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Site Description - FP2B
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| Alias: |
222SCIVCBeaver SiteFSL-LD-FP2B_alder
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| Site status: |
Active
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| Latitude: |
64.7050112 |
| Longitude: |
-148.1532447 |
| Size: |
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Site Information - FP2B
BNZ-LTER site*
* Site information should be complete for BNZ LTER sites.
Information for related sites might be incomplete.
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General Information
| Site synonyms |
222,
SCIVC,
Beaver Site,
FSL-LD-FP2B_alder,
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| General Description |
Tall Balsam Poplar w/ Alder Understory Stand
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| Vegetation Description |
n this 30 year old (in 1985) stand , balsam poplar formed an open canopy with a density of 1200 stems/ha, diameters from 3 to 19 cm, and basal area of 9.6m2/ha. The dominant cover on this site was Alnus tenuifolia, with a cover of over 60 percent. Alder diameters ranged from 1 11 cm, density was 2600 stems/ha and the basal area was 12 m2/ha. Annual litterfall is heavy, 250 g/m2/yr of leaf litter and 100 gr/m2/yr of woody litter.
The herbaceous cover on the site totals 20 percent with Calamagrostis canadensis Equisetum hiemale, E. arvense, and E. variegatum being the most common. Occasional individuals of Pyloa asarifolia and Poa sp. also occur in the stand.
From 1991 to 1993 this stand was subjected to heavy tree felling by a family of beavers that have a near-by bank den. By the summer of 1994 not one balsam poplar tree was left within the entire 50 X 60 m control plot (originally 310 trees). To date, the experimental areas at FP2B have not been subject to this beaver damage. The total loss of the tree canopy has caused major changes within the stand. Much of the alder shrub layer was bent over by the falling poplar trees and that which remained standing has died or is in poor condition.. In contrast the spruce seedlings and the forest floor herbaceous species have shown increased growth and development. By 1995 there were prolific stump and root sprouts from the balsam paoplar and stump sprouts from the alder, indicating that these two components in the stand will likely have a quick recovery. The new poplar sucker shoots averaged about 2 m in height with some reaching to 4 m. White spruce seedlings released by the demise of the tree and shrub canopy averaged ca 1 m in height with some reaching to 1.7m in 1995.
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| History |
The surface has recently formed as the main channel of a river meander which has extended to the southwest and deposited new silt bars on the inner edge. This study site was established in 1987 as an LTER site.
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| Directions |
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The Bonanza Creek LTER, including this website, is supported by the
National Science Foundation through awards
DEB-0620579,
DEB-0423442,
DEB-0080609,
DEB-9810217,
DEB-9211769,
DEB-8702629
and by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station through agreement number RJVA-PNW-01-JV-11261952-231.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the supporting agencies or the program as a whole.
© Bonanza Creek LTER, 2009.
Last modified 23-Nov-09
UAF is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution.
This site is a member of the LTER Network.
Disclaimer
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