1. The Bartlett Baby Boom: An Inventory of Germinants Following a Mast Year Alani Grace Grant New York University 2012

2. MOTIVATION Over the last three decades, sugar maple has declined in the northern hardwood forests At the same time, American beech has increased Hane (2003) has linked sugar maple decline to an increase of understory beech due to BBD

3. HYPOTHESES There will be a greater amount of beech germinants than sugar maple germinants present in older stands Sugar maple decline is related to increased presence of beech saplings Beech Bark Disease positively influences mast seed production

4. Acer saccharum Fagus grandifolia Photographs courtesy of Matt Vadeboncoeur

5. Total Germinant Species Composition

6. Germinant Abundance Correlates with Adult Abundance in Sugar Maple and Beech

7. Stands with Greater BBD have Greater Germinant Abundant

8. Lower Sugar Maple Germinant Abundance in Stands With More Beech Saplings

9. Next Steps Revisit sites and count surviving germinants Compare survival by species Examine effect of fertilizer on germinant survival

10. Ruth Yanai – SUNY-ESF Shinjini Goswami – Miami University Matt Vadeboncoeur – UNH Kikang Bae – SUNY-ESF Shoestring Summer Crew Members

11. Selected References DiGregorio, L; Krasny, M; Fahey, T. (1999). Radial Growth Trends of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) in an Allegheny Northern Hardwood Forest Affected by Beech Bark Disease. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, 245-254. Hane, E. (2002). Indirect effects of beech bark disease on sugar maple seedling survival. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 807-813. Horsley, S; Long, R; Bailey, S; Hallett, R; Wargo, P. (2002). Health of Eastern North American Sugar Maple Forests and Factors Affecting Decline. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 34-44. Juice, S; Fahey, T; Siccama, T; Denny, E; Eagar, C et al. (2006). Response of sugar maple to calcium addition to northern hardwood FOREST. Ecology, 1267-1280. United States Department of Agriculture. (1990). Silvics of North America. Washington,, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture.