Lee Frelich

Effects of climate change, deerand invasive species on forestsLee E. Frelich, Director, The University ofMinnesota Center for Forest Ecology

Change in summer (JJA) temperatureHigher Emissions 2010-2039 2040-2069 2070-2099Lower Emissions Slide: Don Wuebbles

Projected Change in Precipitation: 2081-2099Midwest: Increasingwinter and springprecipitation, withdrier summersMore frequent andintense periods ofheavy rainfallRelative to1960-1990 Slide: Don Wuebbles NOTE: Scale Reversed

How do trees respond to climate change? Peter AplinWhite pine on its way to better climaticzone, Ontario (upper) and a cold treewearing a sweater (lower).

Fossil pollen evidence suggests that trees respond togradual climate change by migration and to sudden andlarge climate shifts by dying

Hemlock and oak decline 5,000 ybp due to droughtand insects. From Foster et al. 2006. Ecology 87: 2959-2966 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Calendar years before present

John KneurrFossil needles (upper row), modernneedles (second row), and hemlocklooper parts (fossil and modern).From Bhiry and Filion (1996) Quat Res 45: 312-320.

Pagami creek fire-NASA

Pagami Creek Fire, Sept 12, 2011Lake Kawishiwi, Photos: PJ Sikorski

Brian Sturtevant-USDA Forest Service

More disturbance from wind and fire in a warmer climateJuly 1995 derecho series From: R.H. Johns and J.S. Evans: www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos

Minneapolis Star tribuneBefore and after the 1999 blowdownin the Boundary Waters, northern MN

Wind does selective weeding of the forestDivergence of forest composition after wind versus wind/firecombination BWCAW case study

Tornado reports per decade. Paul Huttner, MPR.

Wind + Fire = majortransformationof the forestPhotos: Dave Hansen

Native insects play a major role in forest changeBenign native insects can have outbreaks in a warmer climate.For example, mountain pine beetle in British Columbia—anative insect that caused massive tree mortality over 30 millionacres of lodgepole pine forest, and could threaten jack pinein MN

Comparing the 2060s with current Dai, 2010, Drought under global warming, Climate Change DOI: 10.1002/wcc.81

Photo: Dave HansenMore drought = trees under stress and forest dieback

Impacts of deer grazing reinforcing climate changeSylvania Wilderness maple and hemlock forest in 1990

Sylvania in 2006, after the deer have eatenPictures from Salk, Frelich, Montgomery, Calcote, and Ferrari, preliminary acceptance inForest Ecology and Management

Global warming orGlobal worming?Earthworms are ecosystemengineers that can alter thestructure of soil, and changethe H2O, N and P cycles, Cdynamics and seedbedcharacteristics on aregional scale

Earthworm-free site. Photo: Paul Ojanen

Heavily earthworm infested siteswithout lawn. Photo: Paul Ojanen (left), DaveHansen (right) Earthworms warm the soil by removing insulating O horizon, compact the soil, cause more runoff, create lower avail- ability of N and P, lower the species richness of native plants and facilitate invasive plants

Seed emergence experimentwith endogeic and anecicearthworms both present:Graminoids are favored

Lawn of sedge created by earthworm and deerPhoto: Paul Ojanen

Photos: J. Schlaghamersky Stage 2, Dendrobaena only Stage 3, + Aporrectodea ssp. and L. rubellus Stage 4, + L. terrestris

Invasive plants that may be facilitated byearthworm invasion:Buckthorn (common and glossy)Garlic mustardTatarian honeysuckleBlack swallowwort (Cynanchum)Japanese barberryHemp nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit)Veronica ssp.Stiltgrass (Microstegium)

Fisichelli study of sapling success and growth overa 4 degree F temperature gradient in mixed boreal-northern hardwood forests 14 Sapling growth study sites

Local Scale: 3 overstory neighborhood types Temperate Mixed Boreal >67% Temperate 33-67% Temperate <33% Temperate Overstory Type overstory tree overstory tree overstory tree rel. abundance rel. abundance rel. abundance

Species Regeneration Response to: Temp Precip pH Deer Litter Conspecific Depth OverstoryFir/Spruce 0 0/-Red maple 0 0/-Sugar maple

Methods: Sizing Up the Competition; Growth Measurements 5 species Radial Growth Height Growth ‘09 ‘08 Distance between Balsam fir ‘07 terminal bud scars (Abies balsamea) White spruce (Picea glauca) Red maple (Acer rubrum) Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) Red oak (Quercus rubra)

Results: Temperate sapling relative performance ‘cooled’ by deer(a) low browse pressure15 A. balsamea Height growth (cm yr ) −1 10 A. balsamea balsamea A. glauca P. balsamea A. glauca 7 P. glauca P. balsamea A. rubrum Abies balsamea A. glauca P. rubrum Picea glauca 5 4 A. rubrum A. glauca P. saccharum Acer rubrum 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.5 19.0 A. saccharum rubrum A. saccharum Acer saccharum(b) high browse pressure A. rubrum Q. rubra Quercus rubra A. rubra saccharum 15 Summer Temperature (°C) Q. saccharum A. Q. rubra Height growth (cm yr ) −1 10 Q. rubra 7 Q. rubra 5 4 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.5 19.0 Mean summer temperature oC Summer Temperature (°C)

Sugar maple versus spruce in the temperate-boreal ecotone Temp change Deer, moose, earthwormsTemperature pushing harder than opposing forces

Temperate BorealTemperate forest tree species are now invading boreal stands,but this process is slowed by deer in some areas. For now, themixed forest zone is becoming broader.

Silty clay loam With serial correlation SandSerial correlation prevented maple from replacing spruce forest on sand,but not silty clay loam, for a 2xCO2 scenario. Cohen and pastor 1991.

Sugar maple versus oak in in the temperate zone Temperature change, earthworms DeerNo net direction???

Expect mesic forest types such as northern hardwoodsto contract their niche Silt loam Loam Loamy sand

Mark StennesEcological blueprints for a warmer climateA forest of American basswood, elms, Kentucky coffeetree,hackberry, and bur oak could be the future for central andnorthern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan

If the climate trends towards a Savanna climate on shallow soils: •Try for the best savanna possible (i.e. native species, not buckthorn). •Resources for assisted migration and seed amplificationThe Prairie Enthusiasts would be necessary Buckthorn on rocks in northern MN Photos: Paul Ojanen Molly McGovern

Multiple impacts of climate change at the prairie-forest border. Frelich and Reich, 2010 Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Warmer climate, More frequent and longer Longer growing season droughts CO2 fertilization Warmer and Exotic earthworms drier soil spread faster Lower soil N deposition nutrient status More deer Kill seedlings More fires and prevent reproduction More wind storms Kill adult trees and lack of Savannification replacement Pests and diseases spread faster

Thresholds for disturbance severity necessary to changeforest composition are lower when a forest is under stress Clearcut or stand leveling wind High Ecosystem wellLate adapted to climatesuccessional Ecosystemdominance under stress from climate Low Low High Disturbance severity

What does this all mean?Global warming is about the effects of droughts, storms,fires, bugs, worms and deer on the forestThese factors will reinforce the impacts of changingtemperature and lead to more divergence among soil typesThese factors will make abrupt change afterdisturbance more likelyFuture forests and savannas that replace thecurrent forests will have novel plant compositiondue to different filters on which species are successful

Questions? Layne KennedyLee Frelich and clones at work during Ham Lake Fire, Seagull Lake, May 6, 2007

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Lee Frelich

by cmnsdi on Jul 10, 2012

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