Management Plan Committee
UWSP SAF Student Chapter
UWSP SAF Research Committee doing fuel load survey at McLoud Memorial Forest:
Abstract of Oak Savanna Project for the 2001 CNR
Research Symposium
Seedbank and vegetative response of a degraded savanna to prescribed fire.
SAF- Research Committee; Burton, J.I., Voelker, S.L., Kirschbaum, C.D., Seefeldt, L.J., Gillaume, M.M., Johanson, M.D., Zenz, E.S., Tarpey, R.A., Graham, J.B., Martin, E. J., Hohenstein, J.M., Kollmansberger, R.L., Brickman, K.L., Guenther, R.J., George, L.P. and C.D. Tyrrell.
Restoration of the once extensive oak savanna
ecosystem recently became a priority of many land managers in Wisconsin.
Many studies evaluated above ground response to treatment. However, few
have quantified the seed bank below ground, which is the source for the
vegetative response to many restoration treatments. Seed bank composition
may reflect the current and previous structure of the above ground
vegetation. The current above ground structure and composition of the UWSP
McLoud Memorial Forest suggests the remaining 11 acres of oak forest is a
degraded savanna. Because of the degraded state, close proximity to campus
and the recent restoration effort, McLoud is an ideal forest to study seed
bank dynamics. An attempt to accurately sample the seed bank prior to
prescribed fire employed two methods; seed bank germination via potting
soil samples in greenhouse, and seed floatation and extraction in
cylinders. Additional pre-burn data collection consisted of vegetation
samples from the herb, shrub (species < 2" diameter at breast
height (dbh) and canopy (species > 2" dbh) layers. Canopy, shrub
layer and ground level importance values of importance values of species
were calculated. During the fire, relative humidity, wind speed,
direction, and rate of spread were measured to evaluate the burn.
Objectives for the long-term include evaluating the effects of prescribed
burning on plant communities and the soil seed bank using data collected
pre- and post prescribed burning. Since many savanna species will not
persist under a degraded condition, understanding seed banks as a source
for remnant oak savanna plants in addition to the above ground strata is
central if native plant species restoration is the goal.
Faculty Advisor(s): Dr. John Houghton and Dr. Alan Haney
Web Director:
If there are any
questions or comments about UWSP SAF please email us.
UWSP SAF Email