 3, improving the incidence of mortality and decreasing the incidence of new individuals of regeneration. Treatment 2 was the only one to present gains in diversity (H’) in all of the evaluations.

It is an unresolved paradox that non-native species are successful in novel environments whereas native species, presumably adapted to that environment, decline. This knowledge gap has persisted because third party processes in invasion ecology have been overlooked. Ungulate densities are increasing due to the eradication of predators and landscape change and I asked how herbivory and invasion might interact to cause declines of native species. In Garry oak meadows, Canada’s most endangered ecosystem, native forbs have declined relative to non-native grasses and I tested the facilitatory role of herbivory in that degradation. My investigations, novel to the field, were conducted on islands spanning the Canada-US border. Islands served as natural experimental units in a mensurative study of abundance patterns in seven plant groups and 15 focal species along gradients of herbivory, biogeography, soil depth, and human activities. Increasing ungulate densities were related to declines in abundances of native forbs, and increasing abundances of non-native annual grasses. These regional patterns were upheld by two plot-based, 2x2 factorial experiments that contrasted the fitness of native species under manipulations of herbivory and competition for light. Specifically, I showed that ungulates limited the establishment, growth, survival and reproduction of seedlings and transplanted native forbs and shrubs and that competition from non-native species had little effect. I also calculated forage selectivity indices and tested the efficacy of fencing and cutting to reduce competition, for the restoration of native community biomass. Non-native annual grasses were rarely browsed and increased with increasing ungulate density. Non-native perennial grasses declined with herbivory, however, their regional abundances were unaffected by ungulate density despite being preferentially foraged. That non-native annual and perennial grasses differed in their responses to herbivory has consequences for restoration and illustrates the challenge of developing a comprehensive theory of invasion. Reducing ungulates, necessary for the recovery of native forbs, also benefits non-native perennial grasses and therefore their removal speed recovery of Garry oak meadows. Despite advances in invasion ecology, scientists and managers are disconnected and research is rarely implemented. I conclude by proposing seven solutions to facilitate the integration of science into management. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

A comprehensive fuel load assessment of all plant communities in Bryce Canyon National Park is provided. Fuel loads by community type are pooled into "fuel type associations" based on similarity in predicted fire behavior, and the fuel type associations are mapped throughout the Park. For each fuel type association, a series of fire behavior simulations is presented describing expected rates of spread and intensities for typical conditions in each month of the fire season and for a worst-case scenario. These fire behavior predictions provide guidelines for writing prescribed burning prescriptions or for quickly assessing the need for possible fire suppression and the amount of effort required to suppress particular fires.

No description available.

No description available.

Climate warming has the potential to alter the structure and function of Arctic ecosystems in ways that are not fully understood. Polygonal terrain is a widespread permafrost feature of Arctic landscapes that is likely to be impacted by warming ground temperatures. This is of particular relevance in the uplands in the Mackenzie Delta region, where high-centre ice wedge polygon fields comprise 10% of the terrestrial landscape, and mean annual ground temperatures have increased between 1 and 2°C over the last 40 years (Burn and Kokelj 2009). I used broad-scale airphoto analysis and fine-scale field studies to investigate the impacts and possible trajectories of ice wedge degradation in the upland tundra north of Inuvik, NWT. Field investigations were undertaken to characterize biotic and abiotic conditions and feedbacks in stable and degrading high-centre polygons. Field surveys were conducted along transects which crossed three polygon micropositions (centres, edges and troughs) and targeted a degradation sequence from stable troughs to ice wedge melt ponds. I measured surface microtopography, active layer depth, water depth, plant community composition, soil gravimetric moisture, late winter snow depth, and shallow annual ground temperatures. Field data showed that ice wedge degradation drove increases in soil moisture, standing water depth, ground surface collapse, ground temperature, and active layer thaw and snow pack compared to stable troughs. These changing abiotic conditions drove the shift from mesic upland tundra plant communities to unvegetated melt ponds. Interactions between abiotic and biotic factors in degrading troughs increase ground temperature and contribute to positive feedbacks for ice wedge degradation. Analysis of broad-scale factors affecting ice wedge degradation involved the mapping of high-centre polygon distribution across the study area and the distribution of ice wedge melt ponds using high-resolution aerial photographs from 2004. Recent changes in melt pond area were also mapped using imagery dating from 1972. Thermokarst activity in polygonal terrain adjacent to anthropogenic disturbances was also assessed. Polygon fields were more abundant and larger in the northern part of the study area, where ground temperature conditions were most favourable for ice wedge formation. Spatial variation in polygonal terrain density was also related to topography, drainage, and the distribution of lacustrine sediments. Melt pond mapping and assessment of thermokarst at anthropogenic disturbances showed that ice wedges at higher latitudes are more susceptible to degradation primarily because these areas are underlain by larger and more abundant ice wedges. Melt pond mapping confirmed that the polygonal fields north of 69.4°N have shown both large increases and decreases in area, and that polygons in the south have been relatively stable in recent decades. The increased thaw sensitivity of polygonal terrain at higher latitudes has implications for soil carbon dynamics, terrestrial ecosystems, and the planning and maintenance of infrastructure as air and ground temperatures continue to increase. / Graduate / 0329 / 0372 / 0388