Inflow of seeds through the forest edge: evidence from seed bank and vegetation patterns

To determine the influence of the proximity of a forest edge on seed bank composition and diversity, we performed a seed bank sampling at ancient deciduous forests bordering intensive arable fields. Also vegetation patterns were taken into account. We hypothised that forest edges may facilitate the entrance of diaspores of invasive species into the forest and the successive incorporation of these species in the forest seed bank. We noticed a substantial influence of the proximity of an edge on seed bank composition at as well the forested side of the edge as the field side. The forest edge zone was limited to 3 m into the forest and the field edge zone extended 3m into the field. The seed bank samples of field and forest edge are characterised by a higher species diversity and seed density and a higher similarity between seed bank and vegetation, compared to field or forest samples. The forest edges contains fewer pioneer species in comparison with the forest interior and more competitive species and species of edges and clearings compared with field and forest samples. The seed longevity index increases towards the forest interior. We can conclude from our data that the forest and edge seed bank are composed by both seeds from recent dispersal processes and local seed set and by seeds originating from past vegetation on the site. Near the edge, actual seed input seems of primal importance. Further towards the forest interior seed input decreases and long-living seeds of past vegetation become more important. Ancient forest edges thus act as a barrier for seeds of species of the surrounding arable field.     

Plant–frugivore networks are less specialized and more robust at forest–farmland edges than in the interior of a tropical forest

Forest fragmentation and local disturbance are prevailing threats to tropical forest ecosystems and affect frugivore communities and animal seed dispersal in different ways. However, very little is known about the effects of anthropogenic forest edges and of local disturbance on the structure and robustness of plant–frugivore networks. We carried out focal tree observations to record the frugivore species feeding on eight canopy tree species in the forest interior and at forest–farmland edges in a little and a highly disturbed part of a Kenyan rain forest. For each frugivore species, we recorded its body mass and its forest dependence. We examined how forest edge and local disturbance affected the abundance, the richness and the composition of the frugivore community and tested whether forest edge and local disturbance affected plant frugivore networks. Abundance and species richness of frugivores were higher at edges than in the forest interior. Forest visitors and small‐bodied frugivores increased, while forest specialists decreased in abundance at forest edges. The changes in frugivore community composition resulted in plant–frugivore networks that were more connected, more nested and more robust against species extinctions at forest–farmland edges than in the forest interior. Network specialization was lower at forest edges than in the forest interior because at the edges plant specialization on frugivores was very low in small‐fruited species. In contrast, small‐fruited plants were more specialized than large‐fruited plants in the forest interior. Our findings suggest that forest‐visiting birds may stabilize seed‐dispersal services for small‐fruited plant species at rain forest margins, while seed‐dispersal services for large‐fruited plant species may be disrupted at forest edges due to the decrease of large‐bodied frugviores. To assess the ultimate consequences of bird movements from farmland to forest edges for ecosystem functioning, future studies are required to investigate the seed‐dispersal qualities provided by forest‐visiting bird species in the tropics.     

哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林林窗更新研究

对云南哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林林窗更新状况的调查结果表明,林内优势树种在林窗阶段不占优势,其在林窗内的重要值显著低于成熟林分;林窗内外的乔木幼苗在组成上存在较大差异,林窗内的幼苗多样性(H=2．73,D=0．89)高于林冠下(H=2．25,D=0．82),二者的Jaccard相似系数只有0．6．许多树种的幼苗只出现在林窗内;林窗内的乔木幼苗密度(38636株·hm²)远远高于林冠下(17323株·hm²)．林窗内和林冠下的乔木幼苗(H≤50cm)均以高度为11～20cm幼苗的在数量上占优势,但林窗内高度超过20cm的幼苗比例明显高于林冠下;林窗大小对乔木幼苗更新有重要影响,不同树种的幼苗密度高峰出现在不同大小级别的林窗内．     

Spatial dynamics of regeneration in a conifer/broad‐leaved forest in northern Japan

