TS Forest Ecology i

Autecology (population)

Study of the influence of the environmental on a single tree or species

Synecology

Study of relationships/interactions between groups of different species

Theory of island biogeography

Basically, the larger the forest the more biodiversity, the farther the island is from the core forest the less biodiversity

Edge effects

Changes in pops that occur on the boundaries of habitat types due to changes in environment

How much is the forest edge

First 100-300m

Corridors

Improve connection so facilitate gene flow, increase amount of habitat, negatively impacted by edge effects

Fields of forest ecology

Environment, ecosystem, silvics, history

Forest environment

Living and non living things occurring naturally

Forest ecosystem

Interdependency of environmental elements

Silvics

Growth and reproduction requirements of trees

Forest history

Developmental patterns over time (succession)

Factors that influence tree distribution

Climate, soil, topography, biotic factors

Climate factors that influence distribution in major terrestrial ecosystems

Standing biomass, primary production, nitrogen uptake, evapotranspiration

Stages of forest succession

Stand initiation, stem exclusion, understory reinitiation, old growth

Forest stand

Big area of trees that’s the same composition/age/etc

Forest structure

Vertical and horizontal layering, creates microclimates/niches

Structural components

Tree age/size distribution, vertical foliage distribution, horizontal canopy distribution, dead wood

Vertical forest structure

Vertical layering of different species occupying different levels within the overall canopy

Vertical forest layers

Dominant, co-dominant, intermediate, suppressed, shrubs/regeneration, forbs/grasses, soil layers

Significance of vertical structure

Influences bird species, influences insects/things that eat the fruits/nuts

Canopy closure

Portion of sky obscured by canopy from a single point