Stephen F. Austin State University
The Regeneration Niche in Bottomland Hardwood Forests: Tree and Herbaceous Communities Along Interacting Gradients of Flood and Light in East Texas Floodplains
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>The research contained in this document characterizes environmental niches of bottomland hardwood (BLH) plant species, focusing on how gradients in light availability and flooding shape understory composition and exploring a potential trade-off between shade and flood tolerance. Field surveys demonstrated that small canopy gaps in BLH forest support shade-tolerant tree seedlings and increase understory plant diversity, but suppress shade-intolerant hardwoods such as oaks and hickories. A complementary greenhouse study demonstrated that two oak species exhibited similar responses to the experimental imposition of shading, flooding, and a combination of both. Both species responded to shading by a reduction in dark respiration rate, light compensation point, and height growth rate. Both species responded to flooding by increasing diameter growth rate, but only when not subject to shade. Together, these findings contribute to a broader understanding of the ecological factors that shape species’ distributions within BLH forests.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Doctor of Philosophy - Forestry
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Dissertation
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Forestry
- Year dc:date.available
- 2024
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Albrecht, Clifton F
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- Dr. K. Rebecca Kidd
- Dr. Jeremy Stovall
- Dr. Brian Oswald
Subjects
dc:subject × 7Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/583
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1636