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The composition and structure of beech gaps in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 15
years after beech bark disease infestationJulia Roberts and Dr. David Vandermast
Elon University
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IntroductionAmerican beech
(Fagus grandifolia) Beech gaps
Beech bark disease (BBD)Insect-fungal complex
(Cryptococcus fagisuga, and Nectria coccinea)
Photo by: David Vandermast
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Introduction (cont’d)Fungal infection after
insect infestationThree phases:
Invasions and buildupsSmall beech trees in
aftermath forestsDemographics change to
adjustBoston in 1929; GRSM in
1993Permanent plots sampled
during summers 2000 and 2008 Photo by: David Vandermast
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Purpose of studyTo understand how beech bark disease is
altering the community composition and structure of tree-sized stems in high-elevation beech gaps in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Hypotheses1) Since 2000, BBD will continue to cause the
loss of tree-sized (dbh ≥ 10 cm) beech stems as measured by density and basal area (BA)
2) Beech gaps with the highest mortality in 2000 would show evidence of recovery (the development of aftermath forests)
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Methods11 permanent
plots in high-elevation forests in GSMNP
Identified individual trees using tree “maps” created in 1985
Photo by: David Vandermast
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Locations of permanent plots in high-elevation beech forests
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Methods (cont’d)Visited 11 permanent plots (total area = 1.39
ha) in high-elevation beech forestsRecorded DBH and identity of all living tree
(DBH ≥ 10cm) species during summer 2008Compared results to community composition
recorded in summer 2000Paired Wilcoxon ranked sign tests in Sigma
stat 3.1
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ResultsAcross all 11 plots, BA declined by 10% and
stem numbers declined by 14% (though neither change was statistically significant)
Roughly half of all plots gained BA and stems Losses in BA and stems sustained by
declining plots were statistically significant as were the gains realized by the plots with increases
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Plots that gained stems and BAFive plots that gained stems also gained
basal areaOne plot gained one stem but lost basal area
The average gain in stems was 12.4% (p = 0.004)
The average gain in basal area was 16.3% (p = 0.03)
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Plots that lost stems and BAFive plots that lost stems also declined in
basal areaAs mentioned above, one plot lost BA but
gained one stem
Average loss of stems was 24.6% (p = 0.004)
Average loss of basal area was 43.5% (p = 0.04)
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2000 2008
Species RD RBA RD RBA
Fraser fir 0.6 0.2 0.4 0.2
Striped maple 0.2 0.1
Sugar maple 1.7 2.3 5.1 6.2
Buckeye 7.1 12.2 5.8 11.3
Serviceberry 0.4 0.8 2.4 1.8
Yellow birch 3.1 4.5 3.9 6.9
American beech 79.5 67.1 74.0 60.2
Silverbell 0.1 0.1
Red spruce 6.8 9.1 7.3 9.8
Black cherry 0.4 1.7 0.4 1.5
No. red oak 0.3 1.5 0.2 1.2
Hemlock 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.7
Relative densities and basal areas of tree-sized (dbh ≥ 10 cm) stems in 11 high-elevation beech plots 2000-2008
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DS2 DS1 IG1 IG2 IG3 BG1 BG2 BG3 BM1 BM2 PHG0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Total stem density (stems/ha) in 11 high-elevation beech plots in
2000 and 2008
20002008
Plots
Ste
m d
en
sity
(st
em
/ha)
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DS2 DS1 IG1 IG2 IG3 BG1 BG2 BG3 BM1 BM2 PHG0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Total Basal Area (m2/ha) in 11 high-elevation beech plots in 2000
and 2008
20002008
West Plots East
Basa
l A
rea (
m2/h
a)
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DiscussionThere continued to be overall declines in BA
and stem #s from 2000-08However, some beech gaps show signs of
recovering from BBDBeech forests in GRSM are a mosaic of dying
and recovering patchesPlots with increasing stem numbers
demonstrated the structural and compositional characteristics expected of aftermath forests
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AcknowledgmentsElon University Honors ProgramGreat Smoky Mountains National Park for
license and campingSarah Galliher, Alexandra Kay – field
assistance and moral support!
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Questions?