Mycorrhization, physiognomy, and first-year survivability of conifer seedlings following natural fire in Grand Teton National Park

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven L Miller ◽  
Therese M McClean ◽  
Nancy L Stanton ◽  
Stephen E Williams

Ectomycorrhiza formation, survivability, and physiognomic characteristics were assessed for conifer seedlings encountered 1 and 2 years postfire in the Huck burn site near Grand Teton National Park. Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. germinated and was abundant throughout the first growing season. Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. germinated during May and June but was rarely encountered by September. First-year survivorship of P. contorta seedlings was about 50% for east-facing burn and edge and west-facing burn treatments. Mortality was higher in the west-facing edge treatment at about 64%. Pinus contorta seedlings collected in July and August had allocated approximately 75% more biomass to epicotyl production than to hypocotyl production, whereas by September seedlings had allocated 30-50% of their biomass to hypocotyls, regardless of site or treatment. Few or no ectomycorrhizae were formed until September. By September 100% of surviving seedlings were ectomycorrhizal. The number of ectomycorrhizae was positively correlated with the number of primary needles and the root/shoot ratio. These results highlight the importance of mycorrhizae to conifer seedling survival during the initial growing season and point to alteration of carbon allocation as a primary mechanism affecting seedling survival.

Author(s):  
Nancy Stanton ◽  
Steven Buskirk ◽  
Steve Miller

Since Grand Teton National Park adopted a natural fire policy in the early 1970's, four major fires have burned within the park which created a chronosequence of post-burn successional ecosystems. The burns encompassed forests varying in composition from Englemann spruce (Picea englemanil) /subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) /lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) (Beaver Creek, Mystic Isle) to Englemn spruce / subalpine fir (Waterfalls Canyon) to primarily lodgepole pine (Huckleberry Mountain).


Author(s):  
Steven Miller

The 1990 field season constituted the last of a three year study to survey the hypogeous fungi of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. The objectives were to: 1. collect and identify hypogeous fungi found in association with ectomycorrhizal tree hosts such as lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), Douglas-frr (Pseudotsuga menziesii), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), and speckled alder (Alnus tenuifolia), and several species of willow (Salix sp.) throughout the area; and 2. to gain an initial understanding of the importance of these fungi as food for small mammals.


Author(s):  
Bruce Woodward ◽  
Sandra Mitchell

We visited Grand Teton National Park in May, June and July 1991 to begin research on species interactions in shallow montane ponds. Our primary interests were in how body size variation influences species interactions, and how temperature influences body size and thus species interactions. Our goal in the first year was to explore the extant variation in temperature regimes and body sizes of potentially interacting species, and examine some of these species interactions.


1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minyi Zhou ◽  
Terry L. Sharik ◽  
Martin F. Jurgensen ◽  
Dana L. Richter ◽  
Margaret R. Gale ◽  
...  

Abstract Growth of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings in relation to colonization by indigenous ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi was studied in oak and pine stands in northern Lower Michigan that were subjected to overstory and understory manipulations. Two stand types (oak and pine), three blocks of each stand type, four canopy cover treatments (clearcut, 25% cover (50% cover in the first year), 75% cover and uncut), and two understory treatments (shrub removal and untreated control) were involved in the experiment. Northern red oak acorns from a common seed source were sown in May 1991 to simulate natural regeneration. Seedling growth and its relation to percent ECM were evaluated for the first two growing seasons. A significantly larger root-collar diameter of northern red oak seedlings was found in pine stands than in oak stands for the first growing season (P < 0.001). However, this difference could not be explained by overall ECM colonization. Seedling growth and ECM colonization were not affected by the shrub removal treatment during the first two growing seasons. In contrast, northern red oak seedling size and weight were strongly influenced by the overstory treatment, with lower levels of canopy cover resulting in larger seedlings. Seedlings had the greatest percent ECM in the partial cover treatment (25-50%) and the lowest percent ECM in the clearcut. After accounting for the effects of canopy cover, the relationship between total biomass of northern red oak seedlings and percent ECM was positively correlated (P = 0.001) during the first growing season and negatively correlated (P = 0.038) during the second growing season. A positive relationship between root/shoot ratio and percent ECM also existed in the first year (P = 0.003) in both oak and pine stands, but only in the oak stands in the second year (P = 0.039). These results indicate that ECM promoted more root development than shoot development, particularly underpartial canopy cover (25%-50%) treatments, where the greatest percent ECM and largest root/shoot ratio were found. Moreover, our results suggest that these partial canopy cover treatments provide a favorable balance between ECM abundance and northern red oak seedling development in both oak and pine stands on intermediate quality sites, and may lead to northern red oak regeneration success on such sites. North. J. Appl. For. 15(4):182-190.


2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Kushla

Abstract In March 2005, 1-0 bareroot shortleaf pine was planted on retired fields of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station near Holly Springs, Mississippi. Objectives of the study were to evaluate (1) subsoiling and (2) herbaceous weed control (HWC) on 1st-year seedling survival and size. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. The subsoiling treatment was completed in December 2004. The HWC treatment was 4-oz Arsenal AC + 2-oz Oust XP product per sprayed acre applied in a 4-ft band over the row in April 2005. In addition, mowing was completed three times between rows during the first growing season. First-year seedling measurements were completed by March 2006 on seedling survival, groundline diameter (GLD), and total height. Subsoil tillage did not have a significant effect on 1st-year survival, diameter, or height. HWC had a significant effect on shortleaf GLD but not survival or height.


