Long-Term Legacy of Juniper Encroachment: Increased Infiltration and Reduced Compaction a Decade After Mortality

IF 2.4 3区 环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY
Austin R. Kelly , Pedro A.M. Leite , John W. Walker , Bradford P. Wilcox
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Abstract

Woody plant encroachment has altered many rangelands across North America, not only causing substantial changes in ecological and biophysical processes but often converting vast areas of grasslands and savannas into closed-canopy woodlands. While much research has documented impacts that living trees have on their surroundings (such as increases in soil infiltration and organic matter), very little is known about the legacy left by trees after their death or removal. In this study, we examined the legacy of juniper trees, one of the most widespread encroaching woody genera across North America, in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas that were determined to have died during a drought in 2011. Data were collected under canopies of both dead and living junipers, as well as in herbaceous intercanopy, where no trees are known to have grown. The parameters measured were soil infiltrability and compaction. We found that infiltrability of soils under canopies of both live (776 mm h-1) and dead (501 mm h-1) trees were significantly higher than in intercanopy areas (132 mm h-1). Soil compaction was significantly lower under dead trees than in the intercanopy spaces, though compaction under live trees was not significantly distinct. These results suggest that even 10 years after tree death, the positive influences on soil physical properties persist or increase. Further, our findings suggest that the process of juniper encroachment and subsequent dieback (due to either natural causes or management practices) may be an effective method for improving long-term soil development.
桧树入侵的长期遗产:死亡后十年增加渗透和减少压实
木本植物的入侵改变了北美的许多牧场,不仅引起了生态和生物物理过程的实质性变化,而且经常将大片草原和稀树草原转变为封闭的林冠林地。虽然许多研究已经记录了活的树木对周围环境的影响(例如土壤渗透和有机物质的增加),但对树木死亡或移除后留下的遗产知之甚少。在这项研究中,我们研究了德克萨斯州爱德华兹高原地区2011年干旱期间死亡的杜松树的遗产,这是北美最普遍的木本属之一。数据是在死桧和活桧的树冠下收集的,以及在没有树木生长的草本树冠间收集的。测量的参数为土壤渗透性和压实性。研究发现,活树(776 mm h-1)和死树(501 mm h-1)树冠下土壤的渗透性均显著高于树冠间(132 mm h-1)。枯树下土壤压实度显著低于林间空间,而活树下土壤压实度差异不显著。这些结果表明,即使树木死亡10年后,对土壤物理性质的积极影响仍然存在或增加。此外,我们的研究结果表明,杜松入侵和随后的枯死(由于自然原因或管理措施)可能是改善土壤长期发展的有效方法。
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来源期刊
Rangeland Ecology & Management
Rangeland Ecology & Management 农林科学-环境科学
CiteScore
4.60
自引率
13.00%
发文量
87
审稿时长
12-24 weeks
期刊介绍: Rangeland Ecology & Management publishes all topics-including ecology, management, socioeconomic and policy-pertaining to global rangelands. The journal''s mission is to inform academics, ecosystem managers and policy makers of science-based information to promote sound rangeland stewardship. Author submissions are published in five manuscript categories: original research papers, high-profile forum topics, concept syntheses, as well as research and technical notes. Rangelands represent approximately 50% of the Earth''s land area and provision multiple ecosystem services for large human populations. This expansive and diverse land area functions as coupled human-ecological systems. Knowledge of both social and biophysical system components and their interactions represent the foundation for informed rangeland stewardship. Rangeland Ecology & Management uniquely integrates information from multiple system components to address current and pending challenges confronting global rangelands.
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