Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Role of Historical and Environmental Factors in the Invasion of Pine Forests in the Florida Panhandle

本论文旨在分析佛罗里达州埃格林空军基地沙松扩张的时空格局。基于航空照片的景观水平分析将用于确定沙松的历史起源和沙松在地形和地理特征上的扩张性质。过去土地利用的文件，包括诸如火灾日期、伐木历史、气候资料和放牧模式等资料，将用于协助阐明景观变化的因果机制。在更局部的尺度上，建议通过林分取样和树芯采集来确定现存松林的组成和结构，以评估干扰历史对这些特征的影响。此外，本研究还将探讨沙松更新与光照水平、群落组成和增量生长模式之间的关系。该研究将对不同时空尺度下植物群落的历史和环境影响产生新的认识。

McCay, Deanna U. of Georgia This dissertation proposal intends to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of sand pine expansion at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. An air photo-based landscape level analysis will be used to determine the historic origin of sand pine and the nature of sand pine expansion over topographic and edaphic features. The documentation of past land use, including information such as fire dates, logging history, climatic information and grazing patterns will be used to assist in the illumination of the causal mechanisms of landscape change. At a more local scale, it is proposed to determine the composition and structure of existing pine forests with stand-level sampling and tree core collection to assess the influence of disturbance history on these characteristics. In addition, the study will explore relationships among sand pine regeneration, light levels, community composition and incremental growth patterns. The study will yield new knowledge of historical and environmental effects on plant communities operating at different spatial and temporal scales.