ecological foundations earth partnership for schools southeast michigan institute suzan campbell...

Ecological FoundationsEarth Partnership for SchoolsSoutheast Michigan Institute

Suzan Campbell

Oakland County 2009

overview . . .

Overview:

•Ecology 101

•Landforms

• Soils

• Regional Landscape Ecosystems

• Natural Communities

• Internet Resources Activity

• Ecosystem Management

EcosystemsEcological Society of America(Christenson et al., 1996)

A spatially explicit unit of the Earth that includes all the organisms, along with all the components of the abiotic environment within its boundaries.

ecology 101 . . .

More than biotic/abiotic components -

Ecosystems include:

•processes

•functions

•interactions

ecology 101 . . .

Diagram here

Energy cycleall* energy for life comes from the sun

plants capture this energy

animals utilize this captured energy from plants

energy flow is one way (heat lost)

ecology 101 . . .

Food webs

ecology 101 . . .

Water cycleearth’s supply of water is fixed

stored in aquifers, glaciers, plants

land cover affects:

infiltration

runoff rates

erosion

flood risk

ecology 101 . . .

Nitrogen cycleplants can’t use nitrogen in its most abundant form (N2)

bacteria and lightning convert it to a useable form (NH4)

human activities affect nitrogen’s form, impact in the environment

nitrogen is only one of many nutrient cycles

ecology 101 . . .

Don’t forget the invisible !!!soils provide mostOf nutrients needed for plant growth

major player in water, nutrient cycles

stores water

eroded rock, nutrients, decaying organic matter, water, air, billionsbillions of living organismsof living organisms

ecology 101 . . .

Carrying capacity:maximum pop. size of a particular species that a given habitat can support over a given time period

ecology 101 . . .

This applies to us, too!!!

ecology 101 . . .

Whole ecosystems have limits too:need some number of producers, consumers, and decomposers to function

must maintain important natural processes and interdependencies

no one knows all the limits

no one knows which species count

We can try to mimic ecosystems that work . . . . . . both native and cultural

ecology 101 . . .

SuccessionThe orderly and predictable replacement of plants and animals over time

The changes are different in different physical settings and under different disturbance regimes.

ecology 101 . . .

Tolerance“The engine of forest succession is fueled by the relative tolerance of trees to competitive conditions.”

Competitive variables:

•light

•moisture

•nutrients

•oxygen

•space

•disturbance

Tolerance to low light levels is critical on mesic sites!

ecology 101 . . .

Shade toleranceIntolerant Tolerant

Paper birch Black cherry Yellow birch Basswood Flowering dogwood

Aspens Tuliptree Silver maple Red maple Hophornbeam

Cottonwood Sycamore White oak Black spruce Beech

Pin cherry Black oak Red oak White spruce Sugar maple

Tamarack Red ash Hickories

Jack Pine Sassafras White ash

Red pine Elms

Red cedar White pine

ecology 101 . . .

Gap-phase dynamicsIn communities of shade-tolerant species, young trees can thrive in the understory until a gap occurs in the canopy

•Sugar maple produces prolific seedlings

•Beech bends to capture light

Sugar maple and beech may not be as competitive in all situations (frequent disturbance, low nutrient, oxygen, etc.)

ecology 101 . . .

Natural disturbances:

ecology 101 . . .

Disturbance-adapted communities

Fire:

Grasslands, barrens, oak-hickory forest, pine forests

Flooding:

Floodplain forest, swamps, wet meadows, prairies

(human) Managed landscapes:

Agricultural fields, timber stands, sprawl & urban decay. . .

ecology 101 . . .

Think about your local natural landscape::

• what does it look like?

• what are its boundaries?

• what plants grow there?

• what animals live there?

• why has this combination of plants, animals, soils, waterways and landforms ended up together in this space?

your landscape context . . .

landforms . . .

Michigan’s landscape was shaped by glaciers

14,500 years ago . . .

. . . glaciers covered most of the state

Interlobate

landforms . . .

Enormous volumes of meltwater sorted sand and gravel

Outwash

landforms . . .

Where the ice was stagnant and melting in large chunks, kames and eskers were deposited

Kame

Esker

landforms . . .

Sometime ice chunks broke off and were buried in debris - when they melted they formed kettles, a kind of depression

Kettles

landforms . . .

Where they paused, moraines were deposited . . . as they melted, lakes formed

landforms . . .

End moraines

landforms . . .

Lake deposits

landforms . . .

landforms . . .

Lake deposits

What they left behind . . .

Lakeplains - low flat lands with beach ridges

Moraines - long ranges of hills that trace the original glacial lobes

Outwash plains & ice contact features - flat plains, kettles, kames & eskers

landforms . . .

soils . . .

soils . . .

