Influence of canopy opening on the environment and herb layer in a northern hardwoods forest
✍ Scribed by B. S. Collins; S. T. A. Pickett
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Year
- 1987
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 605 KB
- Volume
- 70
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1385-0237
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Single-(33-37 m 2) and multi-tree (51-151 m 2) gaps were created in an Allegheny Plateau northern hardwoods forest to investigate environmental and herb layer response to canopy opening. After gap creation, noon light on clear summer days was brightest north of opening center. At other times of the day, and when skies were overcast, there was no difference in the light quantity beneath opened and closed canopy. Nor was the distribution of soil moisture or of soil or air temperature greatly affected by gap creation. Species establishment tended to be higher near opening centers; otherwise, there was no pronounced effect of canopy opening on plant cover or species richness during the first four years after gap creation. Biotic responses were not significantly correlated with any environmental factor.