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Harvard Forest Symposium Abstract 2006
- Title: Tree response to hurricane disturbance in coastal New England
- Primary Author: Posy Busby (Stanford University)
- Additional Authors: Charles Canham (Institute for Ecosystem Studies); David Foster (Harvard University); Glenn Motzkin (University of Massachusetts - Amherst )
- Abstract:
Although severe (e.g. landslides, volcanic eruptions) and minor (e.g. individual tree-fall gaps) disturbances have received substantial attention from ecologists, the role of moderate disturbances in forest development is poorly understood. Hurricanes are moderate disturbances that affect a range of forest types from the Caribbean to the northeastern United States, and may influence tree establishment and growth. In this study we characterize beech and oak species response to several hurricanes in coastal Massachusetts using a method that explicitly compares the range of growth responses observed following known disturbances to the range of growth responses in non-event years. Beech and oak species exhibited minimal response in growth and regeneration to most hurricanes, with the exception of a single storm that caused dramatic increases in growth and new establishment for beech. Our results highlight the importance of wind disturbance in the establishment and persistence of beech, and suggest that while some moderate disturbances have little or no affect on species growth and regeneration dynamics, individual storms may have substantial impacts. Variation in forest response to storms of similar intensities apparently results from local site conditions, including environmental, meteorological, topographical, historical and biological factors.
- Research Category: Historical and Retrospective Studies
Regional Studies
