Lab 7: Berry's Longleaf Pine

Question 1

Why are frequent fires necesasry?

Answer 1

to ensure a healthy longleaf pine population and to foster abundance of understory plants and grasses (and its associated animal community)

Question 2

Why does longterm fire suppression cause problems?

Answer 2

extremely low decomposition rate of longlead needles which allows the build up of deep layers of organic material

Question 3

What are negative consequences oforganic material at base of longleaf pine?

Answer 3

• suppresses the understory plants and grasses
• longleaf pine roots grow up into it and may become damaged when a fire does happen

Question 4

Longterm fire suppression makes longleaf pine

Answer 4

more susceptible to fire then other species

Question 5

What does Berry Longleaf pine seek to restore?

Answer 5

a healthy mountain longleaf pine ecosystem in certain management areas across our campus

Question 6

What are the co-dominant tree species?

Answer 6

short leaf pine, chestnut oak, blackjack oak, pale hickory

Question 7

What are the less fire tolerant species?

Answer 7

loblolly pine, virginia pine, red maple, black cherry

Question 8

What other plants were seen?

Answer 8

shining sumac, sweet golden rod, bluestem grass, agalinis, sparkleberry, lawbush blueberry, sourweed,

Question 9

What adaptations are there to old, weathered, acidic, low P, burned (low N,S) sites?

Answer 9

• mycorrhizae
• N - fixation (legumes)