Abstract. This study deals with stand dynamics over a 6‐yr period in a conifer/broad‐leaved mixed forest in Hokkaido, northern Japan. The annual rates of gap formation and recovery were 81.3 m²/ha and 66.7 m²/ha, respectively and turnover time of the canopy was 125 yr. The recruitment processes of the component species in this cool‐temperate forest were governed by different canopy types: gap, canopy edge and closed canopy. Magnolia obovata regenerated in canopy edges, and Acer mono and Prunus ssiori regenerated in canopy edges and gaps. The results suggested that the mosaic structure made up of closed canopy, canopy edge and gap was related to various regeneration niches. Abies sachalinensis had high mortality rates, initiating gap expansion. The transition probabilities from closed canopy or canopy edge to gap for deciduous broad‐leaved trees were lower than for A. sachalinensis, which implies that the difference in degeneration patterns of conifer and broad‐leaved canopies contributes to the heterogeneity of spatial structure in the mixed forests. Spatial dynamics were determined by a combination of gap expansion by A. sachalinensis (neighbour‐dependent disturbance) and gap formation by deciduous broad‐leaved trees (random disturbance).     

Edge responses are different in edges under natural versus anthropogenic influence: a meta‐analysis using ground beetles

Most edges are anthropogenic in origin, but are distinguishable by their maintaining processes (natural vs. continued anthropogenic interventions: forestry, agriculture, urbanization). We hypothesized that the dissimilar edge histories will be reflected in the diversity and assemblage composition of inhabitants. Testing this “history‐based edge effect” hypothesis, we evaluated published information on a common insect group, ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in forest edges. A meta‐analysis showed that the diversity‐enhancing properties of edges significantly differed according to their history. Forest edges maintained by natural processes had significantly higher species richness than their interiors, while edges with continued anthropogenic influence did not. The filter function of edges was also essentially different depending on their history. For forest specialist species, edges maintained by natural processes were penetrable, allowing these species to move right through the edges, while edges still under anthropogenic interventions were impenetrable, preventing the dispersal of forest specialists out of the forest. For species inhabiting the surrounding matrix (open‐habitat and generalist species), edges created by forestry activities were penetrable, and such species also invaded the forest interior. However, natural forest edges constituted a barrier and prevented the invasion of matrix species into the forest interior. Preserving and protecting all edges maintained by natural processes, and preventing anthropogenic changes to their structure, composition, and characteristics are key factors to sustain biodiversity in forests. Moreover, the increasing presence of anthropogenic edges in a landscape is to be avoided, as they contribute to the loss of biodiversity. Simultaneously, edges under continued anthropogenic disturbance should be restored by increasing habitat heterogeneity.     

Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversity and community composition along sharp urban forest edges

The effects of forest edge on ant species richness and community composition were examined within an urbanized area of northeast Ohio. The ground-dwelling ant fauna was inventoried in three deciduous forest fragments that have resulted from human disturbance. We surveyed ants via leaf-litter extraction along 150 m transects positioned perpendicular to the forest edge. We collected 4,670 individuals from 14 genera and 29 species. Samples closest to the forest edge contained more species and accumulated species at a higher rate than did samples located in the forest interior. Our rarefied and expected richness estimates revealed a decline of species richness from edge to forest interior. The higher ant richness at the forest edge was due mostly to the presence of species characteristic of the neighboring open habitats. Although most of the typical forest ant species were represented equally at the edge and at the forest interior, a few responded to the presence of edges with changes in their relative abundance and frequency of occurrence. Forest edges had a higher proportion of opportunistic species and a lower proportion of cryptic ants, whereas interior locations exhibited a more even distribution among ant functional groups. In addition, we documented a community composition shift between the edge and the forest interior. Consistent with previous findings, we suggest that the edge effects are most pronounced within 25 m of the forest edge, which may have implications for the overall conservation of forest-dwelling fauna.     

Forest–farm edge effects on communities of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) under different landscape structures

In fragmented landscapes, ecological processes may be significantly influenced by edge effects, but few data are available for edge effects across forest–farmland edges. We investigated patterns of species richness, abundance, and species composition in ground beetles across forest–farm edges in two different agro-forest landscapes in Korea. Nine and five sites were selected from Hwaseong, a fragmented landscape, in 2011 and 2012, respectively, while eight sites were selected from Hoengseong, a relatively well-protected landscape, in 2012. Ground beetles were collected by pitfall trapping. Species richness was higher in the surrounding habitat than in the forest interior or edge in both Hwaseong and Hoengseong. However, in Hwaseong, species richness of the forest edge was similar to that of the forest interior, while in Hoengseong forest edge species richness was intermediate between that of the forest interior and surrounding areas. In addition, non-metric multidimensional scaling based on the combined data of both locations showed that the species composition of ground beetles in the forest edge was more similar to that of the forest interior than the surrounding areas, although some open-habitat species occurred at the forest edges. Three characteristic groups (forest specialists, edge-associated species, and open-habitat species) of ground beetle species were detected by indicator value analysis. In our study, ground beetle assemblages differed in the forest edges of two agro-forest landscapes, suggesting that the edge effect on biota can be influenced by landscape structure.     

