CRB: Stimulation of Woodland Restoration: Inital Patch Size Effects on Spread of Vegetation and on Soil Development

在大都市地区常见的荒地往往无法支持林地植被的正常演替，原因不详。由于需要增加野生动物栖息地和植物生物多样性，创造走廊和缩短自然栖息地之间的距离，支持候鸟，并在人口稠密的城市地区提供环境教育和娱乐机会，在这些地点恢复本地木本植物的多样化群落非常重要。我们建议通过种植可以迅速在封闭的垃圾填埋场定居的小块木本植物来测试刺激木本植物定居的方法。封闭的垃圾填埋场是一种丰富的废弃土地。我们将通过实验确定斑块大小的位置，并将检验一系列关于抑制自然演替的原因的假说。这项研究将在纽约州Fresh Kills最近关闭的一个垃圾填埋场进行。7个物种的7个、21个和72个个体的斑块将以随机区组设计创建。将在斑块和从每个斑块向外延伸的样带上监测种子雨、幼苗的补充和存活以及草食；这些研究将检验扩散和草食限制天然木本植物建立的假说。还将在斑块和样带内监测土壤质量，包括有机质、N和P库、N矿化RAE、根生长和菌根感染，并将检验有关地下随时间变化的假说，从而检验关于这些过程之间联系的假说。通过评估关于地上和地下过程的假设，我们将能够比较它们在演替过程中的相对重要性。随后，该项目将为整个区域的废弃土地上使用的修复方法提出设计建议。

Derelict land commonly found in metropolitan areas often fails to support normal succession to woodland vegetation, for reasons that are not known. Restoration of diverse communities of native woody plants on such sites is important because of the need to increase habitat for wildlife and plant biodiversity, create corridors and decrease distance between areas of natural habitat, support migratory birds, and provide opportunities for environmental education and recreation in densely populated urban areas. We propose to test methods that may stimulate woody plant colonization of closed landfills, an abundant type of derelict land, by planting small patches of woody plants that can rapidly colonized the site. We will experimentally determine the patch size site, and will test a series of hypotheses concerning the causes for the inhibition of natural succession. The study will be conducted on a recently closed landfill at Fresh Kills, NY. Patches of 7, 21, and 72 individuals of 7 species will be created in a randomized block design. Seed rain, recruitment and survival of seedlings, and herbivory will be monitored in the patches and on transects extending outward from each patch; these studies will test hypotheses that dispersal and herbivory limit natural woody plant establishment. Soil qualities, including organic matter, pools of N and P, N mineralization rae, root growth and mycorrhizal infection, will also be monitored within the patches and transects, and will test hypotheses concerning below- ground changes over time will permit testing of hypotheses concerning linkages among these processes. By evaluating hypotheses regarding both above- and below-ground processes, we will be able to compare their relative importance during succession. Subsequently, this project will result in design recommendations for restoration methods used on derelict land throughout the region.