Patterns of lightning ignitions are described and determined to be nonrandom for geographic locat... more Patterns of lightning ignitions are described and determined to be nonrandom for geographic location, elevation, slope aspect-position, vegetation, manth, and year (1921-82). Information about patterns is important in developing fire management plans, especially if lightning ignitions are to be used to reestablish fire as a major environmental factor in wilderness areas.
This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking... more This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking aspen forests (QAF) in Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP), Arizona, USA based on repeat sampling of two sets of vegetation study plots, one originally sampled in 1935 and the other in 1984. The 1935 plots are the earliest-known, sample-intensive, quantitative documentation of forest vegetation over a Southwest USA landscape. Findings documented that previously described increases in densities and basal areas attributed to fire exclusion were followed by decreases in 1935-2004 and 1984-2005. Decreases in MCF were attributable primarily to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white fir (Abies concolor), but there were differences between dry-mesic and moist-mesic MCF subtypes. Decreases in SFF were attributable to quaking aspen, spruce (Picea engelmannii + Picea pungens), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Decreases in QAF resulted from the loss of quaking aspen during succession. Changes in ponderosa pine forest (PPF) are described in a parallel paper . Graphical synthesis of historical and modern MCF data sets for GCNP indicated tree densities and basal areas increased from the late 19th to the mid 20th century and then decreased to the 21st century. Changes began earlier, occurred more rapidly, and/or were larger at higher elevation. Plot data showed that basal area decreased earlier and/or more rapidly than density and that decreases from 1935 to 2004 resulted in convergence among MCF, SFF, and PPF. If GCNP coniferous forests are trending toward conditions present before fire exclusion, this implies density and basal area were more similar among these forests in the late 19th century than in 1935. Changes in MCF and SFF can be placed in a general framework of forest accretion, inflection, and recession in which increases in tree density and basal area are followed by an inflection point and decreases. Accretion was triggered by the exogenous factor of fire exclusion, and inflection and recession apparently were driven by the endogenous factor of density-dependent mortality combined with exogenous factors such as climate. Although the decreases in density and basal area could be unique to GCNP, it is likely that the historical study plots provided a unique opportunity to quantitatively determine forest trends since 1935. This documentation of post-1935 decreases in MCF and SFF densities and basal areas indicates a shift in perspective on Southwestern forests is needed.
Accurate estimation of live and dead biomass in forested ecosystems is important for studies of c... more Accurate estimation of live and dead biomass in forested ecosystems is important for studies of carbon dynamics, biodiversity, wildfire behavior, and for forest management. Lidar remote sensing has been used successfully to estimate live biomass, but studies focusing on ...
American Midland Naturalist - AMER MIDLAND NATURALIST, 1999
... Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. Luken, JO and N. Goessling. 1995. ... Restoration E... more ... Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. Luken, JO and N. Goessling. 1995. ... Restoration Ecology 16:3, 453-463 Online publication date: 1-Sep-2008. John M. Randall , Larry E. Morse , Nancy Benton , Ron Hiebert , Stephanie Lu , and Terri Killeffer . ...
... C in Janilary to 23.20 C in Jully. Annual precipitation averages 92.5 cm and 1 The Ohio Histo... more ... C in Janilary to 23.20 C in Jully. Annual precipitation averages 92.5 cm and 1 The Ohio Historical Society granted permis-sion to studv the area and to collect plant speci-mens. The WillardSherman Turrell Herbarium Fund -rovided partial funding (grant #5). 2 We wish to thabrk ...
ABSTRACT Vankat, JL and GW Snyder (Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056). F... more ABSTRACT Vankat, JL and GW Snyder (Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056). Floristics of a chronosequence corresponding to old field-deciduous forest succession in southwestern Ohio. I. Undisturbed vegetation. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 118: 365-376. ...