Edge influence on plant litter biomass in forest and savanna in the Brazilian cerrado

Edge influence, characterized by differences in ecosystem characteristics between the edge and the interior of remnants in fragmented landscapes, affects a variety of organisms and ecosystem processes. An important feature that may be affected by edges is the amount of plant litter, which provides important habitat for a large variety of organisms and influences ecological processes such as fire dynamics. We studied edge influence on plant litter and fine woody debris in the cerrado of São Paulo state, south‐eastern Brazil. We collected, sorted, dried and weighed plant litter along 180 m‐long transects perpendicular to three savanna and eleven forest edges adjacent to different anthropogenic land uses, with four to five transect per edge. There tended to be less biomass of the finer portions of fine woody debris at both savanna and forest edges. Graminoid litter at savanna edges was greater than in the corresponding interior areas, whereas other litter portions were either unaffected by edges or did not show consistent patterns in either savanna or forest. Edge influence was usually restricted to the first 20 m from the edge, was not influenced by edge characteristics and exhibited no clear differences between savanna and forest areas. Several mechanisms may have led to the variable patterns observed including variation in the plant community, plant architecture, and invasive species. The edge‐related variation in plant litter may putatively lead to, for example, increased fire frequency and intensity at the savanna edges and altered trophic dynamics at forest edges; the mechanisms and consequences of this edge influence should be addressed in future studies.     

喀斯特森林林隙梯度物种多样性变化规律

采用Margalef物种丰富度指数(R1)、Shannon-Wiener指数(H′)及Pielou均匀度指数(J)来研究物种多样性的林隙梯度变化。结果表明:从林隙中心至非林隙林地的水平梯度上,林隙不同区域的种类组成存在较大差异,一些阳性树种如圆果化香等在林隙中心分布较多,青冈等耐荫性强的树种则在郁闭林下较为丰富,而中度耐荫种类如香叶树、大叶冬青等则集中分布在林隙近中心和林隙边缘处。从非林隙到林隙中心,物种丰富度逐渐升高,即非林隙<林隙边缘<林隙近中心<林隙中心;物种多样性的变化则总体呈中间高两头低的现象,均匀度的变化与其一致;物种多样性林隙梯度变化程度受林隙发育期和面积的影响较大,变化程度为早期林隙>中期林隙>晚期林隙,大林隙>中等林隙>小林隙,早期林隙和大林隙的边缘效应显著。     

Forest edge and diversity: carabids along forest-grassland transects

Diversity relationships of carabids in forest edges and the neighbouring forest interior and the surrounding grassland are studied. Samples were taken along three replicated forest-grassland transects using pitfall traps in the Aggtelek National Park in Hungary during 2 years. The study revealed significant edge effect on the carabids. The Shannon diversity of carabids were significantly higher in the forest edge and the grassland than in the forest interior. Carabids of the forest interior, forest edge and grassland can be separated from each other by ordinations, both on the species composition and abundance, suggesting that all three habitats have a distinct species assemblage. Moreover, indicator species analysis detected significant edge associated species; based on the specificity and fidelity of the carabids we have distinguished five groups of species: habitat generalists, grassland-associated species, forest generalists, forest specialists, and edge-associated species. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that relative air moisture, temperature of the ground and cover of the herbs are the most important factors determining the diversity of carabids along the transects. Our results show that the high diversity of carabids in forest edges is due to the edge-associated species and the presence of species characteristic to the adjacent habitats. The significance of forest edges in nature conservation, serving as a source habitat for dispersal processes, contributing to the recolonization of carabids after habitat destruction or other disturbance is emphasized.     

