Composition and soil–environment analysis of prairies on Walpole Island, southwestern Ontario

Faber-Langendoen, Don; Maycock, Paul F.

doi:10.1139/b87-328

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(17 reference statements)

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“…A comparable pattern of fire effects can be seen in grasslands. In southwestern Ontario, the depth of the A horizon and the SOM content can be related to fire susceptibility and soil moisture status (Faber-Langendoen and Maycock 1987). At one extreme, wet loam soils, with the least fire-susceptible vegetation cover, had the deepest horizons and organic matter concentrations > 12%.…”

Section: Effects Of Firementioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Climate Change on Decomposition Processes in Grassland and Coniferous Forests

Anderson¹

1991

Ecological Applications

309

165

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Current models of climate change predict a reduction of area covered by northern coniferous forests and tundra, and an increase in grasslands. These scenarios also indicate a northerly shift in agricultural regions, bringing virgin soils under cultivation. The direct effects of man on tundra, boreal forest, and temperate grassland ecosystems are likely to result in less carbon mobilization from soils and vegetation than from tropical forests. However, as a consequence of climate change, carbon mineralization rates from arctic and sub-arctic soils could be very rapid under warmer and drier conditions because of low stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) and enhanced microbial responses to small changes in soil moisture and temperature. Predicting the response of these systems to climate change is complicated where the edaphic environment regulating SOM dynamics is not a direct function of macroclimatic conditions. Grasslands contain a greater proportion of highly stabilized SOM than coniferous forests, distributed over greater depth in the soil profile, which is less susceptible to changes in mineralization rates. It is concluded that short-term responses of soil processes to climate change are more predictable in well-drained grassland and forest soils than in waterlogged soils of the tundra and boreal region. Over longer periods of time, however, plant species and soil types will alter in response to new temperature and moisture regimes above- and belowground interacting with the effects of carbon enrichment and changes in nutrient availability. The dynamics of these plant-soil interactions and the future status of soils in different life zones as sources or sinks of carbon is poorly understood. More data are also needed on the distribution of waterlogged forest soils in the boreal zone and responses to warming, which include the production of methane as well as CO . The primary recommendation for future research is for integrated studies on plant and soil processes.

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Section: Effects Of Firementioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Climate Change on Decomposition Processes in Grassland and Coniferous Forests

Anderson¹

1991

Ecological Applications

309

165

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“…the present work is to provide a more complete basis Early survey records, diaries and historical stud-for future research concerning these dry openings ies, some cited by Alison (1976), Bakowsky (1988), and to provide the basic information necessary for a Lumsden (1966) and Szeicz and MacDonald (1991), system of protected representative sites. indicate widespread prairie and savanna over sandy soils in southwestern Ontario (Figure 1), and some Methods of the prairies and savannas of this region are now The study area, at the northeastern limit of extendocumented (Bakowsky 1988; Langendoen and _ Sive prairie and savanna vegetation in the Great Lakes Maycock 1983; Faber-Langendoen 1984; Faber-region (Figure 1) extended along the Trent River from Langendoen and Maycock 1987;Pratt 1979). Rice Lake to the Bay of Quinte (Figure 2).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Floristic composition, phytogeography, and relationships of prairies, savannas, and sand barrens along the Trent River, eastern Ontario

Catling,

Catling

1993

The Canadian Field-Naturalist

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Fifteen remnants of natural vegetation of dry openings were grouped using Jaccard's coefficient and the unweighted pair group method and by principal coordinate analysis, revealing three major groups designated as limestone savanna, prairie, and sand barren. Analysis of presence, frequency and cover data from quadrats in 11 major associations gave the same result. Sites within the three major classes differed substantially in species presence, frequency and cover, and were not individually representative of the class. Each of the three vegetation classes had some unique species. The savannas, developing on fine textured soils shallowly overlying limestone bedrock, were dominated by shrubs including Cornus racemosa, Symphoricarpos alba and Rhus aromatica. The prairies were dominated by the prairie grasses Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium and Sorghastrum nutans and the shrubs Prunus virginiana, Ceanothus herbaceus and Rhus aromatica. Sand barrens occurred on soils with less organic matter than prairies and were dominated by Carex siccata, Carex tonsa, Ceanothus americanus and Pteridium aquilinum. Species present in all three major vegetation types included Anemone cylindrica, Carex siccata, Carex pensylvanica, Poa compressa and Poa pratensis. Approximately 40% of the prevalent species in Wisconsin prairie and savanna were present in equivalent vegetation types of the Trent valley, and numerous species present in the Trent sites were primarily western, some at their absolute eastern limit. There was also a well-defined southern floristic element. The sand barrens have less floristic affinity with the west. The western elements may have reached the area in early post-glacial times through migration eastward along a periglacial sidewalk or along the shores of post-glacial lakes or they may have moved eastward in a series of short dispersal steps between natural openings during the warmer and drier hypsithermal interval when open habitats were probably more widespread, or they may have been carried over great distances to the Trent valley by Indians. The limestone savanna was probably maintained by drought whereas a combination of drought and frequent fire were probably important in maintaining the prairies and sand barrens. Eight nationally and provincially rare species and numerous regionally rare species occur on the prairie sites, which are the easternmost in Canada. The limestone savannas and sand barrens are also rich in rare species, but to a lesser extent.

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Soil homogenization and microedges: perspectives on soil‐based drivers of plant diversity and ecosystem processes

Stover

Henry

2018

Ecosphere

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Citation: Stover, H. J., and H. A. L. Henry. 2018. Soil homogenization and microedges: perspectives on soil-based drivers of plant diversity and ecosystem processes. Ecosphere 9(6):e02289. 10.1002/ecs2.2289Abstract. Disturbance caused by agriculture and resource extraction has resulted in widespread homogenization of soils at the local (within-site) scale. Here, we describe how experimental manipulation of heterogeneity at the local scale has had inconsistent effects on plant species diversity. Moreover, we discuss how soil homogenization per se typically has not been accounted for in the study of heterogeneity-diversity relationships, and how disturbance, often viewed as an artifact in soil heterogeneity experiments, can be a key driver of soil homogenization. We propose a conceptual model for describing the relationship between plant size, patch size, and diversity, and we discuss how factors such as disturbance, productivity, and competition among species either should be controlled or accounted for in soil heterogeneity-plant diversity experiments. Finally, we consider the concept of soil patch microedges, which may provide unique microsites for increased plant diversity, and how these biogeochemical and hydrological interfaces could potentially drive ecosystem processes in a manner unique from the adjacent patches. Overall, this synthesis integrates perspectives on the functional links between plant-driven processes, and soil patterns and processes.

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Composition and soil–environment analysis of prairies on Walpole Island, southwestern Ontario

Cited by 6 publications

References 16 publications

The Effects of Climate Change on Decomposition Processes in Grassland and Coniferous Forests

The Effects of Climate Change on Decomposition Processes in Grassland and Coniferous Forests

Floristic composition, phytogeography, and relationships of prairies, savannas, and sand barrens along the Trent River, eastern Ontario

Soil homogenization and microedges: perspectives on soil‐based drivers of plant diversity and ecosystem processes

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