Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Ecotone vegetation may be especially sensitive to climate change. In particular, the invasion of subalpine meadows by tree seedlings has been well documented. However, there has been no systematic analysis of tree regeneration across the environmental heterogeneity of the alpine forest–tundra ecoton...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Forest Research
Main Authors: Weisberg, Peter J., Baker, William L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1995
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x95-145
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x95-145
id crcansciencepubl:10.1139/x95-145
record_format openpolar
spelling crcansciencepubl:10.1139/x95-145 2024-09-15T18:39:38+00:00 Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Weisberg, Peter J. Baker, William L. 1995 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x95-145 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x95-145 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Forest Research volume 25, issue 8, page 1326-1339 ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037 journal-article 1995 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/x95-145 2024-07-04T04:09:59Z Ecotone vegetation may be especially sensitive to climate change. In particular, the invasion of subalpine meadows by tree seedlings has been well documented. However, there has been no systematic analysis of tree regeneration across the environmental heterogeneity of the alpine forest–tundra ecotone (FTE). Also, the position of the FTE may be relictual from more favorable climates of the past and therefore unresponsive to changing climate. To assess the environmental controls on FTE tree regeneration, to determine whether the ecotone might be relictual, and to determine whether tree invasion of nonforested FTE areas is occurring, we measured tree regeneration in various environments within the FTE of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Generally, seedling establishment appears to be controlled by patterns of soil moisture. Little seedling establishment was observed in krummholz openings, except for high seedling densities in willow wetlands. Tree seedling invasion of tundra is rare. Therefore, the upper limits of the FTE in Rocky Mountain National Park may be relictual from more favorable climates of the past. Abundant seedling establishment in patch forest openings suggests that patch forest may be poised to change to closed forest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Tundra Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Forest Research 25 8 1326 1339
institution Open Polar
collection Canadian Science Publishing
op_collection_id crcansciencepubl
language English
description Ecotone vegetation may be especially sensitive to climate change. In particular, the invasion of subalpine meadows by tree seedlings has been well documented. However, there has been no systematic analysis of tree regeneration across the environmental heterogeneity of the alpine forest–tundra ecotone (FTE). Also, the position of the FTE may be relictual from more favorable climates of the past and therefore unresponsive to changing climate. To assess the environmental controls on FTE tree regeneration, to determine whether the ecotone might be relictual, and to determine whether tree invasion of nonforested FTE areas is occurring, we measured tree regeneration in various environments within the FTE of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Generally, seedling establishment appears to be controlled by patterns of soil moisture. Little seedling establishment was observed in krummholz openings, except for high seedling densities in willow wetlands. Tree seedling invasion of tundra is rare. Therefore, the upper limits of the FTE in Rocky Mountain National Park may be relictual from more favorable climates of the past. Abundant seedling establishment in patch forest openings suggests that patch forest may be poised to change to closed forest.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Weisberg, Peter J.
Baker, William L.
spellingShingle Weisberg, Peter J.
Baker, William L.
Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
author_facet Weisberg, Peter J.
Baker, William L.
author_sort Weisberg, Peter J.
title Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
title_short Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
title_full Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
title_fullStr Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
title_full_unstemmed Spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
title_sort spatial variation in tree regeneration in the forest-tundra ecotone, rocky mountain national park, colorado
publisher Canadian Science Publishing
publishDate 1995
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x95-145
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x95-145
genre Tundra
genre_facet Tundra
op_source Canadian Journal of Forest Research
volume 25, issue 8, page 1326-1339
ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037
op_rights http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1139/x95-145
container_title Canadian Journal of Forest Research
container_volume 25
container_issue 8
container_start_page 1326
op_container_end_page 1339
_version_ 1810484001368965120