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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Planting Density Effects On The Growth Of Dune Grasses., Audrey Kirschner
Planting Density Effects On The Growth Of Dune Grasses., Audrey Kirschner
Theses and Dissertations
Coastal dune vegetation plays a key role in dune formation and stabilization through sediment trapping and erosion control. To restore degraded dunes, revegetation of dune building species is critical. Planting density has been found to effect growth of marsh species, with closer plantings alleviating stress through facilitation. As coastal dunes are high stress environments, it is expected that dune species may also exhibit facilitative interactions based on the Stress Gradient Hypothesis. Therefore, planting grasses in clumped configurations may lead to more successful dune revegetation. The objective of this research was to determine how planting density affects the growth of two …
Facilitative And Competitive Tradeoffs Between Morella Cerifera Seedlings And Coastal Grasses, Michael N. Sinclair
Facilitative And Competitive Tradeoffs Between Morella Cerifera Seedlings And Coastal Grasses, Michael N. Sinclair
Theses and Dissertations
Morella cerifera is a rapidly expanding native shrub on the Virginia barrier islands which displaces other native coastal species and may interrupt normal sediment dynamics. Barrier islands are considered stressful environments with low nutrients, high solar load, and frequent drought and salt exposure; facilitation often dominates in stressful environments according to the Stress Gradient Hypothesis. The objective of this project was to understand the importance of species interactions with grasses on the growth and physiology of M. cerifera at the seedling life stage through both field and lab experiments. Grasses provided ~1.3°C insulation to shrubs during winter freeze events and …