FOREST ECOLOGY

DELAWARE HAS 355,00 ACRES OF FORESTED LAND! Approx. 5,000 acres of timber are harvested annually. Delaware’s forest products industries provide an excess of 3,700 jobs and and generate an estimated annual wage of $98,000,000. # 34 Who Works in this Forest?

Delaware’s three state forests- total over 15,000 acres. provide Delawareans the opportunity for hiking, hunting, fishing, bicycling, and horseback riding. are sustainably managed for wildlife habitat, wood products, watershed protection, education, and recreation. # 32 A Forest of Many Uses

WE ALL NEED TREES OXYGEN CLEAN WATER PRODUCTS FOOD HABITAT ASTETIC SURROUNDINGS RECREATION A BETTER WELL BEING COOLER ENVIRONMENT # 13 We All Need Trees & # 15 A Few of My Favorite Things

A forest is a community of trees, shrubs, herbs, and associated plants and organisms that cover a considerable area that use oxygen, water and soil nutrients as the community attains maturity and reproduces itself.

Forest Ecology is the study of the complex interactions between the LIVING and NONLIVING elements of a forest ecosystem. # 48 Field, Forest and Streams

Living (biotic) Components of the Forest Ecosystem Producers (all green plants, trees, shrubs along with some bacteria, also known as an autotrophs) Consumers (organisms that eat plants and animals also known as herbivores and carnivores) Decomposers (bacteria, fungi, insects, or other organisms that break down organic material)

Nonliving (abiotic) Components of the Forest Ecosystem Soil Water Climate Sunlight Slope of land

There are over 346 species of wildlife living in Delaware of which 273 are forest dependent. # 9 Plant Diversity & #22 Trees as Habitats

Healthy forests provide quality habitat for wildlife spotted salamanderspotted turtle screech owl flying squirrel box turtle

Delmarva Bays Blackbird State Forest contains the highest concentration of Delmarva Bays in Delaware.–These freshwater wetlands are natural depressions that are home to many species of animals and plants. Many theories exist to the origin of these depressions, including “whale wallows” formed when Delaware was under the sea. Current theories now include prehistoric meteor showers, retreating glaciers, and wind patterns.

The transfer of energy from sun to producer to primary consumer to secondary consumer to tertiary consumer can be shown in a FOOD CHAIN.

Energy pyramids show That the amount of available energy decreases down the food chain It takes a large number of producers to support a small number of primary consumers It takes a large number of primary consumers to support a small number of secondary consumers

Food Webs

FOREST ECOSYSTEMS ARE COMPRISED OF ORGANIMS THAT ARE MAINLY SPECIALISTS.

Animals and insects have a huge role in the forest. 1.decomposers breakdown organic matter 2.daily activity helps fertilize and aerate the soil 3.pollinators and seed dispersers 4.predators control harmful insects and mammals # 23 The Fallen Log, # 24 Nature’s Recyclers & #26 Dynamic Duos

Animals and insects can also become a nuisance or serious threat to a natural setting. Excessive deer browsing on a forest’s seed crop squirrels and white footed mice girdle the trunks of young trees. insects may reach a population that require large aces of tree to be removed

All trees compete for the same basic requirement of life – light, water, essential elements, oxygen, and other necessities. The limiting factor in a forest ecosystem is SUNLIGHT. #27 Every Tree for Itself & #41 How Plants Grow

Symbiosis literally means the living together of two dissimilar organisms, where one or the other, or both are affected. Usually involves supply of food protection cleaning transportation or all of the above

Mutualism is any relationship between two species of organisms that benefits both species.

Commensalism is a relationship between two species where one species derives a benefit from the relationship and the second species is unaffected by it.

Parasitism is a relationship between two species where one species benefits and the other is injured. Plants are parasitized by viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and a few other plants.

THE ONLY THING CONSTANT ABOUT FOREST ECOSYSTEMS— THEY NEVER STOP CHANGING! Natural changes: fire, storms, drought, flood, death and disease Man-made changes: harvesting, farming, trails, development, and recreation # 30 Three Cheers for Trees & # 81Living with Fire

Allelopathy involves a plant's secretion of biochemical materials into the environment to inhibit germination or growth of surrounding vegetation. Allelopathy enhances tree survival and reproduction.

