The impact of fire and clear cut logging on the vegetation dynamics of black spruce peatlands in the Manitoba Model Forest
| dc.contributor.author | Harrison, Carol A. | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2007-05-18T19:57:47Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2007-05-18T19:57:47Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1999-08-01T00:00:00Z | en_US |
| dc.degree.discipline | Botany | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Science (M.Sc.) | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Tree regeneration and understory vegetation dynamics following disturbance were studied in burned and clear cut peatlands within the Manitoba Model Forest. Six burned and eight logged black spruce peatlands were studied approximately 10 years after disturbance had taken place. In addition, eleven mature black spruce peatlands between 89 to 184 years of age were included for comparative purposes. Black spruce ('Picea mariana' [Mill.] B.S.P.) was the dominant tree species that naturally regenerated in the burned and logged peatlands. A continuous recruitment pattern of black spruce was observed after both disturbances. More black spruce seedlings successfully established in the burned peatlands than in the logged peatlands and as a result, black spruce density had become considerably higher in the burned peatlands. Jack pine ('Pinus banksiana' Lamb.) was the main associate species that naturally regenerated in the burned peatlands, whereas trembling aspen (' Populus tremuloides' Michx.) was the main associatespecies that naturally regenerated in the logged peatlands. Jack pine was not observed in the logged peatlands. The total height of the black spruce seedlings was significantly lower in the burned peatlands. This was attributed to the negative effects of the considerably higher ground water table in the burned peatlands. The ratio of the leader growth for the 1995 growing season also indicated that competition was a factor, for once the seedlings obtained a total height greater than the surrounding understory vegetation, height growth of the black spruce improved in the burned peatlands. The results of the correspondence analysis indicated that the understory differed between the burned and logged peatlands, which was attributed to the lower level of disturbance incurred by the substrate during the winter harvesting. The understory composition of the logged peatlands was more similar to the mature peatlands than was the burned peatlands. | en_US |
| dc.format.extent | 7712746 bytes | |
| dc.format.extent | 184 bytes | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.format.mimetype | text/plain | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1993/1764 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.rights | open access | en_US |
| dc.title | The impact of fire and clear cut logging on the vegetation dynamics of black spruce peatlands in the Manitoba Model Forest | en_US |
| dc.type | master thesis | en_US |