1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
KM Doyle ◽  
DH Knight ◽  
DL Taylor ◽  
WJ Barmore ◽  
JM Benedict

Plant species composition has been sampled periodically since the 1974 Waterfalls Canyon Fire in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Prior to the fire, the forests were dominated by mature Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii and Finns contorta. All three tree species have reestablished. After 17 years, P. engelmannii sapling density was 1.2-11.2 times greater than the other tree species. A. lasiocarpa and P. contorta saplings were second in density to P. engelmannii in the moderate and severely burned stands, respectively. The understory shrub and herbaceous species that were most abundant during the first 17 years were common the first year after the fire and were also found in the unburned mature forest. Species present in the unburned forest contributed 91-100% of the understory cover in the moderate burn, and 55-74% in the severe burn. Species richness was greatest in the severely burned stand and has increased during the 17 years of succession. While sprouting is the primary mechanism for understory plant establishment in the moderate burn, most species appear to have grown from seeds in the severe burn.


Author(s):  
Kenneth Diem

Baseline information on the avifauna of the riparian communities in Grand Teton National Park is sparse. Consequently, the objective of this project is to collect information on the composition, density, distribution and habitat of the bird species inhabiting a portion of the black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, community in Grand Teton National Park. The study was initiated in June 1980 on a portion of the western floodplain of Pilgrim Creek. The southeast conner of this 300m x 400m (12ha) plot is identified by a metal post. This post can be located on a bearing line of 4° E of N. 77 mm from the fiducial center of the infrared aerial photo N 31 (U.S. Bur. of Reclamation Series B/Rl7, 7-16-79). This floodplain community is predominantly black cotton wood with scattered trees of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, engelman spruce, Picea engelmannii and lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta. In restricted moister areas several small patches of alder, Alnus incana occur under the larger trees and a few patches of willow, (Salix, sp.) are located in moist openings of the woodland.


HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-346
Author(s):  
Joanne E. MacDonald ◽  
John N. Owens

We compared the effects of different durations of short days (SDs) as a dormancy-induction regime on bud development, bud endodormancy, and morphology of first-year containerized coastal douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii] seedlings in the nursery together with seedling survival and growth after one growing season in a common garden. In early July, four durations of 8-h SDs were applied: 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks. During the first week of SDs, budscale initiation started and was completed; then initiation of needles for next year's leading shoot (leader) began. Needle initiation was completed 10 weeks after the start of the regime in seedlings given 5 or 6 weeks of SDs and 13 weeks for those given 3 or 4 weeks of SDs. In early October, duration of SDs had no effect on bud endodormancy; 50% to 88% of terminal buds were endodormant. On this date, seedling height and shoot dry weight were unaffected by duration of SDs, whereas root dry weight and shoot diameter were significantly reduced in seedlings given 6 weeks of SDs compared with other durations. After one growing season, duration of SDs had no effect on seedling survival, leader length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, or shoot diameter. We recommend the 3-week duration of SDs for coastal douglas fir crops.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1446-1460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P Augustine ◽  
Keith Reinhardt

Abstract First-year tree seedlings represent a critical demographic life stage, functioning as a bottleneck to forest regeneration. Knowledge of how mortality is related to whole-seedling carbon and water relations is deficient and is required to understand how forest compositions will be altered in future climatic conditions. We performed a greenhouse drought experiment using first-year seedlings of two common pine species found in the Intermountain West, USA. Gas exchange, biomass gain, allometry and xylem water potentials were compared between well-watered and droughted seedlings from emergence until drought-induced mortality. In both species, morphological adjustments to confer drought tolerance, such as increased leaf mass per unit area, were not observed in seedlings exposed to drought, and droughted seedlings maintained photosynthesis and whole-seedling carbon gain well into the experiment. Yet, there were important differences between species in terms of carbon budgets, physiological responses and mortality patterns. In Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson, physiological acclimation to drought was much greater, evident through stronger stomatal regulation and increased water-use efficiency. Photosynthesis and carbon budgets in P. ponderosa were greater than in Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud., and survival was 100% until critical hydraulic thresholds in leaf water content and seedling water potentials were crossed. In P. contorta, physiological adjustments to drought were less, and mortality occurred much sooner and well before injurious hydraulic thresholds were approached. First-year conifer seedlings appear canalized for a suite of functional traits that prioritize short-term carbon gain over long-term drought tolerance, suggesting that conifer seedling survival is linked with carbon limitations, even during drought, with survival in species having narrower carbon survival margins being more hampered by carbon limitations.


Author(s):  
Kenneth Diem

Baseline information on the avifauna of the riparian communities in Grand Teton National Park is sparse. Consequently, the objective of this project is to collect information on the composition, density, distribution and habitat of the bird species inhabiting a portion of the black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, community in Grand Teton National Park. The study was initiated in June 1980 on a portion of the western floodplain of Pilgrim Creek. The southeast corner of this 300m x 400m (12ha) plot is identified by a metal post. This post can be located on a bearing line of 4° E of N. 77 mm from the fiducial center of the infrared aerial photo N 31 (U.S. Bur. of Reclamation Series B/R17, 7-16-79). This floodplain community is predominantly black cottonwood with scattered trees of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, engelman spruce, Picea engelmannii and lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta. In restricted moister areas several small patches of alder, Alnus incana occur under the larger trees and a few patches of willow, (Salix, sp.) are located in moist openings of the woodland.


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