PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #39: Disturbance Ecology.
Thursday, August 9, 2001. Presentation from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Exhibition Hall

Land management and soil composition effects on vegetation and nitrogen dynamics in Ft Benning, Georgia.

DILUSTRO, JOHN¹, COLLINS, BEVERLY¹, DUNCAN, LISA¹, SHARITZ, REBECCA SHARITZ¹, MCARTHUR, J. VAUN ¹, ROMANEK , CHRIS ¹, SEAMAN, JOHN ¹, ¹

ABSTRACT- Military training and forest management practices create disturbances that affect vegetation and nitrogen dynamics. We are using an experimental approach to compare military use (heavier vs. lighter) and forest management treatments [4 combinations of burning (2 year cycle vs. 4 year cycle), and thinning (thinned vs. left unthinned through the research period)] between sites on sandy and clayey soils in Ft Benning. Georgia. Thirty-two sample plots (100m by 100m) were established. Prior land use, including historical land use and the recent history of forestry practices and military use has influenced each of the 32 sites. We conducted a pre-treatment vegetation survey for baseline plant community structure and species composition to evaluate effects of prior land use. A higher tree density occurs on sites with lighter vs. heavier military training. The range of tree density is greater on clayey soil than sandy soil, which suggests a greater effect of disturbance on tree density on clayey soil. Groundcover density is similar for both soil types (42% cover). Understanding the interactions among these land use practices can guide management practices to improve sustainability of these upland ecosystems.

KEY WORDS: Forest Disturbance, Nitrogen Cycling