Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges
Accepted Version Question: To what extent do forest edges created by an insect outbreak influence patterns of moose browsing severity, understorey structure and species composition? Location: Balsam fir‐dominated boreal forest in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, CA. Methods: We samp...
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ftstmarysunivca:oai:library2:01/29499 2023-05-15T15:46:41+02:00 Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges Franklin, Caroline M. A. Harper, Karen A., 1969- 2016-01-27 application/pdf http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/29499 en eng Wiley https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385 1100-9233 http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/29499 This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Franklin CMA and Harper KA (2016) Moose browsing, understorey structure, and plant species composition across spruce budworm-induced forest edges. Journal of Vegetation Science 27(3): 524-534 which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions Forests and forestry -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Plant diversity -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Moose -- Behavior -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Spruce budworm -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Text 2016 ftstmarysunivca https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385 2022-05-13T05:47:32Z Accepted Version Question: To what extent do forest edges created by an insect outbreak influence patterns of moose browsing severity, understorey structure and species composition? Location: Balsam fir‐dominated boreal forest in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, CA. Methods: We sampled understorey vegetation (moose browsing damage, sapling density, plant composition, diversity) in contiguous 1‐m 2 quadrats along six 120‐m transects across the forested edges of insect outbreak areas. Patterns of each response variable across the disturbed area–forest gradient were determined using generalized additive mixed models. Randomization tests and wavelet analyses were used to estimate the extent of edge/forest influence and location of abrupt change along the edge‐to‐interior gradient, respectively. Results: Most saplings in the disturbed area were severely browsed and shorter than those in adjacent intact forest. Although moose preferred to browse on tall saplings, shorter saplings were severely browsed in the disturbed area. Compared to the forest, the disturbed area was characterized by more shade‐intolerant species, increased graminoid cover and reduced bryophyte cover. Distance of edge influence did not extend into the forest for almost all response variables. Abrupt changes in understorey vegetation occurred at various distances on both sides of the edge. Conclusions: Severe moose browsing in the disturbed area is preventing forest regeneration, resulting in the persistence of forest edges that would typically disappear after the collapse of an insect outbreak. Different assessments of the forest edge revealed different results; locations of abrupt change in under-storey vegetation occurred even where plant communities were not significantly different than reference forest and disturbed areas. This study reveals that the combined effects of a small insect defoliator and a large ungulate can substantially affect landscape dynamics. Text Breton Island Saint Mary's University, Halifax: Institutional Repository Breton Island ENVELOPE(141.383,141.383,-66.800,-66.800) Journal of Vegetation Science 27 3 524 534 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Saint Mary's University, Halifax: Institutional Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftstmarysunivca |
language |
English |
topic |
Forests and forestry -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Plant diversity -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Moose -- Behavior -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Spruce budworm -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island |
spellingShingle |
Forests and forestry -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Plant diversity -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Moose -- Behavior -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Spruce budworm -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Franklin, Caroline M. A. Harper, Karen A., 1969- Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
topic_facet |
Forests and forestry -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Plant diversity -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Moose -- Behavior -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island Spruce budworm -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island |
description |
Accepted Version Question: To what extent do forest edges created by an insect outbreak influence patterns of moose browsing severity, understorey structure and species composition? Location: Balsam fir‐dominated boreal forest in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, CA. Methods: We sampled understorey vegetation (moose browsing damage, sapling density, plant composition, diversity) in contiguous 1‐m 2 quadrats along six 120‐m transects across the forested edges of insect outbreak areas. Patterns of each response variable across the disturbed area–forest gradient were determined using generalized additive mixed models. Randomization tests and wavelet analyses were used to estimate the extent of edge/forest influence and location of abrupt change along the edge‐to‐interior gradient, respectively. Results: Most saplings in the disturbed area were severely browsed and shorter than those in adjacent intact forest. Although moose preferred to browse on tall saplings, shorter saplings were severely browsed in the disturbed area. Compared to the forest, the disturbed area was characterized by more shade‐intolerant species, increased graminoid cover and reduced bryophyte cover. Distance of edge influence did not extend into the forest for almost all response variables. Abrupt changes in understorey vegetation occurred at various distances on both sides of the edge. Conclusions: Severe moose browsing in the disturbed area is preventing forest regeneration, resulting in the persistence of forest edges that would typically disappear after the collapse of an insect outbreak. Different assessments of the forest edge revealed different results; locations of abrupt change in under-storey vegetation occurred even where plant communities were not significantly different than reference forest and disturbed areas. This study reveals that the combined effects of a small insect defoliator and a large ungulate can substantially affect landscape dynamics. |
format |
Text |
author |
Franklin, Caroline M. A. Harper, Karen A., 1969- |
author_facet |
Franklin, Caroline M. A. Harper, Karen A., 1969- |
author_sort |
Franklin, Caroline M. A. |
title |
Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
title_short |
Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
title_full |
Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
title_fullStr |
Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
title_full_unstemmed |
Moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
title_sort |
moose browsing, understorey structure and plant species composition across spruce budworm‐induced forest edges |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/29499 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(141.383,141.383,-66.800,-66.800) |
geographic |
Breton Island |
geographic_facet |
Breton Island |
genre |
Breton Island |
genre_facet |
Breton Island |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385 1100-9233 http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/29499 |
op_rights |
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Franklin CMA and Harper KA (2016) Moose browsing, understorey structure, and plant species composition across spruce budworm-induced forest edges. Journal of Vegetation Science 27(3): 524-534 which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12385 |
container_title |
Journal of Vegetation Science |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
524 |
op_container_end_page |
534 |
_version_ |
1766381386516660224 |