Dissertation Research: Plant Community Dynamics in Southeastern Coastal Plain Hardwood Forests; Demography of Dominant Overstory Species

9321680美国东南部的普拉特梅西奇硬木森林有两个不同的层，有丰富的万年青和落叶树种的混合。飓风是这些森林系统中主要和常见的干扰。两个对比的理论模型已被提出：周期演替模型和扰动动力学模型。PI将测试从这些对比模型中得出的特定假设。假设的重点是大规模干扰的影响，在上层物种的种群的预期趋势，特别是在参考的影响，飓风凯特袭击这一地区在20世纪80年代中期。这些分析将基于1978年最初取样和绘图的4.5公顷永久地块的数据。PI将重新绘制该图，并使用时间数据集来解决一系列问题和预测有关的模式，物种更替和社区动态随着时间的推移，在这些森林。 虽然这个项目将集中在南部沿海平原阔叶林的动态，这些分析解决一般问题和问题的相对重要性的自生和异体因素在控制群落动态和森林生态系统中的物种多样性。***

9321680 Platt Mesic hardwood forests of the southeastern United States have two distinct strata with a rich mixture of evergreen and deciduous species of trees. Hurricanes are a major and common disturbance in these forest systems. Two contrasting theoretical models have been proposed: the cyclical succession model and the disturbance dynamics model. The PI's will test specific hypotheses derived from these contrasting models. The hypotheses focus on effects of large scale disturbances on the expected trend in populations of overstory species, specifically in reference to the impacts of Hurricane Kate which struck this area in the mid-1980's. The analyses will be based on data derived from a 4.5 ha permanent plot that was originally sampled and mapped in 1978. The PI's will remap the plot and use the temporal data set to address a series of questions and predictions concerning patterns of species replacement and community dynamics over time in these forests. %%% Although this project will focus on dynamics in southern coastal plain hardwood forests, these analyses address general problems and questions regarding the relative importance of autogenic and allogenic factors in the control of community dynamics and species diversity in forest ecosystems. ***