Landscape context modulates alien plant invasion in Mediterranean forest edges

Natural habitats in human-altered landscapes are especially vulnerable to biological invasions, especially in their edges. We aim to understand the influence of landscape and local characteristics on biological invasions by exploring the level of plant invasion and alien species traits in forest edges in highly urbanized landscapes. We identified all plant species in 73 paired plots in the edge and 50 m towards the interior of the forest. We explored the association between alien species richness and similarity in species composition between edge and interior plots with landscape and local variables, using generalized linear models and variance partitioning techniques. Then, we performed Fourth-corner analyses to explore the association between alien plant traits and local and landscape variables. In contrast to native species richness, alien species richness was more affected by the surrounding landscape than by the local characteristics of the edge. Road proximity was positively associated with alien species richness and proportion and was its most important correlate, whereas disturbance was negatively associated with native species richness and was its most influential factor. Alien plant traits were also primarily associated with landscape characteristics. For instance, species of Mediterranean origin and introduced for agriculture were associated with higher agriculture use in the landscape. Our findings suggest that risk analyses of habitat vulnerability to invasion must consider the landscape context in order to successfully predict highly invaded areas and identify potentially successful invaders.     

Hyperspectral remote detection of niche partitioning among canopy trees driven by blowdown gap disturbances in the Central Amazon

Advanced recruitment and neutral processes play important roles in determining tree species composition in tropical forest canopy gaps, with few gaps experiencing clear secondary successional processes. However, most studies are limited to the relatively limited spatial scales provided by forest inventory plots, and investigations over the entire range of gap size are needed to better understand how ecological processes vary with tree mortality events. This study employed a landscape approach to test the hypothesis that tree species composition and forest structural attributes differ between large blowdown gaps and relatively undisturbed primary forest. Spectral mixture analysis on hyperspectral satellite imagery was employed to direct field sampling to widely distributed sites, and blowdown plots were compared with undisturbed primary forest plots. Tree species composition and forest structural attributes differed markedly between gap and non-gap sites, providing evidence of niche partitioning in response to disturbance across the region. Large gaps were dominated by classic Neotropical pioneer genera such as Cecropia and Vismia, and average tree size was significantly smaller. Mean wood density of trees recovering in large gaps (0.55 g cm⁻³) was significantly lower than in primary forest plots (0.71 g cm⁻³), a difference similar to that found when comparing less dynamic (i.e., tree recruitment, growth, and mortality) Central Amazon forests with more dynamic Western Amazon forests. Based on results, we hypothesize that the importance of neutral processes weaken, and niche processes strengthen, in determining community assembly along a gradient in gap size and tree mortality intensity. Over evolutionary time scales, pervasive dispersal among colonizers could result in the loss of tree diversity in the pioneer guild through competitive exclusion. Results also underscore the importance of considering disturbance processes across the landscape when addressing forest carbon balance.     

Gap formation and dynamics after long‐term steady state in an old‐growth Picea abies stand in Norway: Above‐ and belowground interactions

Stand dynamics and the gap initiation prior to gap formation are not well‐understood because of its long‐term nature and the scarcity of late‐successional stands. Reconstruction of such disturbance is normally based on historical records and dendroecological methods. We investigated gap initiation and formation at the fine‐scale stand level in the old‐growth reserve of Karlshaugen in Norway. Given its long‐term conservation history, and thorough mapping in permanent marked plots with spatially referenced trees, it provides an opportunity to present stand development before, during, and after gap formation. Late‐successional decline in biomass was recorded after more than 50 years of close to steady state. Gaps in the canopy were mainly created by large old trees that had been killed by spruce bark beetles. Snapping by wind was the main reason for treefall. Long‐term dominance of Norway spruce excluded downy birch and Scots pine from the stand. Comparisons of the forest floor soil properties between the gap and nongap area showed significantly higher concentrations of plant available Ca within the gap area. Plant root simulator (PRS?) probes showed significantly higher supply rates for Ca and Mg, but significantly lower K for the gap compared to the nongap area. Soil water from the gap area had significantly higher C:N ratios compared to the nongap area. Fine‐scale variation with increasing distance to logs indicated that CWD is important for leaking of DOC and Ca. Our long‐term study from Karlshaugen documents gap dynamics after more than 50 years of steady state and a multiscale disturbance regime in an old‐growth forest. The observed disturbance dynamic caused higher aboveground and belowground heterogeneity in plots, coarse woody debris, and nutrients. Our study of the nutrient levels of the forest floor suggest that natural gaps of old‐growth forest provide a long‐lasting biogeochemical feedback system particularly with respect to Ca and probably also N. Norway spruce trees near the gap edge responded with high plasticity to reduced competition, showing the importance of the edge zone as hot spots for establishing heterogeneity, but also the potential for carbon sequestration in old‐growth forest.     

