Document: VIR-3-45-4

The role of dispersal in the establishment of tree species in upland and lowland old fields 60 years after abandonment.

MCDANIEL, V.L.* and A.J.MEIER

Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101 USA ¹

Abstract:
I attempted to determine whether the patterns of seedling establishment described in the literature for forests and recently abandoned old fields would be maintained in fields 60 years after abandonment. A study to determine this distribution pattern as well as to compare patterns of age and density distribution in upland and lowland old fields was implemented at Mammoth Cave National Park. I studied three species dispersed by three different modes: Juniperus virginiana a predominantly bird-dispersed, Acer rubrum a predominantly wind-dispersed, and Fagus grandifolia a predominantly mammal-dispersed. The establishment patterns observed by others in recently abandoned old fields were not maintained in 60 year old fields in this study. For J. virginiana age did not decrease as distance from the edge increased in either uplands or lowlands. For A. rubrum age decreased marginally as distance from the edge increased in the upland data but slope was not significant in the lowlands. For F. grandifolia, age decreased as distance from the edge increased in both uplands and lowlands. Density distribution of each species was even across all old fields. Rare long distance dispersal events are a possible explanation for the establishment patterns observed in these 60 year old fields.

Keywords: dispersal, oldfield succession

This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
DISPERSAL