Dissertation Research: Influence of River Geomorphology on Pathways of Primary Forest Succession

论文研究：河流地貌对原始林演替路径的影响

• 批准号: 9902065
• 负责人: Carol Augspurger
• 金额: $ 0.45万
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-05-01 至 2001-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9902065&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Influence; River; Geomorphology

9902065AugspurgerThis dissertation research will test a new conceptual model explaining how river bend migration of high-energy rivers influences primary succession of riparian forests with high species richness. Whereas the traditional model of riparian forest succession describes a single pathway of succession, the proposed model predicts multiple pathways of succession promoted by predictable geomorphic processes related to the shape of the river channel. Specific objectives of this research include (1) a field experiment to test the relative importance of elevation, soil texture, light, inundation, and/or physical flood damage in determining where tree species become established on new land forms, (2) a field experiment to determine the importance of depth to water table on emergence and survival of several common floodplain tree species, and (3) determining the generality of the proposed model of succession among rivers in the southeastern Coastal Plain. Confirmation of the proposed conceptual model of primary succession will refine our understanding of heterogeneity of forest structure by revealing important links between predictable geomorphic processes and pathways of primary succession. This understanding will contribute to the wise management of southeastern rivers with the purpose of maintaining natural habitat diversity. The proposed research is unique in its experimental investigation of small-scale physical processes that influence landscape-scale patterns of riparian vegetation and will serve as a model for future studies in landscape ecology.

本文的研究将检验一个新的概念模型，解释高能河流的河湾迁移如何影响高物种丰富度河岸林的原始演替。传统的河岸森林演替模型描述了单一的演替途径，而该模型预测了与河道形状相关的可预测地貌过程促进的多种演替途径。本研究的具体目标包括：(1)进行实地试验，以测试海拔、土壤质地、光照、淹没和/或物理洪水破坏在确定树种在新地形上生长的位置时的相对重要性；(2)进行实地试验，以确定水位对几种常见洪泛区树种的出现和生存的重要性。(3)确定东南沿海平原河流演替模式的普遍性。通过揭示可预测的地貌过程与原始演替途径之间的重要联系，对原始演替概念模型的确认将完善我们对森林结构异质性的理解。这种认识将有助于明智地管理东南河流，以保持自然栖息地的多样性。该研究的独特之处在于，它对影响河岸植被景观尺度格局的小尺度物理过程进行了实验研究，并将作为未来景观生态学研究的一个模型。