Chancellor, W. Walker and Huffman, David W. and Moore, Margaret M. (2008) Characteristics of buckbrush shrubs exposed to herbivores after seven years of protection. Technical Report. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.
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Abstract
In dense ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) forests of northern Arizona, forage limitations may lead to severe herbivory by large ungulates on certain plant species. In 1999, we fenced 76 buckbrush (Ceanothus fendleri Gray) shrubs to protect them from herbivores and study growth and reproduction in response to forest restoration treatments implemented on the Fort Valley Experimental Forest. After seven years, we removed fences from around half the plants and examined herbivore impacts on vegetative characteristics. In spring, and again in fall, we measured stem heights and took photographs of exposed shrubs and protected controls. In fall, we also collected stems to analyze size, biomass, and leaf area. Plants exposed to herbivores had significantly less leaf area and total leaf weight than protected control plants. Stem length, diameter, and weight were statistically similar between exposed and control groups. Results from this study suggest that temporary protection from herbivores during the early stages of forest restoration may enhance rates of development and persistence of native plants such as buckbrush.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Technical Report) |
|---|---|
| ID number or DOI: | RMRS-P-53CD:171-175 |
| Keywords: | ERI Library, report, long-term research, ponderosa pine, range research, silviculture, cultural resources, Fort Valley Experimental Forest, Long Valley Experimental Forest, http://www.rmrs.nau.edu/fortvalley/, Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Buckbrush (Ceanothus fendleri), Vegetation studies, Fort Valley Experiment Station |
| Subjects: | S Agriculture > SD Forestry |
| NAU Depositing Author Academic Status: | Faculty/Staff |
| Department/Unit: | Research Centers > Ecological Restoration Institute |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Jul 2016 18:12 |
| URI: | http://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/2568 |
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