Drift: material that has been moved by a glacier

Till: unsorted sediments deposited directly by glaciers

Stratified drift: sediments that have been sorted by glacial meltwater (outwash, ice contact features)

soils . . .

Moraines: unsorted (till)– Ranges of hill, soils with mixed particle sizes, often with good water

retention, drier if materials are coarser, nutrient-rich, include silts and clays

– Support hardwood forests

Outwash: sorted sands and gravels– Flat or undulating lands with coarse texture soils, nutrient poor,

droughty, fire-prone, can be poorly drained depending on how thick they are and what lies below.

– Support grasslands, savannas, oak and pine forests

Ice contact features: sorted sands and gravels

– Conical hills (kames) or long, linear hills (eskers)

– Dry oak and/or pine forest, hillside prairie

soils . . .

Kettles: ice block depressions– Silts and clays with poor drainage

– Lakes, bogs, marshes, swamps

Lakeplain: bottom of meltwater lakes

– Silty clays and clays

– Sandy beach ridges overlying clay

– Support hardwood swamps, wet prairies, coastal wetlands on clay, forests, savanna and drier prairie on ridges

Bedrock: vary by type of rock– Harsh conditions

– Sparse vegetation

landscape ecosystems . . .Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan,Minnesota, and Wisconsin:A Working Map and Classification(Dennis A. Albert)

. . . the landscape is conceived here as a series of ecosystems, large and small, nested within one another in a hierarchy of spatial sizes.

Available onlineInteractive map interface

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/rlandscp.htm

Sections:based on long-term climate records, physiography

Section IX. Northern Continental M, W & M

• continental influenced climate• extremely cold in winter• lake effect precipitation along Lake Superior

Section VIII. Northern Lake Influenced Upper M & W

• lake moderated temperatures• lake effect precipitation along Lake Superior

Section VII. Northern Lake Influenced Lower Michigan

• lake moderated temperatures• lake effect snow near shorelines• interior has greatest weather extremes

Section VI. Southern Lower Michigan

• longest growing season• lake moderated temperatures• more warm humid air/less cold dry air

*

landscape ecosystems . . .

physiography – form of the land and parent material*

Sections:based on long-term climate records, physiography

Section IX. Northern Continental M, W & M

• continental influenced climate• extremely cold in winter• lake effect precipitation along Lake Superior

Section VIII. Northern Lake Influenced Upper M & W

• lake moderated temperatures• lake effect precipitation along Lake Superior

Section VII. Northern Lake Influenced Lower Michigan

• lake moderated temperatures• lake effect snow near shorelines• interior has greatest weather extremes

Section VI. Southern Lower Michigan

• longest growing season• lake moderated temperatures• more warm humid air/less cold dry air

*

physiography – form of the land and parent material


*


*Sub-sections & sub-subsections:based on long-term climate records, physiography

Section VI. Southern Lower Michigan Sub-section VI.1. Washtenaw

Sub-subsections:

based on physiography (land form/parent material) - because it controls fluxes of radiation and moisture and thereby strongly determines the pattern of soil, microclimate, and vegetation.

Section VI. Southern Lower Michigan Sub-section VI.1. Washtenaw

• Sub-sub-section VI.1.1 Maumee Lakeplain

• Sub-sub-section VI.1.2 Ann Arbor Moraines

• Sub-sub-section VI.1.3 Jackson Interlobate


thinking locally . . .

Natural communitiesBackground so far:

•natural process - disturbances•landform•soil•climate

We’ll be adding•biota


Natural communities recurrent interacting assemblage of climate, landform, soil, native plants, animals, and dynamic processes at a local scale


Natural communities recurrent interacting assemblage of climate, landform, soil, native plants, animals, and dynamic processes at a local scale

identified by dominant vegetation

natural communities . . .

In a highly altered landscape:How do we know which assemblages of

•climate,

•landform,

•soil,

•plants & animals

•dynamic processes

are natural ?


Community types forest

grassland and savanna

open wetlands

“primary” communities


Presettlement vegetation map(Comer et al., 1995)

based on surveyors records from the 1800s

supplemented by years of field work by MNFI staff, historic literature and museum records

a “best guess” – not infallible, but still very useful

circa 1800 vegetation . . .

Northern coniferous forest

Eastern deciduous forest



oak hickory forestssavannas, prairies

cedar swamps

northern hardwoods

oak - pine barrens

pine barrenspine forests

northern hardwoods, boreal forest, pine forests, conifer swamps

northern hardwoods, peatlands, alvar, cedar swamps

beech maple forests


Michigan’s natural communities:

abstracts . . .

Abstracts: natural communities, plants and animals

MNFI’s element occurrence lists:

element occurrences . . .

By county or watershed:

forest . . .

Mesic southern forest

Beech

Sugar maple

forest . . .