Road edge effect on the abundance of the lizard <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gallotia galloti</Emphasis> (Sauria: Lacertidae) in two Canary Islands forests

Transportation infrastructure is a main cause of environmental change in forest landscapes worldwide. In the Canary Islands, a dense road system fragment the native Canarian pine and laurel forests causing potential changes in population densities of endemic lacertid lizards (genus Gallotia). Our aim was to assess road edge effects on relative abundance patterns of the endemic Gallotia galloti in both forests. We also explored the species–habitat relationships in this road-fragmentation context. We found that lizard relative density in relation to road edges differed between forests. Lizards were more abundant along edges and leeward interior, but virtually absent from the interior of the windward laurel forest. In the pine forest, lizards were present at three distances from edge, with a net decrease in abundance from edge to interior. These patterns may be explained partly by differences in vegetation structure regarding road proximity in each forest that potentially affect the helio- and thigmothermic character of G. galloti, and thus its habitat use. A general suggestion of this study is that road margins create corridors that may be used by native lizards for dispersal through inhospitable forest matrix. The high road density in Tenerife may have negative implications for the conservation of the genetic variability of G. galloti. At the island scale, increased communication between lizard populations through road corridors might increase homogenization of the gene pool. Ecological processes in which this lizard plays important roles may also experience changes along road edges.     

Persisting Hyper-abundance of Leaf-cutting Ants (Atta spp.) at the Edge of an Old Atlantic Forest Fragment

Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) profoundly benefit from edge creation in Neotropical forests, where they act as a keystone species and disturbance agent. In view of their poorly explored population dynamics, the question arises whether high densities of LCAs are a transitional or a persisting phenomenon. We studied the temporal variation of LCA colony densities at the edge of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. At physically stable edges of an old forest fragment, densities of Atta cephalotes and Atta sexdens (11 and five times higher in a 50 m edge zone in comparison with the forest interior) persisted over a 4-yr interval (2001–2005) with no significant difference in densities between years. Species-specific per colony growth rates ranged from 12 to −5 percent/yr, suggesting that populations were approximately at equilibrium. High rates of colony turnover (little less than 50% in 4 yr) indicated an average colony life span of about 7 yr—a life expectancy considerably lower than previous estimates for Atta colonies. Stable, hyper-abundant populations of LCAs accord with the constantly high availability of palatable pioneer vegetation (the preferred food source of LCAs) at forest edges and are expected to persist in time as long as forests are characterized by high edge to interior ratios, with potentially long-lasting consequences for the ecosystem.     

Edge disturbance drives liana abundance increase and alteration of liana–host tree interactions in tropical forest fragments

Closed‐canopy forests are being rapidly fragmented across much of the tropical world. Determining the impacts of fragmentation on ecological processes enables better forest management and improves species‐conservation outcomes. Lianas are an integral part of tropical forests but can have detrimental and potentially complex interactions with their host trees. These effects can include reduced tree growth and fecundity, elevated tree mortality, alterations in tree‐species composition, degradation of forest succession, and a substantial decline in forest carbon storage. We examined the individual impacts of fragmentation and edge effects (0–100‐m transect from edge to forest interior) on the liana community and liana–host tree interactions in rainforests of the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland, Australia. We compared the liana and tree community, the traits of liana‐infested trees, and determinants of the rates of tree infestation within five forest fragments (23–58 ha in area) and five nearby intact‐forest sites. Fragmented forests experienced considerable disturbance‐induced degradation at their edges, resulting in a significant increase in liana abundance. This effect penetrated to significantly greater depths in forest fragments than in intact forests. The composition of the liana community in terms of climbing guilds was significantly different between fragmented and intact forests, likely because forest edges had more small‐sized trees favoring particular liana guilds which preferentially use these for climbing trellises. Sites that had higher liana abundances also exhibited higher infestation rates of trees, as did sites with the largest lianas. However, large lianas were associated with low‐disturbance forest sites. Our study shows that edge disturbance of forest fragments significantly altered the abundance and community composition of lianas and their ecological relationships with trees, with liana impacts on trees being elevated in fragments relative to intact forests. Consequently, effective control of lianas in forest fragments requires management practices which directly focus on minimizing forest edge disturbance.     