SUCESSION SUCESSION Changes or disturbances spark the process called succession, the gradual change in plants and animal communities over time. – Primary succession occurs in an area that has no true soil. Pioneer species are the first plants to grow at these barren sites. – Secondary succession occurs on landscapes where the natural vegetation has been removed or destroyed but the soil remains intact. # 80 Nothing Succeeds like Succession

Activity #80

What’s your tolerance? Tree species that first colonize an area are usually shade-intolerant species and must have full sunlight to do well. (pines, black locust, black cherry, yellow-poplar, sweetgum, blackgum, sassafrass, and sumac) Once they have developed some sun coverage the shade-tolerant species will begin to grow and eventually take over the canopy. ( oaks, hickories, and American beech)

Tolerant Species These trees normally are not the first to colonize open areas. Instead, they grow up into an existing canopy. Usually, these trees are found in the “climax community.” These trees tend to: - live a long time - grow slowly - have heavier seeds Beech nut

Intolerant Species Intolerant species are generally the “first in” after an event such as a clear-cut or a major fire that substantially opens the canopy. These trees are often called pioneer species. These trees tend to:  - be fast growing  - be short-lived  - have light seeds Sweetgum leaf

How does succession first begin in a disturbed area? bird droppings animals carry seeds in fur wind blown seeds existing seed bank in soil gets the needed sunlight floods or high rains will leave behind seeds # 43 Have Seeds Will Travel

Succession is healthy for a forest : since healthy forests are better able to withstand and recover from stress the outside environment imposes. by increasing the forest’s biodiversity allowing other species to grow.

Biodiversity is the variety and complexity of species that are present and that interact in an ecosystem, plus the relative abundance of each. One of the biggest threats to biodiversity… One of Earth’s most valuable resources: # 9 Planet Diversity

Invasive Species Insects Diseases Plants

Invasive species are organisms that are not native to the area and have the ability to greatly reduce the species richness (biodiversity) of an area. A recent estimate has put the economic cost of invasive plants in natural areas, agriculture, and gardens at $35 billion per year. #12 Invasive Species

Invasives often demonstrate: * rapid growth * prolific seed production * high seed germination rates * easy asexual propagation * resistance to many types of control

Synonyms Non-indigenous noxious weeds alien Non-native introduced exotic

Invasives are opportunistic organisms that often use disturbances as their gateway into a new area, from there they can create monocultures and seriously alter their surroundings.

Japanese Stilt Grass Microstegium vimineum

Many plants were that are now considered invasives where introduced to this area intentionally for their medicinal, ornamental, and food value. Sometimes they “hitched a ride” in the soil, crop seeds or the ballasts of ships. Many do not have the natural controls that kept its population in check and grow out of control, displacing many of our native species.

SUDDEN OAK DEATH (SOD) FUNGUS THAT ATTACKS MEMBER OF THE RED OAK GROUP NEEDS MEMBERS OF THE BLUEBERRY FAMILY TO REPRODUCE CAN KILL LARGE TREES IN AS LITTLE AS THREE YEARS

Major Forest Types There are six major forest types in the contiguous United States – The Northern Forest – The Central Forest – The Southern Forest – The Bottomland Forest – The West Coast Forest – The Western Interior Forest

Delaware is a unique state! Delaware is a unique state because the upper portion of the state lays in the Central Forest type and lower Delaware is made up of the Southern Forest type.

Magnolia grandifolia Southern Magnolia

What is Silviculture? Silviculture is the application of the principles of forest ecology to a stand of trees to help meet specified objectives. Objectives can include income, wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation, or any other values a forest is capable of providing.

How do we DO silviculture? 1. Determine your goals for your forest. 2. Evaluate existing conditions in the forest. 3. Decide what treatments, if any, can help you reach your goals. 4. Implement treatments at the right time.

Even-aged vs. Uneven-aged Management Your management goals and the shade tolerances of the species involved will determine whether to manage on an even-aged or uneven-aged basis. A Rule of Thumb:  For intolerant species, even-aged management is best.  Use uneven-aged management for tolerant species.