Effects of forest structure and microhabitat on the distribution and flowering of a rare understory plant, Actaea elata

Mayberry, Rachel J.; Elle, Elizabeth

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.05.042

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Plants in the broadleaved stand (VedC), which had greater canopy openness, produced more racemes and fruits per plant than those in the coniferous stand (Elk). VedC also had more reproductive individuals, perhaps because suitable microhabitat availability is greater in this site (Mayberry and Elle 2009). Higher fruit production of individuals and a greater number of reproductive plants combine for greater overall population fecundity (fecundity) at VedC.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Some of these differences may have been due to light availability, although other environmental differences between the stands (Mayberry and Elle 2009) likely contributed. High light environments positively influence flowering in A. elata (Kaye and Kirkland 1999;Mayberry and Elle 2009), and a number of other understory species (Pitelka et al 1980;Maschinski et al 1997;Lindh 2005;Van Calster et al 2008). Plants in the broadleaved stand (VedC), which had greater canopy openness, produced more racemes and fruits per plant than those in the coniferous stand (Elk).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Population sizes in 2005 were 107 at Elk and 257 at VedC. Actual population size is somewhat larger at both sites, as shown in Mayberry and Elle (2009), but in each case, a subpopulation located [30 m from the main population was excluded from the current analysis. This exclusion was due to dissimilarity in site features (an area beside a pig pen at VedC and an area adjacent to a road-cut at Elk), which were expected to obscure the demographic trends investigated in the current research.…”

Section: Study Species and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…This exclusion was due to dissimilarity in site features (an area beside a pig pen at VedC and an area adjacent to a road-cut at Elk), which were expected to obscure the demographic trends investigated in the current research. These two populations were utilized for demographic analysis because they represent the extremes of habitat characteristics found in BC (Table 1; Mayberry and Elle 2009). With so few populations of this rare plant available for study in Canada, it was not possible to choose replicate populations within habitat types.…”

Section: Study Species and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2) What is the projected population growth rate (k) of these populations and which vital rates have the greatest impact on k? Because increased light increases reproduction in this species (Kaye and Kirkland 1999;Mayberry and Elle 2009), we expected the population in the more open-canopy broadleaved stand to have greater reproductive output and, therefore, higher population growth rate compared to the population in the closed-canopy coniferous stand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation of a rare plant requires different methods in different habitats: demographic lessons from Actaea elata

Mayberry

Elle

2010

Oecologia

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Understanding species decline and conserving endangered species requires demographic information, and variation in the environment may affect demography. Actaea elata is a globally rare, perennial herb found in a range of Pacific Northwest forest stand types that differ in canopy openness. Canopy openness increases reproductive output in this species and so was expected to have demographic impact. We performed a demographic analysis of A. elata in contrasting forest stands (broadleaved vs. coniferous) over two annual intervals, and predicted that population growth rate would be higher in the open-canopy broadleaved stand. Population growth was determined using stage-based matrix models, and the most influential transitions were identified using elasticity analyses. The finite rate of population increase (λ) was lower for the two transition periods at the broadleaved stand than at the coniferous stand (λ = 0.86 and 0.87 vs. 0.94 and 0.98), even though the former population was more fecund. The decline in the broadleaved stand reflects greater mortality and retrogression to previous stages, partly as a consequence of herbivory. In contrast, lower recruitment occurred in the coniferous stand, but there was also less mortality and retrogression. Our results suggest that management decisions for conservation of A. elata should be tailored to differing habitats, with a focus on preventing mortality in some populations and increasing recruitment in others.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Species and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Study Species and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation of a rare plant requires different methods in different habitats: demographic lessons from Actaea elata

Mayberry

Elle

2010

Oecologia

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Do deer and raccoons defecate in the right place? Fitness consequences of vertebrate seed dispersal for a deciduous forest herb

Niederhauser

Matlack

2017

Oecologia

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Precision of seed placement in a heterogeneous environment is often assumed to select for the evolution of animal-mediated dispersal systems, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested in a multivariate sense. We quantify the microsite fitness benefits of dispersal by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) for mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), a shade-tolerant perennial herb, in deciduous forests of southeastern Ohio, USA. Micro-environmental variables were recorded at dung-deposition microsites, at rooting points of mayapple shoots, and at random (control) points in the forest. Fitness was assessed as the degree of overlap in ordinations of microsites by environmental variables. Mayapple occupied a broad sector (56%) of environment space corresponding to low and mid-slope positions, ravines, and proximity to trees. Deer and raccoon defecation placed dung in 71-74 and 86-95% of environment space, respectively, reaching mayapple microsites in 57-60 and 53-54% of cases. Deer placed dung in mayapple environment space 7-9% more often than predicted by random distribution, and raccoons placed dung in mayapple space 0-5% more often, consistent with only a modest degree of directed dispersal. Thus, the precision hypothesis is only weakly supported. The greatest fitness benefit of vertebrate dispersal appears to be the broad distribution of seeds, thereby increasing the probability of randomly reaching a suitable microsite. Imprecise dispersal suggests that secondary mechanisms of seed movement need to be explored in deciduous forest communities.

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Influence of community structure on the spatial distribution of critically endangered Dicerandra immaculata var. immaculata (Lamiaceae) at wild, introduced, and extirpated locations in Florida scrub

2013

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Effects of forest structure and microhabitat on the distribution and flowering of a rare understory plant, Actaea elata

Cited by 6 publications

References 48 publications

Conservation of a rare plant requires different methods in different habitats: demographic lessons from Actaea elata

Conservation of a rare plant requires different methods in different habitats: demographic lessons from Actaea elata

Do deer and raccoons defecate in the right place? Fitness consequences of vertebrate seed dispersal for a deciduous forest herb

Influence of community structure on the spatial distribution of critically endangered Dicerandra immaculata var. immaculata (Lamiaceae) at wild, introduced, and extirpated locations in Florida scrub

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