Assignment #3: Buckthorn across the Drumlin
Abstract:
This study was conducted to show the European buckthorn density, age and maturity, and the effects on aesthetics in the drumlin at Trent University in Peterborough Ontario during the fall of 2013. There are three main sections of forest in the drumlin, which are the Forest Fringe, the Red Pine and the Sugar Maple. The buckthorn is an invasive species that has been found in the Northern Hemisphere for many years. It is very distinct in appearance, one feature being its thorns on the ends of its branches. The results proved that buckthorn are the densest in the Forest Fringe which had 86 plants per hectare, followed by the Red Pine with 57 plants per hectare, then the Sugar Maple with 46 plants per hectare. Although the Forest Fringe was the densest, the Red Pine had on average the most mature buckthorn with stem diameters of 4 centimeters. The Forest Fringe is predicted to be the most desirable habitat for the buckthorn because of the decaying leaves on the surface of the forest. This provides the buckthorn with an increase in nitrogen rich soil, which they thrive in. The Sugar Maple forest was the least inhabited by the buckthorn due to the fact that the soil was unsuitable for the plant, lacking higher concentrations in carbon. Finally the buckthorn has the ability to support other invasive species such as the soybean aphid. In conclusion these factors have the capacity to change the environment at the drumlin, proving this to be an important issue to keep under control.
Introduction: European Buckthorn is an invasive species that was introduced to North America in the 1880’s (Fagan & Peart 2004). It can grow up to a height of eight meters, has dark green leaves with thorns on the tips of the branches, and females have distinct berries that appear late in the summer. These berries are the primary method of reproduction. Specifically, this field study is looking at the Buckthorn’s effect on the drumlin at Trent University in Peterborough,
This study was conducted to show the European buckthorn density, age and maturity, and the effects on aesthetics in the drumlin at Trent University in Peterborough Ontario during the fall of 2013. There are three main sections of forest in the drumlin, which are the Forest Fringe, the Red Pine and the Sugar Maple. The buckthorn is an invasive species that has been found in the Northern Hemisphere for many years. It is very distinct in appearance, one feature being its thorns on the ends of its branches. The results proved that buckthorn are the densest in the Forest Fringe which had 86 plants per hectare, followed by the Red Pine with 57 plants per hectare, then the Sugar Maple with 46 plants per hectare. Although the Forest Fringe was the densest, the Red Pine had on average the most mature buckthorn with stem diameters of 4 centimeters. The Forest Fringe is predicted to be the most desirable habitat for the buckthorn because of the decaying leaves on the surface of the forest. This provides the buckthorn with an increase in nitrogen rich soil, which they thrive in. The Sugar Maple forest was the least inhabited by the buckthorn due to the fact that the soil was unsuitable for the plant, lacking higher concentrations in carbon. Finally the buckthorn has the ability to support other invasive species such as the soybean aphid. In conclusion these factors have the capacity to change the environment at the drumlin, proving this to be an important issue to keep under control.
Introduction: European Buckthorn is an invasive species that was introduced to North America in the 1880’s (Fagan & Peart 2004). It can grow up to a height of eight meters, has dark green leaves with thorns on the tips of the branches, and females have distinct berries that appear late in the summer. These berries are the primary method of reproduction. Specifically, this field study is looking at the Buckthorn’s effect on the drumlin at Trent University in Peterborough,
References: Fagan, M. "Impact Of The Invasive Shrub Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula L.) On Juvenile Recruitment By Canopy Trees." Forest Ecology and Management 194.1-3 (2004): 95-107 Frappier, B. "Small-scale Invasion Pattern, Spread Rate, And Lag-phase Behavior Of Rhamnus Frangula L.." Forest Ecology and Management 186.1-3 (2003): 1-6 Haynes, Brent, and Stith Gower. "Belowground carbon allocation in unfertilized and fertilized red pine plantations in northern Wisconsin." Biological Sciences From Oxford 15.5 (1994): n Heimpel, George, Lee Frelich, Douglas Landis, and Keith Hopper. "European buckthorn and Asian soybean aphid as components of an extensive invasional meltdown in North America." Biol Invasions 12.9 (2010): n Mascaro, Joseph, and Stefan A. Schnitzer. "Rhamnus Cathartica L. (Common Buckthorn) As An Ecosystem Dominant In Southern Wisconsin Forests." Northeastern Naturalist 14.3 (2007): 387-402