Harvard Forest Research

Arthropods in the plantations

Principal Investigator: Aaron Ellison
Harvard Forest: May 01 2007 - Jan 01 2011:

Abstract:
The Harvard Forest plans to harvest about 100 acres of mature plantation forests and conduct intensive long-term studies of the vegetational and environmental changes in the resulting early successional habitat. The plantations of primarily non-native conifers (e.g. red pine, Norway spruce) were established in old fields during the early years of the Harvard Forest as long-term experiments on forest growth, productivity, and suitability of species to New England conditions. The stands are 60 – 90 years in age and are nearing or past maturation, and will be harvested in order to regenerate a diversity of native trees species and to eventually restore mature native forests to these sites through natural succession. The resulting early-successional habitat is a regionally uncommon landscape type throughout southern New England, and treatments should provide 10-15 years of early seral habitat for many plant and animal species. Approximately 45 acres of other plantations will remain unharvested as controls and to protect existing study sites. The harvesting is tentatively planned for Winter 2007-2008.


A primary goal of this summer's work is to obtain an estimate of the species richness and composition of ants and carabid beetles in the plantations prior to their being cut. We will compare ant and beetle richness and composition in plantations to be cut with those in "control" plantations, and in native conifer stands. Our results will be used to determine both the contribution of plantations to biodiversity, the impact of clear-cutting on biodiversity, and the subsequent changes in biodiversity that occur during successional changes from open vegetation to mature forest.

Update 2008
No sampling will be done of ants and carabids in 2008. Next sample date in either 2009 or 2010.

Update 2009No sampling planned for 2009.
: