Summary 1. The majority of plant species in northern temperate deciduous forests are restricted to the ground layer, but importance colonization processes relative environmental filtering structuring spatial variation ground‐layer communities is poorly understood. 2. Using multivariate analyses, structural equation modelling and geostatistics, we examined interactions among communities, live overstorey gradients across a 70‐ 90‐year‐old hardwood forest Wisconsin (USA). We hypothesized that...

Abstract As global change shifts the species composition of forests, we need to understand which characteristics affect soil organic matter (SOM) cycling predict future carbon (C) storage. Recently, whether a tree forms symbiosis with arbuscular (AM) versus ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi has been suggested as strong predictor C storage, but there is wide variability within EcM systems. In this study, investigated how mycorrhizal associations and canopy trees related proportion nitrogen (N) in...

Summary Disturbance can function to maintain diversity within forest communities; however, specific mechanisms and the relationship productivity are not well understood. We examined these linkages in ground‐layer plant communities using a replicated, manipulative field experiment. Treatments included range of gap sizes untreated controls. assessed spatial temporal responses over first three years following creation. Light transmittance soil water content increased with size, while rates...

Cut stumps can be temporary hot spots of carbon emissions due to connections decaying root systems. Drivers variation in stump decomposition have yet clearly identified, including interactions with sprouting, an important regeneration pathway after harvest temperate deciduous forests. The aim this study was identify the effects sprouting relative other abiotic and biotic factors on from cut stumps. We measured dioxide (CO2) methane (CH4) flux surface 0-4 years following a canopy gap upland...

Open forest restoration transitions closed‐canopy forests to a structure amenable shade‐intolerant species such as oak and often includes thinning or prescribed burns promote diverse composition. We measured how treatments influenced ground‐layer assemblages successional patterns in an ecologically mesic hardwood forest. tested repeated fire, midstory herbicide applications, the combination of shelterwood overstory harvest fire diversity turnover, if showed affinity particular throughout...

Abstract The Karner blue butterfly (KBB) ( Lycaeides melissa samuelis ), a federally listed species, has historically been component of barren and savannah ecosystems in the northeastern midwestern United States. In New York, it now occurs primarily on managed, early‐successional sites such as power line corridors (utility rights‐of‐way) from Albany to Glens Falls. Blue lupine Lupinus perennis exclusive larval food source KBB, suggested be most limiting factor for within eastern portion its...

Restoring structural features of old-growth forests, such as increased canopy gap sizes and coarse woody debris, is a common management goal for second-growth, even-aged stands. We experimentally manipulated forest structure by creating variable-size gaps in second-growth northern hardwood north-central Wisconsin following two growing seasons pre-treatment monitoring. The objectives this study were to quantify the influence different (50–380 m 2 ) on aboveground biomass productivity each...

Abstract Questions: How do deer mediate the response of forest ground‐layer plant communities to canopy gap size? Location: Flambeau River State Forest in north central Wisconsin, USA (47°37.4ʹ N, 90°47.8ʹ W). Method: We examined responses resources, growth forms and temporal guilds factorial combinations treatments consisting a range sizes (80, 200 380 m 2 ), ( Odocoileus virginianus ) exclusion (0.64 ha fenced exclosures) 4 years following creation (3 exclusion). contrasted transition...

Despite the large body of theory concerning multiple disturbances, relatively few attempts have been made to test theoretical assumptions how and if disturbances interact. Of particular importance is whether disturbance events are linked, as this can influence probability intensity ecological change. Disturbances linked when one event increases or decreases likelihood extent another. To end, we used two long-term, multi-disturbance experiments in northern Wisconsin determine earthworm...

The effects of forest management on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics vary by harvest type species. We simulated long-term bole-only harvesting aspen (Populus tremuloides) stand productivity interaction CN cycles with a multiple model approach. Five models, Biome-BGC, CENTURY, FORECAST, LANDIS-II Century-based dynamics, PnET-CN, were run for 350 yr seven events nutrient-poor, sandy soils representing northwestern Wisconsin, United States. Twenty state flux variables summarized from...

Abstract Short‐rotation woody biomass crops ( SRWC s) have been proposed as an alternative feedstock for biofuel production in the northeastern US that leads to conversion of current open land plantations, potentially altering soil microbial community structures and hence functions. We used pyrosequencing 16S 28S rRNA genes assess bacterial fungal populations when ‘marginal’ grasslands were converted into willow Salix spp.) hybrid poplar Populus plantations at two sites with similar soils...

The objective of this study was to establish baseline data for the structure and dynamics an old-growth beech (Fagus grandifolia)-sugar maple (Acer saccharum) woods in northeastern Ohio before anticipated future impacts disturbances such as bark disease. Several parameters were selected based on their likelihood being influenced by these including: (1) species composition; (2) mortality growth rates trees, overall, size class; (3) canopy replacement patterns; (4) coarse woody debris (CWD)...