Environment and History in a Rich Mesic Forest in Western Massachusetts

• Investigators: Jesse Bellemare, David Foster, Glenn Motzkin
• Contact: Glenn Motzkin
• Start date: 1999-01-01
• End date: 2001-12-31
• Location: Western Massachusetts
• Latitude:
• Longitude:
• Elevation:
• Taxa:
• Keywords: forest herbs, hardwood forests, land-use history
• Release date: 2006
• EML version: knb-lter-hfr.89.2
• Revisions:
• Abstract:

  In rich mesic forests, modern vegetation varies among primary versus post-agricultural, secondary forests, in part as a result of differential rate and ability of forest herbs to colonize after disturbance. Species with seeds lacking morphological adaptations for dispersal (barochores) and those which produce seeds with elaisomes to encourage ant dispersal (myrmecochores) may remain less frequent in secondary forests for decades or more.

• Methods:

  Vegetation, environmental conditions, and land-use history were determined for 10 m x 10 m plots in forest stands with varying histories of human disturbance. Data were ordinated to identify patterns of variation in vegetation and to relate these to environmental and historical factors. G-tests of independence and logistic regression were used to relate patterns of distribution of individual taxa to environmental and historical factors. Associations between species colonization ability and life history characteristics were assessed.

• Use:

  This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement. For more information on LTER Network data access and use policies, please see: http://www.lternet.edu/data/netpolicy.html.

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