This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking... more This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking aspen forests (QAF) in Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP), Arizona, USA based on repeat sampling of two sets of vegetation study plots, one originally sampled in 1935 and the other in 1984. The 1935 plots are the earliest-known, sample-intensive, quantitative documentation of forest vegetation over a Southwest USA landscape. Findings documented that previously described increases in densities and basal areas attributed to fire exclusion were followed by decreases in 1935-2004 and 1984-2005. Decreases in MCF were attributable primarily to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white fir (Abies concolor), but there were differences between dry-mesic and moist-mesic MCF subtypes. Decreases in SFF were attributable to quaking aspen, spruce (Picea engelmannii + Picea pungens), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Decreases in QAF resulted from the loss of quaking aspen during succession. Changes in ponderosa pine forest (PPF) are described in a parallel paper . Graphical synthesis of historical and modern MCF data sets for GCNP indicated tree densities and basal areas increased from the late 19th to the mid 20th century and then decreased to the 21st century. Changes began earlier, occurred more rapidly, and/or were larger at higher elevation. Plot data showed that basal area decreased earlier and/or more rapidly than density and that decreases from 1935 to 2004 resulted in convergence among MCF, SFF, and PPF. If GCNP coniferous forests are trending toward conditions present before fire exclusion, this implies density and basal area were more similar among these forests in the late 19th century than in 1935. Changes in MCF and SFF can be placed in a general framework of forest accretion, inflection, and recession in which increases in tree density and basal area are followed by an inflection point and decreases. Accretion was triggered by the exogenous factor of fire exclusion, and inflection and recession apparently were driven by the endogenous factor of density-dependent mortality combined with exogenous factors such as climate. Although the decreases in density and basal area could be unique to GCNP, it is likely that the historical study plots provided a unique opportunity to quantitatively determine forest trends since 1935. This documentation of post-1935 decreases in MCF and SFF densities and basal areas indicates a shift in perspective on Southwestern forests is needed.
... to biotic and abiotic factors. STUDY AREA The Kooser and Linn Run divisions of Forbes State F... more ... to biotic and abiotic factors. STUDY AREA The Kooser and Linn Run divisions of Forbes State Forest in Somerset and Westmoreland counties of southwestern Pennsylvania were selected for the study site. Most of the study ...
Page 1. Responses of the Herb Layer to the Gap Dynamics of a Ma-ture Beech-maple Forest MICHAEL R... more Page 1. Responses of the Herb Layer to the Gap Dynamics of a Ma-ture Beech-maple Forest MICHAEL R. MOORE and JOHN L. VANKAT Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056 ABSTRACT: Responses ...
Patterns of lightning ignitions are described and determined to be nonrandom for geographic locat... more Patterns of lightning ignitions are described and determined to be nonrandom for geographic location, elevation, slope aspect-position, vegetation, manth, and year (1921-82). Information about patterns is important in developing fire management plans, especially if lightning ignitions are to be used to reestablish fire as a major environmental factor in wilderness areas.
This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking... more This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking aspen forests (QAF) in Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP), Arizona, USA based on repeat sampling of two sets of vegetation study plots, one originally sampled in 1935 and the other in 1984. The 1935 plots are the earliest-known, sample-intensive, quantitative documentation of forest vegetation over a Southwest USA landscape. Findings documented that previously described increases in densities and basal areas attributed to fire exclusion were followed by decreases in 1935-2004 and 1984-2005. Decreases in MCF were attributable primarily to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white fir (Abies concolor), but there were differences between dry-mesic and moist-mesic MCF subtypes. Decreases in SFF were attributable to quaking aspen, spruce (Picea engelmannii + Picea pungens), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Decreases in QAF resulted from the loss of quaking aspen during succession. Changes in ponderosa pine forest (PPF) are described in a parallel paper . Graphical synthesis of historical and modern MCF data sets for GCNP indicated tree densities and basal areas increased from the late 19th to the mid 20th century and then decreased to the 21st century. Changes began earlier, occurred more rapidly, and/or were larger at higher elevation. Plot data showed that basal area decreased earlier and/or more rapidly than density and that decreases from 1935 to 2004 resulted in convergence among MCF, SFF, and PPF. If GCNP coniferous forests are trending toward conditions present before fire exclusion, this implies density and basal area were more similar among these forests in the late 19th century than in 1935. Changes in MCF and SFF can be placed in a general framework of forest accretion, inflection, and recession in which increases in tree density and basal area are followed by an inflection point and decreases. Accretion was triggered by the exogenous factor of fire exclusion, and inflection and recession apparently were driven by the endogenous factor of density-dependent mortality combined with exogenous factors such as climate. Although the decreases in density and basal area could be unique to GCNP, it is likely that the historical study plots provided a unique opportunity to quantitatively determine forest trends since 1935. This documentation of post-1935 decreases in MCF and SFF densities and basal areas indicates a shift in perspective on Southwestern forests is needed.