Natural vegetation cover in the landscape and edge effects: differential responses of insect orders in a fragmented forest

Human activities have led to global simplification of ecosystems, among which Neotropical dry forests are some of the most threatened. Habitat loss as well as edge effects may affect insect communities. Here, we analyzed insects sampled with pan traps in 9 landscapes (at 5 scales, in 100–500 m diameter circles) comprising cultivated fields and Chaco Serrano forests, at overall community and taxonomic order level. In total 7043 specimens and 456 species of hexapods were captured, with abundance and richness being directly related to forest cover at 500 m and higher at edges in comparison with forest interior. Community composition also varied with forest cover and edge/interior location. Different responses were detected among the 8 dominant orders. Collembola, Hemiptera, and Orthoptera richness and/or abundance were positively related to forest cover at the larger scale, while Thysanoptera abundance increased with forest cover only at the edge. Hymenoptera abundance and richness were negatively related to forest cover at 100 m. Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera were more diverse and abundant at the forest edge. The generally negative influence of forest loss on insect communities could have functional consequences for both natural and cultivated systems, and highlights the relevance of forest conservation. Higher diversity at the edges could result from the simultaneous presence of forest and matrix species, although “resource mapping” might be involved for orders that were richer and more abundant at edges. Adjacent crops could benefit from forest proximity since natural enemies and pollinators are well represented in the orders showing positive edge effects.     

Early gap successional pathways in a Fagus-Acer forest preserve: pattern and determinants

Abstract. Many theories of forest succession imply that terrestrial plant community composition within a region tends to converge toward a climax community. That is, given similar climatic and edaphic conditions, succession at different sites within an area will lead to comparable species compositions, a pattern referred to as successional convergence. In this study, we examine changes in plant composition within forest canopy gaps over a 17-yr period to identify potential patterns of successional convergence and to ascertain the factors controlling the successional pathway. To do so, we: (1) sampled 36 forest canopy gaps in Hueston Woods Nature Preserve in 1977, 1981, 1985, 1989 and 1993, (2) evaluated changes in the similarity of gap composition over this period, and (3) examined gap composition in each year as a function of variables describing gap habitat, seed source proximity, and disturbance history. Results indicated an initial pattern of successional divergence, with gaps exhibiting increased dissimilarity over the first 10–12 years of succession. We attribute this initial period of divergence to the effects of differential seed inputs from edge individuals and heterogeneity of available light due to differences in gap size. Recent surveys, however, indicated that gap composition has become more similar as competition within gaps has become more intense. In these samples, gap composition is closely linked to site conditions, including slope, soil conditions, and site exposure. Finally, while these patterns may suggest equilibrium-oriented dynamics, non-equilibrium processes such as repeat disturbances are also evident at Hueston Woods and will likely play an important role in determining future successional pathways.     

万木林中亚热带常绿阔叶林物种多样性林隙梯度变化

根据万木林中亚热带常绿阔叶林林隙内外物种的调查数据,研究了林隙各区物种多样性的梯度变化及物种多样性随林隙级的梯度变化.结果表明,从林隙中心区到非林隙区,物种丰富度指数和物种多样性指数逐渐降低;生态优势度呈中间高、两端低的变化趋势;均匀度呈中间低、两端高的变化趋势.林隙各区的物种多样性在林隙面积为200～300 m²时均达到最大.     

Wind disturbance in remnant forest stands along the prairie-forest ecotone,Minnesota, USA

Strong winds are an important disturbance agent in northern Minnesota forests. On June 19, 1994, strong winds (>160 km h^(-1)) associated with a tornado damaged forested areas within the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, situated in Polk County Minnesota along the prairie-forest boundary. Field sampling was conducted immediately following the storm to quantify the type and extent of damage in four different community types, and to project future composition based on the nature of the storm damage and current understory characteristics, including the impact of overbrowsing by deer. Basal area in six sampled remnant forest stands was reduced by 33.5%, although the damage was heterogeneous; basal area in one stand was reduced by 68.1%. The overall effect of the storm was the removal of early- successional species (primarily Populus tremuloides) in larger size classes. Trees situated at stand edges were not more susceptible to snapping or uprooting than interior trees. Projections of future stand composition indicate that wind disturbance, unlike other agents of disturbance such as fire, may accelerate succession on the Refuge, such that early-successional stands will assume a later-successional character, while Acer-Tilia stands should maintain their late-successional character. Overbrowsing and preferential foraging by deer may significantly alter stand recovery patterns.