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Area-Species Curve Applies To Gaps In A Canada Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis (L.) Carr.) Forest In The Shenandoah National Park, Joseph John Lacroix

Master's Theses

A typical area-species curve shows that species richness (number of species) and island size are positively correlated. I tested whether the area-species concept, which was developed using islands, could be applied to herbaceous plants in canopy gaps in a hemlock community.

I conducted studies in Limberlost, Shenandoah National Park. I measured the species richness of herbaceous plants in six gaps during the summer and fall of 1995 and eight gaps and one non-gap site in the spring of 1996. The two additional gaps in 1996 extended the upper range of gap sizes. I calculated the correlation between species richness and …