Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Goldblum, David, 1966-

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Geography

LCSH

Morton Arboretum; White oak--Illinois--DuPage County--Seedlings; Bur oak--Illinois--DuPage County--Seedlings; Forest canopies--Thinning--Illinois--DuPage County; Trees--Effect of light on--Illinois--DuPage County

Abstract

White and bur oak savanna was once the dominant vegetation type in the Midwestern United States prior to European settlement. Within the oak savanna biome were pockets of oak-hickory closed forested sites, usually occurring in mesic areas and on the east side of rivers. Restoration efforts to restore the land back to savanna and closed canopy oak dominated forests are met with varying success. There is a need for understanding canopy openness requirements, and ideal forest floor light levels for successful oak regeneration. The purpose of this study is to determine success of oak seedlings growing under varying canopy treatments. Two sites at The Morton Arboretum (DuPage County, Illinois) with varying topography received either a 20% basal area removal, a 10% basal area removal, or no treatment. From May to October 2014 light levels (photosynthetically active radiation) were monitored every 15 minutes immediately adjacent to 24 seedlings. Leaf-level and carbon assimilation was modeled for each seedling throughout the growing season. Key findings suggest that canopy thinning does impact understory light environments, but the management strategy at the levels used in this study are not enough to have a biological impact on seedlings. Long term analysis is be needed to determine if the canopy openness manipulations create successful oak restoration of seedlings to the canopy.

Comments

Advisors: David Goldblum.||Committee members: Robert Fahey; Lesley Rigg.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations and maps.

Extent

xi, 118 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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