Accurate estimation of live and dead biomass in forested ecosystems is important for studies of c... more Accurate estimation of live and dead biomass in forested ecosystems is important for studies of carbon dynamics, biodiversity, wildfire behavior, and for forest management. Lidar remote sensing has been used successfully to estimate live biomass, but studies focusing on ...
American Midland Naturalist - AMER MIDLAND NATURALIST, 1999
... Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. Luken, JO and N. Goessling. 1995. ... Restoration E... more ... Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. Luken, JO and N. Goessling. 1995. ... Restoration Ecology 16:3, 453-463 Online publication date: 1-Sep-2008. John M. Randall , Larry E. Morse , Nancy Benton , Ron Hiebert , Stephanie Lu , and Terri Killeffer . ...
... C in Janilary to 23.20 C in Jully. Annual precipitation averages 92.5 cm and 1 The Ohio Histo... more ... C in Janilary to 23.20 C in Jully. Annual precipitation averages 92.5 cm and 1 The Ohio Historical Society granted permis-sion to studv the area and to collect plant speci-mens. The WillardSherman Turrell Herbarium Fund -rovided partial funding (grant #5). 2 We wish to thabrk ...
ABSTRACT Vankat, JL and GW Snyder (Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056). F... more ABSTRACT Vankat, JL and GW Snyder (Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056). Floristics of a chronosequence corresponding to old field-deciduous forest succession in southwestern Ohio. I. Undisturbed vegetation. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 118: 365-376. ...
This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking... more This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking aspen forests (QAF) in Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP), Arizona, USA based on repeat sampling of two sets of vegetation study plots, one originally sampled in 1935 and the other in 1984. The 1935 plots are the earliest-known, sample-intensive, quantitative documentation of forest vegetation over a Southwest USA landscape. Findings documented that previously described increases in densities and basal areas attributed to fire exclusion were followed by decreases in 1935-2004 and 1984-2005. Decreases in MCF were attributable primarily to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white fir (Abies concolor), but there were differences between dry-mesic and moist-mesic MCF subtypes. Decreases in SFF were attributable to quaking aspen, spruce (Picea engelmannii + Picea pungens), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Decreases in QAF resulted from the loss of quaking aspen during succession. Changes in ponderosa pine forest (PPF) are described in a parallel paper . Graphical synthesis of historical and modern MCF data sets for GCNP indicated tree densities and basal areas increased from the late 19th to the mid 20th century and then decreased to the 21st century. Changes began earlier, occurred more rapidly, and/or were larger at higher elevation. Plot data showed that basal area decreased earlier and/or more rapidly than density and that decreases from 1935 to 2004 resulted in convergence among MCF, SFF, and PPF. If GCNP coniferous forests are trending toward conditions present before fire exclusion, this implies density and basal area were more similar among these forests in the late 19th century than in 1935. Changes in MCF and SFF can be placed in a general framework of forest accretion, inflection, and recession in which increases in tree density and basal area are followed by an inflection point and decreases. Accretion was triggered by the exogenous factor of fire exclusion, and inflection and recession apparently were driven by the endogenous factor of density-dependent mortality combined with exogenous factors such as climate. Although the decreases in density and basal area could be unique to GCNP, it is likely that the historical study plots provided a unique opportunity to quantitatively determine forest trends since 1935. This documentation of post-1935 decreases in MCF and SFF densities and basal areas indicates a shift in perspective on Southwestern forests is needed.
... to biotic and abiotic factors. STUDY AREA The Kooser and Linn Run divisions of Forbes State F... more ... to biotic and abiotic factors. STUDY AREA The Kooser and Linn Run divisions of Forbes State Forest in Somerset and Westmoreland counties of southwestern Pennsylvania were selected for the study site. Most of the study ...
Page 1. Responses of the Herb Layer to the Gap Dynamics of a Ma-ture Beech-maple Forest MICHAEL R... more Page 1. Responses of the Herb Layer to the Gap Dynamics of a Ma-ture Beech-maple Forest MICHAEL R. MOORE and JOHN L. VANKAT Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056 ABSTRACT: Responses ...
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