Mesic southern forest occurs on moraines, old beach ridges* rich, moist, well-drained soils shade tolerant species (reproduce in shade) abundant spring flora vernal pools (29 amphibian spp., 8 reptile spp.) “gap phase dynamics” in regeneration small-scale wind storms, ice storms, primary disturbance

* south of the tension zone

forest . . .

Mesic southern forestCritical processes: Gap phase dynamics• small canopy gaps create temporary increase in light, nutrients and water

• allow regeneration of shade tolerant maples

forest . . .

Dry-mesic southern forest

Beech

Sugar mapleBlack oak

White oak

forest . . .

Dry, dry-mesic southern forest occurs principally on glacial outwash, coarse-textured moraines, sandy lakeplain & dunes sandy loam and loam soils are slightly acid to neutral shade intolerant species – fire allows regeneration of shade intolerant oak/reduces shade tolerant invaders

forest . . .

oak forests

dry sand prairieoak savanna

Dry, dry-mesic southern forestCritical processes: Fire-dependent system• historically, oak openings, barrens, prairie – shifting matrix

• maintained by frequent ground fires, infrequent crown fires

• suite of species, related communities that benefit from fire

forest . . .

Floodplain forest

Silver maple

Sycamore

Cottonwood

Floodplain forest occurs next to large rivers, frequently in sandy glacial outwash, sand lakeplain* fertile, seasonally saturated soils – mineral at water’s edge, may be organic in back swamp. shade intolerant species along water’s edge complex zonation

forest . . .

Floodplain forest Critical processes: •Flooding and windthrow frequent

• sunlight penetrates along water

•Bank-cutting on outer bank, deposition on inner edge

forest . . .

forest . . .

Wet-mesic flatwoods

Beech

Sugar maple

One of the most distinctive communities in southern Michigan is found on the clayey and seasonally wet lake plain of Belle Isle, located in the Detroit River, Wayne County.

Forests there include a unique community of the rare species shumard oak, pumpkin ash and shellbark hickory, together with silver maple, red ash, pin and swamp white oaks, and hawthorns.

BV Barnes, Michigan Trees, 2004

forest . . .

Wet-mesic flatwoods still being characterized – little known/little left occurs on clay lakeplain or shallow sand over clay heavy, poorly drained soils, seasonally high water table moderately shade tolerant or shade intolerant species – lots of oaks and ashes, silver maple a number of more southern species found here - several rarities still present

forest . . .

Wet-mesic flatwoodsCritical processes: wind throw, seasonally high water table• larger gaps permit persistence of shade intolerant species

• seasonally high water tables keep out sugar maple, beech

Lakeplain oak opening

grassland & savanna . . .

Little bluestem

Needlegrass

open wetlands . . .

Emergent marsh

open wetlands . . .

Emergent marsh occurs in shallow waters at the edge of inland lakes and streams soils are saturated organic mucks shade intolerant species requires periodic flooding to exclude invasion by woody plants

Emergent marsh Critical processes: Flooding and drawdown• flooding excludes woody invaders

• drawdown exposes seedbank, so that light-sensitive annual seeds can germinate

• wetland seed remains viable for over 60 years

open wetlands . . .

open wetlands . . .

Bog

Bog occurs in depressions in outwash, kettles in end moraine or pitted outwash – may form mat around perimeter of open water soils are extremely acidic peat, may have minerotrophic variants south of the transition zone low nutrient availability can occur in complexes with prairie fen, relict conifer swamp and poor conifer swamp

open wetlands . . .

Bog Critical processes: Rainwater-fed• minimal input from groundwater

• sphagnum acidifies water

open wetlands . . .

Limestone pavement lakeshore

primary community . . .

Limestone pavement lakeshore occurs on bedrock soils are undeveloped except in cracks extremely harsh growing conditions, sparse vegetation


Open dunes


Open dunes deposited by wind soils are pure sand (parent material) shade intolerant species – adapted to constantly shifting substrate (common milkweed belongs here)


We’ll be using: Regional landscape ecosystems doc

Quaternary geology map

Circa 1800 map

Element occurrence data

Community abstracts

Internet resources . . .

planning . . .

How do we ensure the conservation of a living organism?

protect the lands they need to survive

(interacting organisms and their environment)

manage ECOSYSTEMS

planning . . .

Conserve all the pieces and processes– representation (some of every

ecosystem)

planning . . .


ecosystem)– redundancy (how much is enough?)

planning . . .


ecosystem)– redundancy (how much is enough?)– resilience (ability to adapt to

changing conditions and stresses)

planning . . .




Consider– size/shape/configuration on

landscape

planning . . .





landscape– connectivity (corridors for dispersal,

feeding, etc.)

planning . . .






feeding, etc.)– context (threats, adjacent land uses)

planning . . .






feeding, etc.)– context (threats, adjacent land uses)– condition (viable populations,

functions intact)

planning . . .

