Exam 3 Bio 131

what is the method of science used in forest ecology?

uniformitarianism

Understory

The layer of vegetation beneath the forest canopy, consisting of smaller trees, shrubs, and plants that thrive in lower light conditions.

Canopy

The uppermost layer of a forest, formed by the crowns of tall trees that intercept most sunlight, creating a distinct ecosystem with its own flora and fauna.

How do we know?

We know from the mud and rock formation

What did the forests in Carlisle look like 16,000 years ago?

They were a tundra

when were the forests of Pennsylvania no longer natural? why?

Natives used to burn down forests to allow regrowth.

How did early natives manage PA forests?

Through burning

What is management?

manipulation of the environment to achieve human goals

How did colonists view our first forests when they arrived?

dark, sterile, dim - they arrived to pitch pines because that was the lowlands

How were trees important to the colonists?

to make tools, shelter, furniture, etc

how did we mismanage our forests

deforestation and railroads, but also urbanization/industrialization

what disappeared from our forests?

eastern cougar, Timberwolves, elk, bison, messenger pigeon

what are gap phase species?

plants (typically trees, shrubs, or pioneer/mid-successional herbs) that specialize in colonizing and growing in canopy gaps—local openings in a forest created when one or more mature trees die, fall, or break

what is advanced regeneration?

young trees—such as seedlings or saplings—that have already developed naturally in the understory beneath a mature forest canopy before a major disturbance or a timber harvest takes place

what are common species are gap phase species?

black cherry, yellow-poplar (tulip tree), black and yellow birch, red maple, oaks, and Allegheny blackberry

what is a browse line?

the deer create it by eating all that it can within reach (even on hindlegs) it shapes the understory vegiatation

what is an exclosure?

a fenced off area used to monitor a subject for data (descriptive if you see it, infernal if you read about it)

How do we count deer?

by counting and tracking deer poop

How does the PA game commission count deer?

per square mile

what is a transect?

A straight line or narrow path laid across a landscape or habitat where researchers systematically count, measure, or record environmental and biological data (like plant species, soil types, or animal populations)

state game lands vs. RWS

difference in samplings, none in RWS

what are stump sprouts?

new shoots or branches that emerge from the base or cut surface of a tree stump after the main trunk has been cut down, damaged, or killed by a disturbance like a fire or windstorm, they spring up from dormant buds

how does fire effect forest ecology?

Fire shapes forest ecology by acting as a natural catalyst that recycles nutrients, clears dead debris, and triggers the reproduction of fire-adapted species, though its effects depend heavily on the fire's intensity, frequency, and scale

what species are fire dependent?

sassaphras, blackgum, pitch pine, scrub oak

what species are fire susceptible?

black cherry, red maple

What are several invasive species in our pa forests?

Stilt grass, birch, palonia