Dendrology 101 & Common Trees of Texas · 2019. 12. 17. · Ecology Defined The study of living...

© Christopher Ebling 2008-2011. All rights reserved.

Forest Ecology

Chris EblingTexas Master Naturalist

© Christopher Ebling 2018. All rights reserved.

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© Christopher Ebling, 2008-2011. All rights reserved.

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Topics

◼ What is ecology, and specifically forest ecology?

◼ What is an ecosystem, and specifically a forest ecosystem?

◼ Processes associated with living and nonliving elements within a forest ecosystem.

◼ Basic components and structure of a forest ecosystem.

◼ Different forest ecosystem/types and factors that contribute to the differences.


Why Study Ecology?

◼ As Master Naturalists you have learned about

❑ Geology

❑ Ornithology

❑ Entomology

❑ Herpetology

❑ Climatology

◼ Ecology is a meta-science that pulls it all

together

❑ Describes interrelatedness between disciplines

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As master naturalists, our role is to place our audience within

this web of relationships


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Ecology Defined

◼ The study of living organisms and their relationship

to their environment

❑ Greek oikos (house) + German logie (study)

❑ Physical environment

◼ Geography, climate, soils, etc.

❑ Intra-species relationships

◼ Social structure

❑ Interspecies relationships

◼ Competition

◼ Forest Ecology – study of the relationships between

living organisms and non-living factors in a forest


What is an Ecosystem?

◼ An ecosystem is a

dynamic set of living

organisms (plants,

animals and

microorganisms) all

interacting among

themselves and with the

environment in which

they live (soil, climate,

water and light).

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What is an Ecosystem?

◼ An ecosystem does not

have precise boundaries

❑ As small as a pond or a

dead tree

❑ As large as the Earth itself

◼ An ecosystem can also

be defined in terms of its

vegetation, animal

species or type of relief

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Forest Ecosystems

◼ Forest: "an ecosystem characterized by a more or less dense and extensive tree cover, often consisting of stands varying in characteristics such as species composition, structure, age class, and associated processes, and commonly including meadows, streams, fish, and wildlife❑ Forests include special kinds such as industrial

forests, non-industrial private forests, plantations, public forests, protection forests, and urban forests, as well as parks and wilderness."

- Society of American Foresters


Forest Energy Flow

◼ All terrestrial ecosystems

depend on solar energy

as the primary energy

source.

❑ Others energy sources?

◼ Primary productivity is the

result of energy captured

by producers, such as

plants.

❑ Some of this energy is lost

when producers use

sunlight energy for

respiration.

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“Energy Flows, Nutrients Cycle”

First Law of Thermodynamics!


Forest Energy Flow

◼ Only a portion of the

energy captured by

producers is passed on to

consumers.

❑ Rule of thumb – 90% of

energy is lost in transfers

between trophic levels.

❑ Consumers also lose

energy due to respiration.

◼ Note that the energy flow

through an ecosystem is

one way.

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Copyright ® 1999. Elizabeth Anne Viau


Forest CyclesThe Hydrologic Cycle

◼ All water begins in the oceans

◼ All water returns to the oceans

◼ What is the most potent

common greenhouse gas in

our atmosphere?

◼ What happens as the

atmospheric temperature

increases?

❑ Remember your physics!

❑ Warmer air can hold more

gaseous water

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Source: USGS


Forest CyclesThe Nitrogen Cycle

◼ Most of the atmosphere is comprised of N2

◼ Most of the nitrogen in the atmosphere is unavailable for use by organisms. ❑ The strong triple bond between

the N atoms in N2 molecules makes it relatively inert.

◼ For plants and animals to be able to use nitrogen, N2 gas must first be converted (“fixed”) to more a chemically available form such as ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), or organic nitrogen (e.g. urea -(NH3)2CO).

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© 1999-2007 Michael Pidwirny


A Digression

◼ Gliricidia sepium

❑ A deciduous tree in the

Leguminosae family

◼ Used in Malawi as part of

agroforestry initiatives

❑ Fixes nitrogen in the soil

❑ Loses its leaves during the

crop season

❑ 3X to 4X increase in maize

production!

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Forest CyclesThe Carbon Cycle

◼ The incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels

◼ Carbon is stored in major sinks❑ Organic molecules in living and dead

organisms found in the biosphere;

❑ Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere;

❑ Organic matter in soils - permafrost

❑ Lithosphere as fossil fuels and sedimentary rock deposits such as limestone, dolomite and chalk;

❑ The oceans as dissolved atmospheric carbon dioxide and as calcium carbonate shells in marine organisms.

