Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests
There is limited information on how velvet leaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.) responds to fires and existing small forest gaps associated with narrow linear disturbances. We measured the effects of narrow forest linear gaps from seismic lines used for oil and gas exploration versus adjac...
Published in: | Forests |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2017
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3390/f8100398 https://doaj.org/article/53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd 2023-05-15T16:17:39+02:00 Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests Charlotte A. Dawe Angelo T. Filicetti Scott E. Nielsen 2017-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/f8100398 https://doaj.org/article/53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/8/10/398 https://doaj.org/toc/1999-4907 1999-4907 doi:10.3390/f8100398 https://doaj.org/article/53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd Forests, Vol 8, Iss 10, p 398 (2017) fire severity seismic line disturbance jack pine production vigor abundance presence Ericaceae velvet leaf blueberry Vaccinium myrtilloides Plant ecology QK900-989 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/f8100398 2022-12-31T06:32:34Z There is limited information on how velvet leaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.) responds to fires and existing small forest gaps associated with narrow linear disturbances. We measured the effects of narrow forest linear gaps from seismic lines used for oil and gas exploration versus adjacent (control) forests across a fire severity (% tree mortality) gradient on the presence, abundance (cover), vigor (height), and berry production of Vaccinium myrtilloides in recently (five-year) burned jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) forests near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Presence was greatest in forests that experienced low to moderately-high fire severities with declines at high fire severity. Abundance did not differ among seismic lines or adjacent forest, nor did it differ along a fire severity gradient. In contrast, vigor and berry production were greater on seismic lines compared to adjacent forests with fire severity positively affecting berry production, but not plant vigor. After controlling for changes in plant cover and vigor, berry production still increased with fire severity and within seismic lines compared with adjacent forests. Our findings suggest that narrow gaps from linear disturbances and fire severity interact to affect the fecundity (berry production) and growth (height) of Vaccinium myrtilloides. This has important implications for assessing the ecological effects of fire on linear disturbances associated with energy exploration in the western boreal forest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Fort McMurray Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Fort McMurray Forests 8 10 398 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
fire severity seismic line disturbance jack pine production vigor abundance presence Ericaceae velvet leaf blueberry Vaccinium myrtilloides Plant ecology QK900-989 |
spellingShingle |
fire severity seismic line disturbance jack pine production vigor abundance presence Ericaceae velvet leaf blueberry Vaccinium myrtilloides Plant ecology QK900-989 Charlotte A. Dawe Angelo T. Filicetti Scott E. Nielsen Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
topic_facet |
fire severity seismic line disturbance jack pine production vigor abundance presence Ericaceae velvet leaf blueberry Vaccinium myrtilloides Plant ecology QK900-989 |
description |
There is limited information on how velvet leaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.) responds to fires and existing small forest gaps associated with narrow linear disturbances. We measured the effects of narrow forest linear gaps from seismic lines used for oil and gas exploration versus adjacent (control) forests across a fire severity (% tree mortality) gradient on the presence, abundance (cover), vigor (height), and berry production of Vaccinium myrtilloides in recently (five-year) burned jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) forests near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Presence was greatest in forests that experienced low to moderately-high fire severities with declines at high fire severity. Abundance did not differ among seismic lines or adjacent forest, nor did it differ along a fire severity gradient. In contrast, vigor and berry production were greater on seismic lines compared to adjacent forests with fire severity positively affecting berry production, but not plant vigor. After controlling for changes in plant cover and vigor, berry production still increased with fire severity and within seismic lines compared with adjacent forests. Our findings suggest that narrow gaps from linear disturbances and fire severity interact to affect the fecundity (berry production) and growth (height) of Vaccinium myrtilloides. This has important implications for assessing the ecological effects of fire on linear disturbances associated with energy exploration in the western boreal forest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Charlotte A. Dawe Angelo T. Filicetti Scott E. Nielsen |
author_facet |
Charlotte A. Dawe Angelo T. Filicetti Scott E. Nielsen |
author_sort |
Charlotte A. Dawe |
title |
Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
title_short |
Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
title_full |
Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
title_fullStr |
Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of Linear Disturbances and Fire Severity on Velvet Leaf Blueberry Abundance, Vigor, and Berry Production in Recently Burned Jack Pine Forests |
title_sort |
effects of linear disturbances and fire severity on velvet leaf blueberry abundance, vigor, and berry production in recently burned jack pine forests |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/f8100398 https://doaj.org/article/53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd |
geographic |
Fort McMurray |
geographic_facet |
Fort McMurray |
genre |
Fort McMurray |
genre_facet |
Fort McMurray |
op_source |
Forests, Vol 8, Iss 10, p 398 (2017) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/8/10/398 https://doaj.org/toc/1999-4907 1999-4907 doi:10.3390/f8100398 https://doaj.org/article/53910794e5ad474cb97839ae0ef382bd |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/f8100398 |
container_title |
Forests |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
398 |
_version_ |
1766003549548838912 |