Decadal Changes in Disjunct Eastern Hemlock Stands at Its Southern Range Boundary

Castanea ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-182
Author(s):  
Jared A. Myers ◽  
Justin L. Hart ◽  
Lauren E. Cox
2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1435-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne K Eschtruth ◽  
Natalie L Cleavitt ◽  
John J Battles ◽  
Richard A Evans ◽  
Timothy J Fahey

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand) infestations have resulted in the continuing decline of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) throughout much of the eastern United States. In 1994 and 2003, we quantified the vegetation composition and structure of two hemlock ravines in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This is the first study to use pre-adelgid disturbance data, annual monitoring of infestation severity, and annual records of hemlock health to assess forest response to HWA infestation. In 2003, 25% of monitored hemlock trees were either dead or in severe decline. Measures of hemlock decline (crown vigor, transparency, density, and dieback) were correlated with HWA infestation severity and changes in light availability over the study period. Average percent total transmitted radiation more than doubled at these sites from 5.0% in 1994 to 11.7% in 2003. The total percent cover of vascular plants increased from 3.1% in 1994 to 11.3% in 2003. Species richness increased significantly, and more species were gained (53) than lost (19) from both ravine floras over the 9-year study period. Though exotic invasive plants were absent from these ravines in 1994, our 2003 resurvey found invasive plants in 35% of the permanent vegetation plots.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 595-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Walker ◽  
Carolyn A. Copenheaver ◽  
Audrey Zink-Sharp

2016 ◽  
Vol 370 ◽  
pp. 12-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Benton ◽  
J.F. Grant ◽  
R. Cowles ◽  
J. Webster ◽  
R. Nichols ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 04018335
Author(s):  
Hamid Kaboli ◽  
Peggi L. Clouston
Keyword(s):  

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Ellison ◽  
David Orwig ◽  
Matthew Fitzpatrick ◽  
Evan Preisser

The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid is steadily killing eastern hemlock trees in many parts of eastern North America. We summarize impacts of the adelgid on these forest foundation species; review previous models and analyses of adelgid spread dynamics; and examine how previous forecasts of adelgid spread and ecosystem dynamics compare with current conditions. The adelgid has reset successional sequences, homogenized biological diversity at landscape scales, altered hydrological dynamics, and changed forest stands from carbon sinks into carbon sources. A new model better predicts spread of the adelgid in the south and west of the range of hemlock, but still under-predicts its spread in the north and east. Whether these underpredictions result from inadequately modeling accelerating climate change or accounting for people inadvertently moving the adelgid into new locales needs further study. Ecosystem models of adelgid-driven hemlock dynamics have consistently forecast that forest carbon stocks will be little affected by the shift from hemlock to early-successional mixed hardwood stands, but these forecasts have assumed that the intermediate stages will remain carbon sinks. New forecasting models of adelgid-driven hemlock decline should account for observed abrupt changes in carbon flux and ongoing and accelerating human-driven land-use and climatic changes.


Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Stern ◽  
Paul Schaberg ◽  
Shelly A Rayback ◽  
Paula F. Murakami ◽  
Christopher Hansen ◽  
...  

A warming climate and extended growing season may confer competitive advantages to temperate conifers that can photosynthesize across seasons. Whether this potential translates into increased growth is unclear, as is whether pollution could constrain growth. We examined two temperate conifers - eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) - and analyzed associations between growth (476 trees in 23 plots) and numerous factors, including climate and pollutant deposition variables. Both species exhibited increasing growth over time and eastern white pine showed greater maximum growth. Higher spring temperatures were associated with greater growth for both species, as were higher autumnal temperatures for eastern hemlock. Negative correlations were observed with previous year (eastern hemlock) and current year (eastern white pine) summer temperatures. Spring and summer moisture availability were positively correlated with growth for eastern white pine throughout its chronology, whereas for hemlock, correlations with moisture shifted from being significant with current year’s growth to previous year’s growth over time. The growth of these temperate conifers might benefit from higher spring (both species) and fall (eastern hemlock) temperatures, though this could be offset by reductions in growth associated with hotter, drier summers.


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