Lawrence R. Walker and his Primary Succession Studies Xuan Chen BIOL 7083 - Community Ecology Presentation

Lawrence R. Walker and his Primary Succession Studies

Xuan Chen BIOL 7083 - Community Ecology Presentation

http://kariecology.blogspot.com/2011/02/succession.html

Contents

• Introduction of L. R. Walker

• His primary succession studies

• His other research

• His influence on community ecology studies

Character IntroPh.D., University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 1985

Stanford University

University of Hawaii

University of Puerto Rico University of Nevada, professor of Department of Biological Science

(1) Succession in plant communities(2) Community responses to disturbance(3) Restoration

http://sols.unlv.edu/Walker/LR%20Walker.htm

Contents




• His influence on succession studies

Primary Succession Studies

Succession – directional change in community composition at a site, initiated by natural or anthropogenic disturbance, or the creation of a new site.

Copy from Dr. Kyle Harms’ slides


Connell and Slatyer, 1977, The American Naturalist


Disturbance (new habitat)

Early succession species

Later succession species

Facilitate InhibitNeutral

Stable ecosystem


Primary succession Secondary succession


Primary succession can be defined as directional changes in plant communities after severe disturbances that leave no soil layers intact, or the creation of a new site.

Methods

(1) Field observations and experiments (such as artificial fertilization, transplanting and sowing of seeds)

(2) Growth experiments under more controlled greenhouse conditions

(3) Lab analyses of plant and soil nutrients


• Primary succession: nitrogen limited

• Later, P (and/or other elements) but not nitrogen limited

Walker & Syers, 1976, Geoderma


River floodplains in Alaska

Volcanic substrates in HawaiiLandslides in Puerto Rico

Glacial moraines in Alaska

http://www.journalofecology.org/view/0/edchoice983.htmlhttp://ecolibrary.org/page/dp430science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/swan/vs/repeat_photohttp://news.lternet.edu/images/taiga-floodplain-tanana-river-alaska





http://www.journalofecology.org/view/0/edchoice983http://ecolibrary.org/page/dp430science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/swan/vs/repeat_photohttp://news.lternet.edu/images/taiga-floodplain-tanana-river-alaska

Walker et al., 1986, Ecology

Stochastic events

Fluvial processes, timing, intensity, and scale of riverine disturbance

Life history traits

Seed rain


High seed rain

Low seed rain

Stochastic events

Fluvial processes, timing, intensity, and scale of riverine disturbance

Life history traits

Seed rainGrowth rate

Life span


Nitrogen fixer

Dense litter layer Seeding germination and establishment

Snowshoe hare Seeding mortality

Thick stands Reduced light intensity

Root competition Seeding growth

Allelopathy

Primary succession: nitrogen limited, need nitrogen fixer

Inhibit






Inhibit

Dryas

spruce

alder

Seed dispersal

spruce

alder

Dryas

Dryas

spruce

alder

• Shade out • Herbivores and

pathogens• Allelopathy

Chapin et al., 1994, Ecological Monographs

• Life history

• Species interaction

• Environmental factors

their relative importance changes through succession






Inhibit Complex

Upper zone: nearly complete removal of soil and vegetation

Lower zone: heterogeneous mixture of broken plants parts, and soil

Islands

• Elevation• Size• Land use history• Surrounding

vegetation• Soil development• Biotic interaction

Regionally

Locally Stochastic

Predictable






Inhibit Complex

Scale

Myrica faya Myrica faya

Myrica faya Metrosideros polymorpha

germination Leaf litter

canopy

seedling root competition

nitrogen

Metrosideros polymorpha

severe

suitable

environmental severity

facilitate

compete facilitate

compete

Pioneer species Later species

environmental severity / succession stages

facilitate

inhibit

Pioneer species Later species

Opportunities for studies of succession

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpamerica/5145807500/sizes/m/in/photostream/

We can imagine a study that investigates succession after invasion of a non-native as a result of climate change that might be used to suggest restoration measures to protect local biodiversity

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/watershed/biodiversity.htm http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/watershed/biodiversity.htm

Contents





(1) Chronosequences study

succession Long term without disturbance

?

