Tree seedling survivorship,growth, and allocation in the Cross Timbers ecotone of Oklahoma,USA |
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Authors: | Randall W Myster |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, USA |
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Abstract: | In order to better understand tree dynamics and maintenance of the ecotone between eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass
prairie, I planted seedlings of five different species into a Cross Timbers area in North West Oklahoma for one-year. The
seedlings were planted in four different patch-types under two different herbivore treatments. I found that (1) out of the
original 200 seedlings, 58 survived after one-year with lacebark elm (Ulmus parrifolia), osage orange (Maclura
pomifera), and eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) surviving the most and protection from herbivores increasing survivorship by more than an order of magnitude, (2) elm (Ulmus parrifolia) showed the slowest stem growth but protection from herbivory increased stem growth rate by approximately 50%, leaf area
ratio was largest for elm (Ulmus parrifolia) but seedlings growing in sumac (Rhus
copallina) patches had the smallest values, specific leaf area was the largest for orange (Maclura
pomifera) seedlings with tree seedlings growing in grass patches showing greater values than those grown in other patches, and (3)
leaf mass ratio was largest for elm (Ulmus parrifolia) with seedlings grown in sumac (Rhus
copallina) patches showing the smallest values and rough-leaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii) had the most root biomass relative to shoot biomass compared to all other species. Results suggest tree invasion and establishment
across this ecotone is influenced both by species identity and by the variation in resources associated with the distribution
and patch dynamics of vegetation from both eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie. |
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