Coarse Filter/Fine Filter approach

Coarse filter (core areas):

planning . . .


Coarse filter (core areas):– representative examples of all native and

valued community types

Prairie fen

planning . . .



valued community types– allow or mimic natural disturbances

Prairie fen

Flooding

Fire

planning . . .



valued community types– allow or mimic natural disturbances– captures many elements of biodiversity

Prairie fen

Flooding

Fire

planning . . .




Fine filter (smaller patches):– viable populations of vulnerable species

Yellow rail

planning . . .




Fine filter (smaller patches):– viable populations of vulnerable species– capture things that fall through the

cracks

Yellow rail Lake sedge

planning . . .





cracksCorridors

– link core areas and patches

planning . . .





cracksCorridors

– link core areas and patches– allows dispersal, migration, large

ranging organisms

planning . . .





cracksCorridors

– link core areas and patches– allows dispersal, migration, large

ranging organismsThoughtful management of the lands in

between– maximize biodiversity conservation,

where possible

The Principles:

• Goals – what are you managing for?• Sound ecological models and

understanding• Complexity and connectedness• Dynamic character of ecosystems• Context and scale• Humans as ecosystem components• Sustainability (carrying capacity)

• Use best available information and implement strategy

• Adaptability and accountability– did it work?

Learning is Learning is fundamental to fundamental to the process!the process!

Questions?

know your land . . .

ecosystem management . . .

What should we be doing?

Congratulations!!

You just got a paying job to manage your favorite natural area, wild area, recreational area, green way, park, open space…


Ecosystem Management:

• DEFINE YOUR GOALS!!!!

• Ecosystem integrity and function

• Long term sustainability (carrying capacity)

• Biodiversity conservation (pieces and connections)

• Sustaining the system = sustains those things we desire

• Integrate social and economic factors


Sustainability

Economic

Ecological

Social


ecological

social

economic

UnderstandingUnderstanding ecosystemsecosystems helps us set helps us set appropriate management appropriate management objectives.objectives.

composition (pieces) structure (organization) function (how it works)

Ecosystems have limits!!


Sustainability

Economic

Ecological

Social

Redefine goals if necessary.

Speak up about ecosystem contstraints.

processes, functions, interactions . . .Not just biotic/abiotic components:

• interdependencies that allow things we value to thrive

Eastern prairie fringed orchid

• mycorrhizae (root-fungi)• flooding/fire dependent• emit odor at night

Photo by Dave Cuthrell, MNFI

Pandorus sphinx (Eumorpha pansorus)

The sum is greater than its parts!

Where does the moth live?

Ecosystem Management...

The Principles:• Goals – what are you managing for?

Learning is Learning is fundamental!fundamental!

• Sound science and understanding• Complexity and connectedness• Dynamic character of ecosystems• Context and scale• Humans as ecosystem components• Sustainability (carrying capacity)

• Best available information and implement strategy

• Adaptability: did it work?

forest . . .

Dry, dry-mesic southern forest

Black oak

White oak

forest . . .

Dry, dry-mesic southern forest occurs principally on glacial outwash, coarse-textured moraines, sandy lakeplain & dunes sandy loam and loam soils are slightly acid to neutral shade intolerant species – fire allows regeneration of shade intolerant oak/ reduces shade tolerant invaders

forest . . .

Dry, dry-mesic southern forestCritical processes: Fire-dependent system• historically, oak openings, barrens, prairie – shifting matrix

• maintained by frequent ground fires, infrequent crown fires

• suite of species, related communities that benefit from fireoak forests

dry sand prairieoak savanna

Forrest B.H. Brown, 1917:Probably the most obvious characteristic of the forest vegetation as a whole is the extreme variety of species composing many of the associations and the general dissimilarity between it and the usual upland type lying westward and mostly outside of the county.

One may clearly observe this transition in going from Ann Arbor to Detroit. The change is abrupt and takes place a short distance west of Ypsilanti or some twenty miles west of the Detroit River, where the rolling morainal topography changes to the level glacial lake basin of which Wayne County, except the small northwest portion is a part.

Global & State Ranks

G1 – globally critically imperiledG2 – globally imperiledG3 – vulnerableG4 – apparently secure (uncommon, not rare)G5 – demonstrably widespread, abundant and secure

S1 – critically imperiled within the stateS2 – imperiled within the stateS3 – vulnerableS4 – apparently secure (uncommon, not rare)S5 – widespread, abundant and secure within the state

ranking elements . . .

ecological foundations earth partnership for schools southeast michigan institute suzan campbell...

Documents

cultural ecology

nutrient cycles ecology

food webs ecology

given time period ecology

energy cycle

nitrogen cycle plants

plants energy flow

energy animals