Ecological Processes Influencing Local Biodiversity in Species-rich Pine Savanna Groundcover

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Pine savannas of the southeastern United States are among the world's highest diversity plant communities. They have non-continuous canopies often containing a single tree species (longleaf pine), and ground layers of vegetation containing many species of grasses, herbs, and shrubs. At small spatial scales of 1 - 1000 square meters, pine savannas commonly contain 50-200+ flowering plant species. In addition, more than 25% of the flora occurs nowhere else on Earth. Conservation of pine savannas as centers of high diversity necessitates an understanding of governing ecological mechanisms. A conceptual model was developed to explain high diversity in such plant communities. To test key predictions from the model, a large experiment that involves manipulations of fires, post-fire nutrients, seed dispersal, and competitive interactions among plants will run for three years and over two different fire cycles. Experimental results will be directly relevant to restoration/management of remnant pine savannas that historically covered most of the Gulf Coastal Plain until anthropogenic disturbance reduced them to 2% of their original extent. Our study site is the Camp Whispering Pines Girl Scout Camp in eastern Louisiana, which is being restored to conserve the biodiversity of the original pine savanna, while also serving to educate young people about the environment and field studies of science. Therefore, our study will involve university students and young people, including 6000+ girls and leaders who visit each year. These broader impacts will affect many people that otherwise might never be exposed to nature and the need to conserve natural resources.