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Ecological effects and control of woody invasive species in an eastern oak-hickory forest

Block, Jeremy A
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1114-5494
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629104186767723

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environmental Science.
Eastern oak-hickory forests are threatened by multiple factors including the increasing abundance of invasive species and the process of mesophication, the transition from xeric (shade intolerant but drought tolerant) to mesic (shade tolerant but drought intolerant) species. The encroachment of forest understories by both invasive and native mesic species has altered regeneration and recruitment processes. Increasing invasive species and mesophication have created a need for further research on how biotic and abiotic filters and species functional traits influence regeneration of native trees. Research focused on understanding different controls on the regeneration and recruitment of native tree species, and the efficacy and efficiency of two invasive species control methods, was performed at The Ohio State University’s Pomerene Forest Laboratory in Coshocton, Ohio. To understand processes of regeneration and recruitment, abiotic and biotic filters were used in generalized linear models to identify patterns in abundance of 19 plant functional types × size class combinations, while Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) was used to describe patterns in understory species composition. Models of functional type abundances were found to have a wide range of predictive ability across the functional type × size class combinations, due to small sample sizes and other ecological conditions not examined in this research (such as land use history). The abundance of the functional types was influenced by invasive species. The invasive species’ high plasticity allowed higher levels of establishment in areas rich in available resources and forced native trees to regenerate and recruit in conditions not suitable to their functional traits. Species composition was heavily influenced by invasive and native shrubs, isolating the Walnut/Oak canopy community group from the other 4 canopy community groups. After regeneration and recruitment patterns were identified, restoration management practices including mechanical clearing and high- and low-pressure goat browsing were implemented at the research site. Following a “before-after” design, stem density of various functional types and size classes were collected. The differences between treatments were analyzed using linear mixed effects models according to 1) changes in the abundance of foliated stems for 11 plant functional type × size class combinations; 2) changes in size class distributions within the understory; and 3) labor and cost efficiency of the treatments. Mechanical clearing had the largest impact on the abundances of the functional type × size class combinations. However, only invasive species large saplings showed significant decrease in density between mechanical clearing verse vs. goat browsing. High pressure goat browsing had the most expensive investment of labor costs. Mechanical clearing had the greatest percentage reduction in total and invasive stems. Human ability to be efficient with their time and the lack of selectivity in the goats’ towards removing species, created an advantage for mechanical clearing over the goat browsing pressure treatments. In conclusion, mechanical clearing and goat browsing each had their strengths in Adaptive Management of a degraded oak forest, however, mechanical clearing allowed for better control over species selection.
G. Matthew Davies (Advisor)
Benjamin Wenner (Advisor)
Roger Williams (Committee Member)
Matthew Dickinson (Committee Member)
107 p.
Environmental Science; Natural Resource Management
invasive species; goat browsing; functional traits; abiotic and biotic filters; eastern oak-hickory forest; mechanical clearing; regeneration; recruitment

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Block, J. A. (2021). Ecological effects and control of woody invasive species in an eastern oak-hickory forest [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629104186767723

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Block, Jeremy. Ecological effects and control of woody invasive species in an eastern oak-hickory forest. 2021. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629104186767723.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Block, Jeremy. "Ecological effects and control of woody invasive species in an eastern oak-hickory forest." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629104186767723

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1629104186767723
156
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