Lodgepole Pines in Niwots subalpine forest Michael D Schuster Winter Ecology Spring 2010 Mountain Research Station University of Colorado Boulder Mechanisms of tree flagging ID: 221686
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Slide1
The effect of tree density and height on tree-flagging of
Lodgepole Pines in Niwot’s sub-alpine forest
Michael D. Schuster
Winter Ecology
–
Spring 2010
Mountain Research Station
–
University of Colorado, BoulderSlide2
Mechanisms of tree flagging
Predominately carried out by windKrummholz: “Crooked Wood” in German; These are the type of trees/shrubs near or at treelineReasons for bareness of trunk: lack of SRSlide3
In the Big Picture
Why is this important?Useful for forestry practices Can put in context of CC scenarioAffects passage of mammalsSlide4
Observations and Hypothesis
I noticed that the trees had varying heights of bare trunk and branches, and this general height changed when the trees were either taller or closer together
Hypothesis: affected by amount of sun reaching lower branches, not by
krummholz
or wind as much
As the
avg
height increases, the height of the bare tree will also increase
As the L.P. Pine density increases, the height of bare tree should also increase (more trees-more coverage-less sun to ground)Slide5
Methods
10x10 m transectClinometer, field tape, flags, snow probeTotal density, density of conifersAvg height (clinometer), snow depthSlide6Slide7Slide8
P-value = 0.0128
Site #P value
1
0.366941
2
0.037538
3
0.067436
4
0.00619
5
0.010393
6
0.762244Slide9
Conclusions
Total L.P. Pine height increases with elevationBare trunk height is variable—other factorsDensity increases with elevation% of bare trunk increases with increase in total heightNo significant results—other variables are affecting the outcomeSlide10
Other variables to consider
Slope of transectAspect of transect (tried to keep this constant)ElevationType of forest (are there deciduous trees)Amount of exposure (windSnow depth (how does this affect height of bare tree)Inaccuracies with measurements (10 m distance of transect, from tree, density average)Slide11
Suggestions for next time
Bring an altimeter, measure elevationMore accurate measurments of snow depthFind a better way to measure densityChoose transects carefully, controlling for:Slope, aspect, exposure, types of trees (no deciduous)Finally, for next time: BRING A CAMERASlide12
Works CitedReference articles
Arno, Steven F. Timberline: Mountain and Arctic Forest Frontiers. Chp.1 excerpt, prepared by CU. New York, 2007. Pictures:http://www.daviddarling.info/images/vegetation_flagging.gifhttp://www2.swgc.mun.ca/botany/burntisland/images/Flagging%201.jpg