Global climate change and intensifying temperatures over the past several decades have resulted in shifts in vegetation distribution. With increasing temperature and water deficits, this brings along with it, tree mortality. Tree mortality and environmental changes is the perfect recipe for a change in forest and woodland composition. Bottomland trees such as some oaks and the Magnoliaceae family can’t live in these changing areas anymore and die out. They are found more often by streams or some form of water, where these plants can stay hydrated most the year. The species that regenerate from the light gaps left behind after the dieback are more hardy trees that can handle more dry and hot temperature for longer periods of time.
Firstly, with Hickory Hollow is the disappearing crayfish in Ribbon Cave. This problem, it seems, is the result of heavy metals found in the water. The heavy metals were found at the site of Ribbon Cave, as well as the northern portion of Aram Creek. We tested for heavy metals at well sites G, I, L, M, and S for heavy metals, with the only positives being well sites I and L. Nevertheless, this still confirmed our theory. The heavy metals found in the water have most likely resulted from Compara Corp’s hazardous waste spills, a problem that has occurred multiple times. The heavy metals found in the water being lead, tin, copper, and ammonia would then be highly probable. To fix this problem the answer is simple, “The answer, according to the agency and an outside expert, is twofold: treatment and dilution” (Pappas, 1). Treating the water is simple: the water needs the acidity to be reduced. After that is done, you must dilute the water (add water to the creek). However, the problems will never fully go away, but they will be greatly decreased. In conclusion, in order to save the lives of the crayfish, Hickory Hollow must treat Aram Creek in order to strip the heavy metals.
Shortleaf pine tends to grow rather slowly in the early stages of its life when compared to its closest competitor, loblolly pine. Therefore it cannot compete for the best sites under natural regeneration, but, because of it's tolerance of a wide range of site conditions, shortleaf pine is found naturally in areas where loblolly pine will not grow effectively. It is for this reason that shortleaf pine was chosen for this site instead of loblolly. When planted artificially, it was found that after the first few years of development, shortleaf pine will match loblolly in height growth on the better sites and will surpass loblolly on the poorer sites (Harrington, 1987). Because of this, shortleaf pine is the most commonly regenerated pine in the northern and western parts of its range where the site conditions are not as ideal as in the southern part of its range.
Poulson, T. L., & Platt, W. J. (1996). Replacement patterns of beech and sugar maple in Warren Woods, Michigan. Ecology, 1234-1253.
These are very difficult questions for me personally to answer because I live in the Pacific Northwest, and I have seen the beauty of the old growth forests first-hand.
Hawaii is such a diverse and unique area that it is said to be a biologist’s paradise. Biologists travel here to study the wide variety of species and one such species is Aleurites moluccana or the kukui tree. The kukui tree is originally from Southeast Asia, particularly the Indo-Malaysia region, and has moved its way into the Pacific. It was first introduced to the Hawaiian islands when the Polynesians navigated their way here hundreds of years ago (Elevitch, C. R., & Manner, H. I., 2006). Since then, the kukui tree’s physical adaptations have helped it to thrive in Hawaii and native Hawaiians were able to utilize this plant in a number of ways.
Everson, Julie, and Elinor Petersen. "Blue Springs Cemetery Tree Recovery Project. "Letter to Grant Foundation.Summer 1997. MS. Blue Springs, Nebraska.
Many old-growth forests across the landscape of northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan contain a mixture of tree species rather than a monoculture. Many researchers have put forward ideas to explain the competition and co-existence of tree species in such communities. A theory explaining competition and co-existence between two species is gap regeneration. Gap regeneration is when a gap is created upon death of a plant individual and a new individual, sometimes of the same species as died and sometimes not dependent on environmental heterogeneity, takes its place (Kenneth Lertzman). Canopy gaps during gap regeneration can be explained by either reciprocal replacement or habitat preference . In a reciprocal replacement, seedlings of one species would be found predominately under large trees ...
Scott Joplin, also known as The King of ragtime, was an African music composer and pianist of the twentieth century. He focused a lot on the perfection of ragtime. Although he was successful, he did struggle during his career because of the time period in which he lived in. Joplin composes many ragtime music, but what is more unique is his opera that he composed, Treemonisha in 1911. Treemonisha was the only opera in existence about the Reconstruction Era of the African-American experience which was written by a black man who experienced it himself.
