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Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
Nitrogen Fertilization, Stand Age, And Overstory Tree Species Impact The Herbaceous Layer In A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Lacey J. Smith, Kirsten Stephan
Nitrogen Fertilization, Stand Age, And Overstory Tree Species Impact The Herbaceous Layer In A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Lacey J. Smith, Kirsten Stephan
Faculty & Staff Scholarship
Research Highlights: Herb-layer community composition, abundance, species richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index are shaped by nitrogen fertilization, disturbance history, and the overstory tree species in its immediate vicinity. Background and Objectives: While the herbaceous layer in deciduous forests is increasingly recognized for its importance in various aspects of forest ecosystem function, this study sought to describe the factors impacting the herbaceous layer. Specifically, this study’s objective was to quantify and compare herb-layer species composition, cover, and other community indices in watersheds with (a) different levels of N deposition, (b) different stand ages due to differing disturbance histories, and (c) different …
The Impact Of Tree Species, Elevated Nitrogen Deposition, Stand Age, And Environmental Factors On Herbaceous Plant Communities In A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Lacey J. Smith
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Although the herb layer represents less than 1% of the biomass of temperate forests, this layer may contain up to 90% of the plant species in the forest and can contribute up to 20% of the foliar litter, thus playing an essential role in forest biodiversity and nutrient cycling. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in cover, species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and evenness of herb layer plants a) under tree species associated with contrasting soil nitrogen levels and b) in watersheds that vary in nitrogen deposition, stand age, and watershed aspect at the Fernow Experimental Forest …