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Degree

Master of Science, Miami University, Botany, 2010.

Abstract

Different disturbances in similar habitats should produce unique successional assemblages of plants. Plant species cover data was collected to investigate the effects of three common disturbances–fire, bulldozing, and bulldozing followed by goat grazing–on early-successional coppice communities on Eleuthera, The Bahamas. For each disturbance type, both the ground layer (< 0.5 m) and shrub layer (> 0.5 m) were sampled in eight patches (> 1 ha) of varying age (1-28 yr) since disturbance. Results suggest that goats accelerate succession by quickly removing non-woody ground cover, and increase the representation of woody ground cover; these results also suggest that managed goat grazing delays plant succession by inhibiting growth of tree species and maintaining early-successional shrubs. These effects may lead to different coppice successional trajectories, and may have important conservation implications for the threatened Kirtland’s warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii), who’s wintering habitat consists of early-successional coppice rich in Lantana fruits.

Subject Headings

Botany; Ecology

Keywords

succession; coppice; Bahamas; Kirtland's warbler; fire; goat grazing; dry tropical forest

Committee / Advisors

Dr. Charles Kwit, PhD (Advisor)
Dr. Elisabeth Schussler, PhD (Advisor)
Dr. Thomas Crist, PhD (Committee Member)
Dr. M. Henry H. Stevens, PhD (Committee Member)

Pages

35p.

Document number: miami1280606889
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1280606889

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