Spatial patterning of pines and oaks in the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Gill DE. 1975. Spatial patterning of pines and oaks in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Journal of Ecology. 63(1):291-298
Reports a study in 1972, of spatial patterning in the dwarf forest of the Plains and in a tall forest in the Wharton Tract of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. In the Plains, Pinus rigida and Quercus marilandica were exclusively dominant, forming a dense shrubby forest that was established after a fire in 1963; in the Wharton Tract, as well as these two species, P. echinata and Q. prinus were also common, and the forest was at least 60 years old. Data are analysed statistically and a new index of spatial patterning derived by S. Smith-Gill (1975) [Journal of Morphology] is introduced to the ecological literature. The results indicate that differences between the forest types are predominantly attributable to the age of the stands and to the effects of forest fires. Uniform spacing among P. rigida in the Plains and Q. prinus in the Wharton Tract may be due to concentrated seed predation; there was no evidence of either exploitative competition or allelopathy among trees. A positive association between clumps of P. echinata and P. rigida could reflect specific preferences of the two species for particular soil patches
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Gill, Douglas
- Units
- PINE
- Keywords
- Oak Trees (Quercus), Pine Trees (Pinus), Plant Studies, Research Article, spatial patterning