What controls the floristic diversity of a National Park? Species turnover as a common currency for quantifying diversity patterns within the Great Smoky Mountains and among 23 National Parks
Fridley J. 2016. What controls the floristic diversity of a National Park? Species turnover as a common currency for quantifying diversity patterns within the Great Smoky Mountains and among 23 National Parks
"Elevation has a less pronounced influence on species turnover in logged stands than old-growth forests; logging thus appears to have a homogenizing effect on park vegetation, perhaps due to the poor ability of many habitat-specific herbs (such as ant-dispersed cove species) to recolonize logged areas. Soil phosphorus content is one of the most important factors leading to the variation of plant communities, more than soil pH. PI is using temperature, moisture, and radiation data to establish ""ecological zip codes"" that could be used to direct inventory and monitoring work across large areas, by providing simple guidelines for stratifying a survey area, built from widely available geospatial data related to three principal factors that regulate species distributions. He tested the usefulness of such ""ecological zip codes"" by relating simple measures of the environment (e.g., from digital elevation models) to actual distributions of important factors like temperature. He was motivated by survey issues that have emerged from the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. PI also developed a database of over 1,850 research plots (most 0.1 hectare in size) established between 1970 and 2000, as well as the 1,378 forest plots established by Miller in the 1930s. PI surveyed 50 vegetation plots in Noland Creek watershed, including a 12-mile transect along Noland Divide and Noland Creek trails where plots were established every 500 m. We have also established several vegetation plots on a rare and previously un-surveyed igneous diabase soil type in the Hazel Creek watershed."
- Type
- Generic Dataset
- Authors
- Fridley, Jason
- Date of Issue
- 2016-10-11
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, ecological zip codes, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, moisture, old-growth forest, Origin:External, radiation, SER, Southeast Region, StudyID:GRSM-00317, temperature
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities