Survivorship and growth of seedlings and saplings in urban forests
Start Date
2-11-2019 5:00 PM
End Date
2-11-2019 6:00 PM
Abstract
Research in 1993, 2003, and 2013 showed high rates of tree mortality and low rates of recruitment (new trees) in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park. To determine if the lack of young trees was an urban phenomenon, we added three control sites in the Mount Hood National Forest in 2013. Last summer, seedlings and saplings were measured at all sites in Forest Park, the Ancient Forest Preserve, and at the control sites. Seedlings are trees less than 2m tall, and saplings are trees greater than 2m tall but having a diameter at breast height (dbh) of less than 10cm. The 2018 data was compared to that collected in 2013. We measured dbh of saplings and the basal area for seedlings, as well as the tree height and the height of the lowest living branch. In 2018, the control sites had significantly more live trees, more coniferous trees, more shade tolerant trees, and more seedlings and saplings. We also found that the seedlings and saplings in 2018 had a greater diameter at the control sites than the urban sites. We found significantly more dead trees in 2018 than 2013 in Forest Park. Some data that was collected has yet to be analyzed.
Subjects
Conservation biology, Plant ecology
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33781
Survivorship and growth of seedlings and saplings in urban forests
Research in 1993, 2003, and 2013 showed high rates of tree mortality and low rates of recruitment (new trees) in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park. To determine if the lack of young trees was an urban phenomenon, we added three control sites in the Mount Hood National Forest in 2013. Last summer, seedlings and saplings were measured at all sites in Forest Park, the Ancient Forest Preserve, and at the control sites. Seedlings are trees less than 2m tall, and saplings are trees greater than 2m tall but having a diameter at breast height (dbh) of less than 10cm. The 2018 data was compared to that collected in 2013. We measured dbh of saplings and the basal area for seedlings, as well as the tree height and the height of the lowest living branch. In 2018, the control sites had significantly more live trees, more coniferous trees, more shade tolerant trees, and more seedlings and saplings. We also found that the seedlings and saplings in 2018 had a greater diameter at the control sites than the urban sites. We found significantly more dead trees in 2018 than 2013 in Forest Park. Some data that was collected has yet to be analyzed.
