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The Structure of Hardwood Forest Ecosystems of Prince Edward County, Virginia
Author(s) -
Gemborys Stanley R.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1935151
Subject(s) - edaphic , hardwood , basal area , forestry , geography , ecology , litter , habitat , mosaic , ecosystem , plant litter , environmental science , archaeology , biology , soil water
A phytosociological investigation was conducted in the hardwood forests of Prince Edward County, Virginia, to determine the structural aspects of these ecosystems and to determine the relationships of these communities to edaphic and topographic characters. In all, 32 stands were studied, located entirely within the Piedmont, representing habitats ranging from those of wet bottomlands to dry upland sites. Stands were positioned on the X, Y, and Z axes of a vegetational mosaic according to the technique described by Bray and Curtis. Environmental parameters were then superimposed over this mosaic in an attempt to determine which, if any, of these factors showed distributions associated with the vegetatively determined array. Density, basal area, depth of litter, percent organic matter, pH, soluble salts, calcium, magnesium and depth of the "A" horizon were found to be correlated with one or more of these axes.