succession Long term without disturbance Decline phase

significant reduction in ecosystem productivity and standing plant biomass

Wardle et al., 2004, Science

Later, P (and/or other elements) but not nitrogen limited

biomass

richness

tree

herbaceous

RestorationSuccession

Site amelioration

Development of community structure

Nutrient dynamics

Species life history traits

Species interactions

Modeling the transitions between successional stages and how those stages fit together into trajectories

(2) Restoration

RestorationSuccession

Clarify successional processes

Improve the predictability of succession

(3) Invasive ecology (4) Hurricane ecology ……

Contents





• Primary succession is complex • Study methods • Restoration

Thank you

http://mrswolfgang.wikispaces.com/Peace+Neal+-+Ecological+Succession

References• Bellingham, P.J., Peltzer, D.A., Lawrence R. Walker, L. R. 2005. Contrasting impacts of a native and an invasive exotic shrub on flood-plain succession. Journal of Vegetation Science 16 (1): 135-142.

• Callaway, R.M. and L.R. Walker. 1997. Competition and facilitation: A synthetic approach to interactions in plant communities. Ecology 78:1958-1965.• • Chapin, F.S., Walker, L.R., Fastie, C.L., Sharman, L.C. 1994. Mechanisms of Primary Succession Following Deglaciation at Glacier Bay, Alaska. Ecological Monographs 64:149–175.• • Myster, R.W., Walker, L R. 1997. Plant successional pathways on Puerto Rican landslides. Journal of Tropical Ecology 13 (2): 165-173.

• Prach, K., Walker, L R. 2011. Four opportunities for studies of ecological succession. Trends in Ecological and Evolution 26 (3): 119-123.

• Shiels, A.B., Walker, L.R. 2003. Bird perches increase forest seeds on Puerto Rican landslides. Restoration Ecology 11: 1-9.

• Vitousek, P.M., Walker, L.R. 1989. Biological invasion by Myrica faya in Hawaii: Plant demography, nitrogen fixation, and ecosystem effects. Ecological Monographs 59:247- 265.

• Vitousek, P.M., Walker, L.R., Whiteaker, L.D. 1993. Nutrient Limitations to plant-growth during primary succession in Hawaii-volcanos National Park. Biogeochemistry 23 (3): 197-215.

• Vitousek, P.M., Walker, L.R., Whiteaker, L.D., Muellerdombois, D., Matson P.A. 1987. Biological invasion by Myrica faya alters ecosystem development in Hawaii. Science 238 (4282):802-804.

• Walker, L. R., Chapin, III. F. S. 1986. Physiological controls over seedling growth in primary succession on an Alaskan floodplain. Ecology 67: 1508 1523.

• Walker, L.R., del Moral, R.2009. Lessons from primary succession for restoration of severely damaged habitats. Applied Vegetation Science 12: 55-67.

• Walker, L.R., Bellingham, P.B., Peltzer, D.A. 2006. Plant characteristics are poor predictors of microsite colonization during the first two years of primary succession. Journal of Vegetation Science 17:397-406.

Walker, L.R., Clarkson, B.D., Silvester, W., Clarkson, B.R. 2003. Colonization dynamics and facilitative impacts of a nitrogen-fixing shrub in post-volcanic primary succession. Journal of Vegetation Science 14: 277-290.

Walker, L. R., Zasada, J. C., Chapin, III. F. S. 1986. The role of life history processes in primary succession on an Alaskan floodplain. Ecology 67: 1243 1253.

• Walker, L.R., Zimmerman, J.K., Lodge, D.J., Guzmán-Grajales, S. 1996. An altitudinal comparison of growth and species composition in hurricane-damaged forests in Puerto Rico. Journal of Ecology 84: 877-889.

Walker, L.R., Voltzow, J., Ackerman, J.D., Fernandez, D.S., Fetcher, N. 1992. Immediate impact of Hurricane Hugo on a Puerto Rican rain forest. Ecology 73:691-694.

Walker, L.R., Zarin, D., Fetcher, N., Myster, R., Johnson, A. 1996. Ecosystem development and plant succession on landslides in the Caribbean. Biotropica 28: 566-576.

• Wardle, D., Walker, L.R., Bardgett, R.D. 2004. Ecosystem properties and forest decline in contrasting long term chronosequences. Science 305:509-513.

Documents

Lawrence R. Walker and his Primary Succession Studies Xuan Chen BIOL 7083 - Community Ecology Presentation