BC PARF Dec 6, 2011

Ian Giesbrecht12, Ken Lertzman2, Andy MacKinnon3, Sari Saunders3

Learning from protected ecosystems:

vegetation ecology of floodplain forests

1 West Ecological (Giesbrecht.Ian@gmail.com), 2 Simon Fraser University, 3 BC MFLNR

2

Outline

• The need for floodplain forest research

• Old Growth Dynamics monitoring project

• Research methods and results

• Implications for management and monitoring

3

Floodplain forests in the coastal

temperate rainforest

From Naiman et al. 2010

Ecotrust R. Jackrel

Ecosystem Restoration

4

Ecotrust

Research gaps for riparian

vegetation ecology

2 Van Pelt et al. 2006

2

1

1 Pabst and Spies 1999

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Research objectives

1. Describe gap frequency and understory light

regime

2. Examine role of canopy structure in shaping fine

scale understory vegetation structure,

composition, and diversity.

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Old-Growth Dynamics Project

1992-93: P. Alaback and F. Nuszdorfer - Installed 10 X 0.25ha stem-mapped macroplots

- 4 in floodplains

2007-09: S. Saunders, A. MacKinnon et al. - Re-measured/expanded 4 X 1ha, 1 x 0.25ha

- 3 of 4 floodplains

- Carmanah (‘07), Kitlope (‘08), Clayoquot (‘09)

- Tahsish-Kwois soon…?

See poster and website:

www.for.gov.bc.ca/rco/research/eco/oldgrowthforests/oldgrowthdynamics/index.htm

Ecotrust

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High bench floodplain

Sitka spruce – salmonberry plant association

Carmanah and Kitlope Ecotrust

Kitlope

Carmanah

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Sampling

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Each with:

25 subplots

50 photos

2m x 2m

GLA v2

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Canopy

Gap

Closed Canopy

Lertzman and Krebs (1991); Lertzman et al. (1996)

Figure adapted from Lertzman (2007) with permission.

Developmental Origin Edaphic Origin

Expanded Gap

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Results

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High frequency of gaps

13

27%

CG

9%

EG

20%

EG

Bright understories

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Spatially variable understory light

Carmanah Kitlope

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Understory structure varies with light

Carmanah Kitlope

Implications for conifer recruitment

- persistent shrub maintained openings

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Understory structure varies with light

High light

Implications for conifer recruitment

- persistent shrub maintained openings

Low light

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OPLO HOR

RIBE BRA

RUBU SPE

SAMB RAC

ATHY FIL

CIRC ALP

DRYO EXP

GALI TRF

GRASS

LYSI AME

MAIA DILOSMO BER

OSMO PUR

POLY BRA

STEL CRI

STRE AMP

STRE LAN

TIAR TRI

TRAU CAR

% Full Sun

Axis 1 (41%)

Axis

2 (

17%

)

Kitlope

Composition varies with light - composition varies within each stand

- light is correlated with species composition (r^2=0.52 Kit)

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RIBE BRARUBU SPE

VACC PAR

ATHY FIL

BLEC SPI

BOYK ELA

CLAY SIBDISP SMI

DRYO EXP

GALI TRF

MAIA DIL

MITE OVA

POLY MUN

TIAR TRI

TRAU CAR

H horizon

Clay

% Full Sun

Axis 1 (34%)

Axis

2 (

27%

)

Carmanah

- light is correlated with species composition (r^2=0.33 Car)

- at Carmanah, substrate also correlated with composition (r^2=0.45)

Composition varies with light, substrate

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Conceptual Model

Abundant gaps and light (vs. upland)

Vigorous understory vegetation

Persistent patterns of openness

Light is spatially heterogeneous

Fine scale mosaic of understory

composition and structure

Canopy

Gap

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Implications for

Management and

Monitoring

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Can we restore similar (OG) characteristics?

Jessica Hutchinson

Jeremy Koreski

Jeremy Koreski

Overstocked conifer stand (RVT2)

Young alder stand

with few conifers (RVT4)

Some common types of

second growth riparian1

1 Poulin and Simmons 1998

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Overstocked conifer example

Can we restore similar characteristics?

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Can we restore similar characteristics?