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Carbon Storage

CO2 Cycle

© 1999-2007 Michael Pidwirny

Source: Youcontrol-cllimatechange.co.uk


Carbon Storage

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Carbon Storage

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Carbon Transfer & Climate Change

◼ What is the problem with burning fossil fuels?❑ Massive release of

stored carbon

◼ What happens as the oceans warm?❑ Remember your

physics!◼ Reduced capacity to hold

dissolved gasses

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Vertical Forest Structure

Forests Ecosystems

are

Three Dimensional


Forest Structure – Emergent Layer

❑ Dominant species

that extend through

the canopy

◼ Evident in rainforests

◼ White Pine forest in

Northern Michigan

❑ What are the

advantages and

disadvantages of

being emergent?

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Forest Structure - Canopy

❑ Highest continuous

level in the forest

❑ Contains mature

trees

❑ What is the

advantage of being in

the canopy?

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Forest Structure - Understory

❑ Contains

◼ Tree saplings

◼ Small shade-tolerant

trees

❑ dogwood, redbud

◼ Tall shrubs

❑ What is the strategy

of understory trees?

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Forest Structure – Herb/Fern Layer

◼ The herb/fern layer

❑ Ranges from the

ground surface to

about 3'

◼ Tree seedlings,

herbs, ferns,

grasses

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Forest Structure – Litter Layer

❑ Decaying plant and

animal matter

❑ Fungi, mosses &

lichens

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Does the forest ecosystem

end at the forest floor?


Soil Characteristics

◼ Soil Horizons

❑ A layer parallel to

the soil surface, whose

physical characteristics differ

from the layers above and

beneath.

◼ Soil Structure

❑ The way individual particles of

sand, silt, and clay are

assembled.

◼ Affected by:❑ Basal geology

❑ Climate

❑ Water Movement.

❑ Organic Matter Content

❑ Soil Organisms.

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© 2015 Larry Cooper.


Tree Communication

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Tree Communication

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Trees Communicate via Root Systems and Fungal Networks


Horizontal Forest Structure

◼ Stand density

❑ A measure of the

stocking rate of trees

in a forest

❑ Measured by:

◼ Trees/acre

◼ Basal area/acre

◼ Crown cover

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Forest Succession

◼ Forest succession is the temporal transition of vegetation societies at the same place after major changes in environmental conditions (e.g. glaciation, fires, clear cut logging).

◼ If it starts from a vegetation-free area, it passes through a certain sequence of societies initiated by pioneer-societies, followed by intermediate stages up to the final climax society.

◼ The climax society can only develop if no other disturbance interrupts the development.

◼ Succession has a great impact on wildlife populations❑ White Tailed Deer – Elk

❑ Kirtland’s Warbler◼ Require 4 to 20 year old Jack Pine trees for nesting

◼ Dependent on fire to reset forest succession❑ Jack Pine only reproduce after a fire.

Time

Forests Exist in Four Dimensions – Space & Time

Source: Ohio State University Extension Service


Factors that Affect Forest Development

◼ Climate

❑ Temperature

◼ Range and seasonality

◼ Eg. Texas vs. Brazil

❑ Rainfall

◼ Amount and seasonality

◼ Eg. Texas vs. Brazil

◼ Sunlight

❑ Intensity and seasonality

◼ Rainforest vs. Northern Boreal

Forest

◼ Geography

❑ Latitude

❑ Altitude

◼ Mimics latitudinal differences

◼ Davis mountains

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Factors that Affect Forest Development

◼ Geology

❑ Soil type

◼ Rocky, sandy, acidic, basic,

nutrient availability, etc.

◼ Eg. Transition from

Blackland Prairie to Piney

Woods.

◼ Disruption

❑ Fire

❑ Animal/insect activities

❑ Human activities

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Texas Forest Facts

◼ Texas has more than 12 million acres of forestland concentrated in 43 counties in East Texas

◼ Sixty-two percent of Texas' forestland is owned by non-industrial private landowners.

◼ 32% is owned by industry.

◼ The public (federal or state forests) owns the other 6%

❑ Four National forests

❑ Five State forests

◼ Over 200 tree species are considered native to Texas

Source: Texas Forest Service


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Texas Forests

◼ Texas National Forests

❑ Angelina

❑ Davey Crockett

❑ Sabine

❑ Sam Houston

◼ Texas State Forests

❑ I.D. Fairchild

❑ Masterson

❑ John Henry Kirby

Memorial

❑ E.O Siecke

❑ W. Goodrich Jones


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Dendrology 101 & Common Trees of Texas · 2019. 12. 17. · Ecology Defined The study of living...

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