The successional dynamics of sand dune systems provide an opportunity to examine how non-native plant species affect plant communities over small spatial scales. We investigated the status of non-native pine species introduced as seeds about 130 years ago at Illinois Beach State Park, Illinois (IBSP). Five patchy stands of Pinus nigra (Austrian pine) were found and studied (spatial relations, age by dendrochronology, diameter, nearest neighbor distance) to reconstruct the invasion process. Pinus nigra forms limited age range stands. Recruitment is episodic not only in time but also spatially. Each P. nigra age class stand is associated with significantly different ground layer vegetation categories that are different from each other as well as from the nearby sand prairie areas. Woody plant ground layer vegetation increased progressively as pine stands matured. This progressive temporal change with stand age is also reflected in a significant effect of distance from a tree on ground layer vegetation categories. Specifically, the frequency of woody vegetation is significantly greater at close (1 m) distance from trunks than at 5 or 10 m distances. Graminoid and forb ground cover decreased significantly and progressively with pine stand age and distance from pine trees. This introduced, non-native tree species has significantly altered the dune vegetation at IBSP. This study is a rare assessment of the community-level effects of an invasive species over a century after its introduction.

Forests dominated by old growth ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl.) at Crater Lake, Oregon, have been viewed as good candidates for restoration via prescribed burning. Previous burn experiments in this ecosystem observed that ponderosa pine typically survived burning treatments but suffered high post-fire mortality from bark beetle attacks. This paper describes the results of four years of post-fire monitoring of ponderosa pine mortality and resin flow in areas subjected to low intensity spring burning (SB), moderate intensity fall burning (FB), or no burning (unburned controls, UC). Crown vigor estimates, correlated with ring width indices, were also included as a factor in mortality and resin flow analyses. Burn treatment was significant in both ponderosa pine mortality and resin flow, as follows: FB > SB > UC. These results suggest that resin defenses overall did not protect trees from post-fire beetle attacks. Crown vigor was positively related to both survival and resin flow. The relationships between burning, tree vigor, and resin defenses in this study suggest a complex web of interactions. Although some physiological mechanisms are still unconfirmed, these findings suggest that beetles may have been attracted to ponderosa pine following burning, perhaps via the release of volatile resin compounds. Following attraction, resin defenses appear to have been important for protecting trees from beetle attacks, with greater defenses in trees with higher crown vigor and higher growth rates. Management recommendations, including a gradual and incremental approach to fire restoration in these stands, are suggested.

Grassland bird populations have declined more than any other group of birds in North America and are of conservation concern to state and federal agencies. We determined relative abundances of grassland birds in oak barrens and dry sand prairies—native habitat types rare in the state of Wisconsin. We also investigated the association of relative abundance, patch size, and patch vegetation. Our study was conducted May–July 2000–2002 on Fort McCoy Military Installation in Monroe County, Wisconsin. Fourteen grassland bird species were found in native habitat patches. Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) were the most abundant grassland bird species; all are species of management concern in Wisconsin. Of the most abundant species, only grasshopper sparrow relative abundance increased as patch size increased; vesper sparrow and field sparrow relative abundances decreased as patch size increased. Though found at lower relative abundances, horned larks (Erephila alpestris), savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), and upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) were found at higher relative abundances as patch size increased. Patch vegetation was important for some species. Vesper sparrows were found at higher abundances in patches with shorter, less dense vegetation and higher woody cover, eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) relative abundances were higher in patches with higher proportions of grass, and dickcissel (Spiza americana) relative abundances were higher in patches with taller, denser vegetation and lower proportions of litter. Native habitats are important for grassland bird species of management concern and large patches are particularly important for some of them.

Populations of state protected Augusta Shoals spider lily (Hymenocallis coronaria) are declining throughout its southeastern range in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Artificial flow rates and deer herbivory appear to be the major detriments to the three remaining populations of this species in the Augusta Shoals of the Savannah River, Georgia, where it was first discovered in 1773 by William Bartram. High and fluctuating flow rates in the Savannah River during the May–October portion of the growing season adversely affect flowering and seedling establishment compared to a tributary population in Stevens Creek east of Plum Branch, South Carolina. Water quality parameters and non-deer herbivory were similar in both populations as were asexual ramet formation and general clump size. Seed production and seedling establishment were examined in H. coronaria to determine how these were affected by flow rates. Cooperation between state and federal agencies regulating stream flow rates and deer herbivory are needed to prevent further declines in the Savannah River populations.

An investigation of General Land Office (GLO) records and township-scale environmental gradients were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis to determine the usefulness of this methodology for determining historical forest patterns, correlating the historic data with modern environmental gradients, and as background information for the development of forest restoration and management plans. The study area encompassed one township within the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Tombigbee National Forest, and John Starr Forest in east-central Mississippi. From the 1830s, GLO survey notes detailing witness tree locations and understory descriptions were transcribed into a Geographic Information System (GIS). Environmental variables describing soils, slope, roughness, elevation, and distance to streams were generated from contemporary data sets for each of the witness tree locations. Redundancy analysis was used to correlate witness tree species with environmental gradients. Dominant tree species were post oak (Quercus stellata), pine (Pinus spp.), willow oak (Quercus phellos L.), red oak (Quercus falcata), and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua). Multivariate analysis revealed two significant non-random environmental patterns in relation to species composition. The lowland silty/ sandy loam soil association and witness tree distance to perennial stream were significant non-random associations described by the ordination. Three dominant associations are described: (1) post oak/pine woodland with open understory on sandy-loam uplands, (2) pine/white oak forest with thick understory on transitional slopes, and (3) willow oak/red oak/sweet gum forest on silty/sandy loam lowland terraces. The methods described have value to land managers in the development of forest management plans that address the establishment and maintenance of historical plant community diversity. At the site scale, plant association details can be delineated from GLO records and modern environmental data.

