By Corey Slinkard EBIO 4100 Spring Semester 2012 Outline Hypothesis About the Lodgepole Pine Location Importance Reproduction Cones Methods Results Discussion Citations Hypothesis Due to the strong westerly winds on Colorados Rocky Mountains I hypothesize cone ID: 804394
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Slide1
Lodgepole Pine Cone Density
By: Corey SlinkardEBIO 4100Spring Semester 2012
Slide2OutlineHypothesisAbout the Lodgepole Pine
LocationImportanceReproductionConesMethodsResultsDiscussionCitations
Slide3HypothesisDue to the strong westerly winds on Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, I hypothesize cone
density on Lodgepole Pines will vary by hill slope direction, particularly on east-facing slopes in areas around MRS.Relates to winter ecology b
ecause the LP has ~26 month
p
ollen-cone and seen-cone bud
Initiation…
(
Owens, 2006)
Slide4More on Lodgepole PineLocation
:Pinus contorta extends from the Mackenzie district of the Yukon in Canada, to southern Colorado in the Rocky Mountains and northern Baja (Owens, 2006)Lodge Pole pines are important because they account for about 7% of Rocky Mountain forests.
Distribution map:
Pinus
contorta
subsp
.
contorta
Pinus contorta
subsp
.
latifolia
Pinus contorta
subsp.
murrayana
Slide5Lodgepole Importance• Ecological
• Protective cover for watersheds • Wildlife Habitat •Aesthetic value for recreationEconomic ImportanceValuable source of timber productsOne of the most extensively harvested trees in west.
Slide6Points on Lodgepole Reproduction
ReproductionThe cones are serotinous“Serotinous cones do not open at maturity, but remain closed until the resin bond between cone scales is melted.” (Knapp and Anderson, 1980)It is a fire adapted tree
Lodgepole pines have fairly thin bark, which reduces their defenses against fires
.
Tend
to outcompete each other for resources, often leaving many of them to dry up and die.
These
dead Lodgepoles then become a fuel source for a future fire, increasing the heat needed for reproduction.
Slide7ConesOpening the fire adapted cone
Temperatures ranging from 40-69º C have been reported as sufficient to open the cones. (104º-156ºF)Seeds inside the cones DO NOT lose viability with age!“Although direct sunlight can, in some circumstances, open the cones, fire normally releases the seeds to the favorable seedbeds.” (Knapp
and Anderson, 1980)
Slide8MethodsLocation: Surrounding areas of MRS
3.0m x 3.0m areaHow much shade? Count number of Lodgepole PinesDirection hill slope facesSouthNorth
East
Flat
Approximate tree height
Count number of cones on each tree
Total number
Use binoculars
Slide9Results
Avg. cones
East: 16.14
North: 17.21
South: 49.08*
Flat: 15.38
*contained outlier
South-face slope?
•
What’s going on here?
Slide10Other ResultsSeems to be no correlation between slope-face direction and cone density…
• Relationship?
•”Lodgepoles are
quick to occupy a
site… full of sunlight”
(
Owens, 2006)
•
Does contain outlier
Slide11DiscussionHYPOTHESIS FAILED?Why?
Cones only need to get to a certain temperature to release seeds.If ground is on fire, wind direction might not make a difference.Remember: cones remain closed until the resin bond between cone scales is melted. (Knapp and Anderson, 1980)Relationship between shade and cones? Maybe…Future projects.
Slide12CitationsA.K
. Knapp and J.E. Anderson. “Effect of Heat on Germination of Seeds from Serotinous Lodgepole Pine Cones
.”
American Midland Naturalist
, Vol. 104, No. 2 (Oct., 1980), pp. 370-
372
Owens
,
J.
"The Reproductive Biology of the Lodgepole Pine."
Forest Genetics Council of British Columbia
. (2006): 1-62. Print.