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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Forest Succession on the Republican River Floodplain in Clay County, Kansas
Contributor:
Bellah, R. Glenn;
Hulbert, Lloyd C.
Published:
Southwestern Association of Naturalists, 1974
Published in:
The Southwestern Naturalist, 19 (1974) 2, Seite 155-165
Language:
English
ISSN:
0038-4909
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
On the Republican River floodplain in Clay County, Kansas, 39 forest stands were plot sampled in 1968. Salix interior (sandbar willow), S. amygdaloides (almondleaf willow), and Populus deltoides (cottonwood) appeared the first or second year after alluvium was exposed above water level. Salix interior rarely persisted more than 10 years, S. amygdaloides not more than 30 years, and P. deltoides about a century. Young of these species did not survive in established stands. After about 100 years dominant trees included Ulmus americana (American elm), Celtis occidentalis (common hackberry), Fraxinus pensylvanica (green ash), Morus rubra (red mulberry), and Acer negundo (boxelder). No stand had attained climax, but Celtis occidentalis and Ulmus americana would likely have been dominants. Celtis may be the sole dominant in the future now that Dutch elm disease has entered the area. For young (0-10) and old (>60 years stands, mean tree density was 24,000/ha (9,710/acre) and 5,000/ha (2,020/acre), mean basal area was <tex-math>$20\ \text{m}^{2}/\text{ha}$</tex-math> <tex-math>$(87\ \text{ft}^{2}/\text{acre})$</tex-math> and <tex-math>$39\ \text{m}^{2}/\text{ha}$</tex-math> <tex-math>$(170\ \text{ft}^{2}/\text{acre})$</tex-math> and mean basal area per tree > 6 cm diameter was 58 and <tex-math>$638\ \text{cm}^{2}$</tex-math> respectively. The amount of light that penetrated the forest capony ranged from 18% in young to 2% in old stands. Competition, especially effects of shading, is thought to be more important than changes in soil in eliminating pioneer woody species. Polygonum lapathifolium, Ambrosia trifida and Conyza canadensis were the most common herbs in young stands. Galium aparine had a frequency of 20% in young stands and over 70% in stands more than 30 years old. Rhus radicans and Parthenocissus quinquifolia were absent in young but common in old stands.