Test experimentally – monitor effectiveness of operational trials

Research to describe RoNV of these attributes among many sites

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Implications for Monitoring

1. Implications for sampling design • Tradeoffs of a few large plots vs. many small plots

2. Suggests key attributes and indicators • Gaps, light, understory vegetation

• Amount and variability

3. Value of linking research with monitoring • Snapshot of temporal data spatial research

• Spatial research predictions for monitoring

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Collaborators:

Ken Lertzman, Andy MacKinnon, Sari Saunders

Financial Support:

NSERC – CGS award to Ian Giesbrecht

BC Ministry of Forests, Forest Investment Account – Forest Science Program award to Ian Giesbrecht

BC Forest Service – in-kind contributions

Simon Fraser University – canopy photography equipment and in-kind contributions

West Ecological – in-kind contributions

Advisors and Technicians:

Alton Harestad

Gordon Frazer

Marie-Josee Fortin

Jason Smith

Paul Alaback

Bill Beese

Audrey Pearson

Jessica Hutchinson

Warren Warttig

West Coast Forestry Society

MoFR summer field crews:

Kaeli Stark

Heather (West) Klassen

Sonya Powell

Jane Pendray

Rachel Field

Leah Ballin

Rachel White

Liz Poulson

Molly Hudson

Haisla Resource Centre including:

Emily Pratt

Amanda Woods

Chris Wilson

Acknowledgements

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Questions? References Bartemucci, P., D.K. Coates, K.A. Harper, and E.F. Wright. 2002. Gap disturbances in northern old-growth forests of British Columbia, Canada. J. Veg. Sci. 13: 685-696.

Bartemucci, P., C. Messier, and C. Canham. 2006. Overstory influenced on light attenuation patterns and understory plant community diversity and composition in southern boreal forests of Quebec. Can. J. For. Res. 36: 2065-2079.

Canham, C.D., J.S. Denslow, W.J. Platt, J.R. Runkle, T.A. Spies, and P.S. White. 1990. Light regimes beneath closed canopies and tree-fall gaps in temperate and tropical forests. Can. J. For. Res. 20: 620-631.

Frazer, G.W., C.D. Canham, and K.P. Lertzman. 1999. Gap Light Analyzer (GLA) Version 2.0: Imaging software to extract forest canopy structure and gap light transmission indices from true-colour hemispherical (fisheye) photographs. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York.

Giesbrecht, I.J.W. 2010. Understory light and vegetation in two floodplain forests in coastal British Columbia. MRM research project, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC. Report No. 508. http://research.rem.sfu.ca/theses/GiesbrechtIan_2010_MRM508.pdf

Hanley, T.A. and T. Hoel. 1996. Species composition of old-growth and riparian Sitka spruce – western hemlock forests in southeastern Alaska. Can. J. For. Res. 26: 1703-1708.

Hocking, M.D. and J.D. Reynolds. 2011. Impacts of salmon on riparian plant diversity. Science, 331: 1609-1612.

Lertzman, K.P. and C.J. Krebs. 1991. Gap-phase structure of a subalpine, old-growth forest. Can. J. For. Res. 21: 1730-1741.

Lertzman, K.P., G.D. Sutherland, A. Inselberg, and S.C. Saunders. 1996. Canopy gaps and the landscape mosaic in a coastal temperate rain forest. Ecology, 77: 1254-1270.

Naiman, R.J., J.S. Bechtold, T.J. Beechie, J.J. Latterell, and R. Van Pelt. 2010. A process-based view of floodplain forest patterns in coastal river valleys of the Pacific Northwest. Ecosystems, 13: 1-31.

Nicotra, A.B., R.L. Chazdon, and S.V.B. Iriarte. 1999. Spatial heterogeneity of light and woody seedling regeneration in tropical wet forests. Ecology, 80: 1908-1926.

Ott, R.A. and G.P. Juday. 2002. Canopy gap characteristics and their implications for management in the temperate rainforests of southeast Alaska. For. Ecol. Manage. 159: 271-291.

Pabst, R.J. and T.A. Spies. 1999. Structure and composition of unmanaged riparian forests in the coastal mountains of Oregon, U.S.A. Can. J. For. Res. 29: 1557-1573.

Pearson, A.F. 2010. Natural and logging disturbances in the temperate rain forests of the Central Coast, British Columbia. Can. J. For. Res. 40: 1970-1984.

Poulin, V.A. and B. Simmons. 1998. Riparian assessment: Malksope River: recommended prescriptions for lower 3.0 km of the river. Prepared for International Forest Products, Tofino, BC. 73. p.

Poulin, V.A., C. Harris, and B. Simmons. 2000. Riparian restoration in British Columbia: what’s happening now, what’s needed for the future. Prepared for Watershed Restoration Program, BC Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC. p. 65.

Tappeiner, J.C. II, J.C. Zasada, D.W. Huffman, and L.M. Ganio. 2001. Salmonberry and salal annual aerial stem production: the maintenance of shrub cover in forest stands. Can. J. For. Res. 31: 1629-1638.

Van Pelt, R., T.C. O’Keefe, J.J. Latterell, and R.J. Naiman. 2006. Riparian forest stand development along the Queets River in Olympic National Park, Washington. Ecol. Mono. 76: 227-298.

www.for.gov.bc.ca/rco/research/eco/oldgrowthforests/oldgrowthdynamics/index.htm