Old-growth forest structure in a low-productivity hypermaritime rainforest in coastal British Columbia, Canada

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dc.contributor.authorHoffman, Kira M.
dc.contributor.authorStarzomski, Brian M.
dc.contributor.authorLertzman, Ken P.
dc.contributor.authorGiesbrecht, Ian J. W.
dc.contributor.authorTrant, Andrew J.
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-23T22:16:39Z
dc.date.available2021-07-23T22:16:39Z
dc.date.copyright2021en_US
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractDendrochronological analyses were conducted across a gradient of productivity and soil drainage quality characterizing four vegetation types in a low-productivity hypermaritime (perhumid) temperate rainforest on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. We examined the structure, composition, and stand dynamics of trees growing in 400 m2 plots located in blanket bog, bog woodland, bog forest, and zonal forest vegetation types. We sampled over 2500 trees and 1500 seedlings and saplings and our dendrochronological reconstruction of six tree species revealed establishment ages extending to 660 A.D. (1350 yr). All forest plots contained numerous old trees (>250 yr) and the zonal forest and bog forest vegetation types contained significantly taller trees and also had the greatest amount of suppressed, shade-tolerant tree species. The bog woodland vegetation type contained more seedlings and saplings than the other three vegetation types combined. The bog forest vegetation type had the highest density of dead standing trees (~530 per hectare). Blanket bogs contained an open structure with very few old trees (>250 yr). Significant differences in the ages of trees existed between forested vegetation types and the more open blanket bog vegetation type. Several trees exceeded 1000 yr in age and were situated in lower-productivity bog forest and bog woodland sites. We found no evidence of widespread tree cohort establishment, indicating that small-scale disturbances such as individual tree mortality and gap-forming dynamics are likely the most frequent disturbance in the study area.en_US
dc.description.reviewstatusRevieweden_US
dc.description.scholarlevelFacultyen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by funds from the Hakai Institute, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Ian McTaggart Cowan professorship at the University of Victoria.en_US
dc.identifier.citationHoffman, K. M., Starzomski, B. M., Lertzman, K. P., Giesbrecht, I. J. W., & Trant, A. J. (2021). Old-growth forest structure in a low-productivity hypermaritime rainforest in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Ecosphere, 12(5), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3513.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3513
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/13173
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherEcosphereen_US
dc.subjectBritish Columbia
dc.subjectcoastal temperate rainforests
dc.subjectdendrochronology
dc.subjectdisturbance history
dc.subjectecosystem plots
dc.subjectforest mensuration
dc.subjectforest stand dynamics
dc.subjectforest structure
dc.subjecthypermaritime
dc.subjectmuskeg
dc.subjectold-growth forests
dc.subjectperhumid temperate rainforests
dc.subject.departmentSchool of Environmental Studies
dc.titleOld-growth forest structure in a low-productivity hypermaritime rainforest in coastal British Columbia, Canadaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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