The objective of this study was to identify landscape scale forested communities based on vegetation, soil, and landform variables on the Shoal Creek Ranger District, Talladega National Forest, Alabama. Data from 43 plots were analyzed with ordination, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis to yield five communities. The communities were strongly related to the percent slope, A-horizon Ca (kg/ha), B-horizon Mg (kg/ha), B-horizon P (kg/ha), and B-horizon pH. Hardwood dominated communities included Quercus prinus L. -Acer rubrum L. - Solidago erecta Pursh and Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh. - Liriodendron tulipifera L. - Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott. Hardwood communities were located on lower slope positions and stream bottoms. Pine dominated communities included Pinus palustris Mill. - Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees-Gaylussacia dumosa (Andrews) Torr. & A. Gray, Pinus palustris - P. echinata Mill. - Vitis rotundifolia Michx., and P. echinata - Prunus serotina Ehrh. - Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench ssp. nictitans var. nictitans. Mountain longleaf pine stands occupied the ridges and upper slopes while shortleaf pine dominated on lower slopes and rolling terrain. This classification system can be used to stratify the landscape into communities with similar vegetation, soil, and landform characteristics so that management plans can be developed based upon ecological units rather than stand boundaries. The current management regime appears to be maintaining the forest in a condition similar to pre-European forests.

Grandfather Mountain (GFM) in western North Carolina has been an International Biosphere Reserve since 1992 and is recognized for its natural beauty and ecological diversity. Sixteen unique ecosystems occur on GFM, including a high elevation forest dominated by red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and Fraser fir [Abies Fraseri (Pursh) Poir]. Changing climatic and atmospheric conditions, especially acidic deposition, can harm spruce-fir forests, and heavily impacted ecosystems can be found in nearby locales (e.g., Mount Mitchell, North Carolina) in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Given the ecological significance of the spruce-fir ecosystem on GFM, the primary objectives of this study were to determine: (1) whether radial growth rates of red spruce have changed in recent decades in response to environmental or climatic stimuli; (2) the driving forces behind radial tree growth; and (3) the degree of climate change experienced on GFM. I sampled 47 red spruce trees and developed a tree-ring chronology using standard dendroecological techniques. I examined the relationships between radial growth, climate variables, atmospheric composition variables, and time using simple correlation and regression. Radial growth rates of red spruce increased through time, and growth rates were significantly related to temperature (positively), days with precipitation (negatively), atmospheric carbon dioxide (positively), and emissions of sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides (negatively). In addition, significant climate changes on GFM are evident, with the most dramatic change being an increase in mean summer temperatures in excess of 1.4 °C since 1956.

Grassland restoration attempts to rehabilitate and/or re-create biologically diverse native plant communities using a variety of management techniques including seeding, burning, grazing, and most recently using herbicides. Herbicides are an important tool for suppressing weed competition for initial seedling growth and removing exotic species in native plant communities. Little information is available on which species of native plants can endure a pre-emergent application of the imidazolinone herbicides. In spring 2006, we initiated a study testing responses of three native grasses and three native forbs to pre-emergent treatments of 0.035 kg ai/ha imazapic, 0.07 kg ai/ha imazapic, and 0.07 kg ai/ha imazapyr. Seedling establishment was monitored at 5 and 14 months after treatment and weed cover was monitored at 2.5, 5 and 14 months after treatment. There were no differences in the number of seedlings found in the untreated plots compared to all the herbicide-treated plots and there were no differences in seedling densities of green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) with the exception of the high imazapic treatment. Showy tick trefoil (Desmodium canadense) and Canada milk vetch (Astragalus crassicarpus) also appear to be able to tolerate applications of all herbicide treatments. There was less weed cover in the herbicide-treated plots when compared to the untreated control plots. This information provides managers options to include these species in initial seeding or restoration projects using these herbicides which may increase diversity and reduce restoration projects cost in the long term.

This study examined landowners' motivations for placing conservation easements on personal property. A mixed method sequential embedded research framework was utilized to elucidate the motivations of greatest consequence for landowners adopting conservation easements throughout Indiana. Specifically, the researchers sampled owners of agricultural and forestland who have adopted conservation easements. The qualitative results indicate that the motivation to limit development stems from witnessing the development of land, environmental ethics and values, personal history associated with the place, and the need for farmland for the public good. The quantitative results suggest that environmental values were the primary motivation for conservation easement adoption, with uniqueness of place being ranked second. Discussions of the study's results are presented with implications for the land conservation and conservation behavior fields. Finally, future directions for research within the phenomena of conservation easement usage are suggested.

Bat Fork Bog Plant Conservation Preserve, located in Henderson County, North Carolina, is considered an example of a Southern Appalachian Mountain Bog. Across North Carolina this broadly defined habitat has high conservation significance due to the presence of a number of rare flora. However, very few examples of this wetland habitat remain intact, even those that are protected. In this paper, we describe the hydrology of Bat Fork Bog and efforts to restore this unique site.

Ecosystem classification systems (ECS) are a useful tool for conservation planning, particularly protected areas planning. Nova Scotia Protected Areas Branch has completed a geographical information system based ecosystem classification system for the province. The classification system integrates aspects of existing forestry based classification system and national vegetation classification system. Principles of landscape pattern have been incorporated into the system: (1) use hierarchical system; (2) include both abiotic and biotic factors; (3) use more abiotic factors at coarser spatial scales and more biotic factors at finer spatial scales; and (4) use vegetation only at the finest scale. The ECS builds on previous work, allows for integration of existing landscape classification systems, and establishes methods that can be applied for a variety of landscape planning issues in other regions.