Abstract
Several processes bury plants, but sediment can also be subsequently removed, often by delayed erosion. Thus, the ability to survive multiple years of burial and to respond when released are important to vegetation changes and population dynamics. We experimentally evaluated the effects of delayed removal of tephra (aerially transported volcanic ejecta) in an old-growth forest understory near Mount St. Helens, using 1-m2 plots assigned to three treatments: tephra removed 4 months after deposition (50 plots), tephra removed 28 months after deposition (the delayed erosion treatment, 50 plots), and undisturbed, natural tephra (100 plots). Prior to tephra removal, species density, cover, shoot density, and shoot size in the delayed erosion treatment were all similar to values in natural plots and significantly less than values in plots cleared initially, indicating that 24 months of additional burial adversely affected understory plants. However, all attributes eventually approached pre-eruption values for shrubs and herbs, indicating that erosion greatly facilitated vegetation recovery. Responses varied substantially among species and growth forms. Overall, our experimental results indicate that some plants of most species can respond effectively after release from burial of at least three growing seasons. In addition, the delay of erosion retards ecosystem recovery relative to early erosion, facilitates recovery relative to no erosion, and modifies the trajectory of post-disturbance vegetation change.
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Acknowledgements
For their hard work in the field, we thank Tom Hill, Matt Blakely-Smith, Susan Seyer, Ray Yurkewycz, Erica Wheeler, Heidi Guest, Joanna Smith, Mike Ryan, Debbie Brinckman, Abir Biswas, K. Stella Waxwing, Molly Bernstein and Kazuki Hibi. For funding we thank the US National Science Foundation (DEB-8020866 and DEB-8109906), USDA Science and Education Administration (59-2411-1-2-009-0), National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Global Forest, USDA Forest Service and Oregon State University.
Funding
This work was supported by the US National Science Foundation (DEB-8020866 and DEB-8109906), USDA Science and Education Administration (59-2411-1-2-009-0), Sabbatical Support to DGF from The Evergreen State College, The Evergreen State College SURF program National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Global Forest, USDA Forest Service and Oregon State University.
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JAA and DBZ designed the original study and led much of the field sampling. DFG conducted the analyses and led some of the field sampling. DBZ wrote the first draft and all authors made major editorial contributions to the manuscript.
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Zobel, D.B., Antos, J.A. & Fischer, D.G. Community development by forest understory plants after prolonged burial by tephra. Plant Ecol 223, 381–396 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01216-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01216-3