The heavy rains (150 inches a year) are famous in the Pacific Northwest and have created a lush, mossy and primeval-looking forest of enormous trees. Generally on the western side of the park, there are several ways to ...
The Western forests are drastically different from what they were like before the European settlement. In pre-European time, the forests were open and park-like with only 25-35 trees per acre surrounded by areas of open grasslands. One could easily ride a horse through the spacious forest. This, however, is not possible in today's forests. Today, for example the Ponderosa pine forests, have over 500 trees per acre, creating thick dense areas of trees, brush, and bushes (President Bush, 4). The pre-European forests were subject to frequent low inte...
Franklin, J. F., et al. (1981). In Ecological Characteristics of Old-Grow Douglas Fir Forest, (GTR PNW-118). Retrieved July 9, 2005, from USDA Forest Service Web Site: http://
Paul Celan composed his feelings for his mother regarding both her life and her passing in his poem “Aspen Tree.” The entire work is a vessel for his emotions toward her early departure and comparisons of the life she lived with various objects in nature. However, one emblem in particular perfectly represents Celan’s idealization of his mother. It can be argued that Celan uses the dandelion to epitomize his mother’s life because it highlights his themes of transiency, the light of life within darkness, and the cheating nature of death. Comparison between the dandelion, other wonders in nature, and his mother’s life support this claim as well as contextual hints from the piece itself.
2008). In this experiment, two deciduous tree species, speckled alder (Alnus incana ssp. rugosa) and white birch (Betula papyrifera), dominant in the lowland and highland ecosystems respectively, will be compared and contrasted in terms of their decomposition rate, leaf senescence, leaf herbivory, arthropod presence, soil characteristics, and microclimate. In other words, how do the abiotic and biotic interactions of an ecosystem influence the decomposition rate of leaf litter in said ecosystem, and how does it compare to another, different ecosystem over the course of early to later fall? This question is of importance as it has ramifications for the functioning and interconnectedness of ecosystems around the world (Smith and Smith 2015). To investigate this phenomenon in action, the leaves from both tree species will be will be placed in their native habitat ecosystems as well as in the respective other to determine their decomposition rate and the degree to which the surrounding environment influences said decomposition. The highland ecosystem is noticeably more dry and rocky, with lower plant density and uneven topography than the lowland site – which is considerably more moist, muddy (i.e. wetland) and has a greater plant density than the highland. In leaf herbivory, the leaf damage caused by insect guilds is investigated to observe differences and changes between the two tree species over a period of time. Leaf senescence, the purposeful re-allocation of foliage nutrients to the plant body in preparation for winter, is studied in respect to the changing in the colour and appearance of leaves over the course of the experiment (Smith and Smith 2015). In addition, arthropod pitfall traps are used to characterize and compare the different species of arthropods and other organisms present within each
According to National Geographic 2014, Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land. Deforestation occurs all around the world and tropical rainforests are primarily targeted. Our world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate of deforestation. Currently or in the recent past countries with significant deforestation include Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, parts of Africa and Eastern Europe. Deforestation affects our planet and everyone in many ways. According to LiveScience 2013, seventy percent of the world’s plants and animals live in forests and are losing their habitats to deforestation. Loss of habitat can lead to species extinction. Our world has lost so many species of plants and animals in last couple of decades. This has negative consequences for medicinal research and local populations who rely on the animals and plants in the forests for hunting and medicine. In some regions of the world deforestation can cause floods, when it rains trees absorb and store large amount of water with the help of its roots. But when they are cut down the flow of water is disrupted w...
Trees are usually considered as bland, unusual objects that are usually taken for granted; however, I believe there is more to a tree that meets the eye. They supply oxygen and shade. During the holidays, trees are able to spread holiday cheer by wearing holiday decorations. Through providing, they are always beneficial to the needs of others. Rather than having striking beauty like a flower, trees have are grounded and possess a gentle beauty; they are adapted wildflowers to their environment. In fact, if I had to compare myself to an inanimate object, I would choose a tree. A tree has many characteristics in common with me. Characteristics like relying on our roots, strength and observation, and helping others and leaving behind a powerful legacy are a few of the traits we share. All of which I believe are admirable qualities to possess.