دورية أكاديمية

Removing riparian Rhododendron maximum in post-Tsuga canadensis riparian forests does not degrade water quality in southern Appalachian streams.

التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
العنوان: Removing riparian Rhododendron maximum in post-Tsuga canadensis riparian forests does not degrade water quality in southern Appalachian streams.
المؤلفون: Elliott KJ; Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Center for Forest Watershed Research, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 3160 Coweeta Lab Rd, Otto, NC 28763, United States of America. Electronic address: katherine.elliott@usda.gov., Miniat CF; Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Center for Forest Watershed Research, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 3160 Coweeta Lab Rd, Otto, NC 28763, United States of America. Electronic address: chelcy.f.miniat@usda.gov.
المصدر: The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2021 Mar 20; Vol. 761, pp. 143270. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Oct 28.
نوع المنشور: Journal Article
اللغة: English
بيانات الدورية: Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 0330500 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-1026 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00489697 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Sci Total Environ Subsets: MEDLINE
أسماء مطبوعة: Original Publication: Amsterdam, Elsevier.
مواضيع طبية MeSH: Rhododendron* , Tsuga*, Animals ; Appalachian Region ; Ecosystem ; Forests ; Rivers ; Trees ; Water Quality
مستخلص: In the past century, the evergreen woody shrub, Rhododendron maximum, has experienced habitat expansion following foundational tree species die-off in eastern US deciduous forests. Rhododendron can potentially alter stream chemistry, temperature, trophic dynamics, and in-stream decomposition rates, given its dominance in riparian areas. Here we conducted two operational-scale (3 ha) riparian treatments that removed rhododendron through cutting alone (CR, canopy removal), or removing both the rhododendron canopy and forest floor using cutting and prescribed fire (CFFR, canopy and forest floor removal). We expected that rhododendron shrub removal, with or without soil organic horizon removal, would increase soil nutrient availability and subsequently alter stream pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), inorganic nitrogen (NO 3 -N, NH 4 -N), total dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg). We hypothesized that responses would occur more quickly in the CFFR treatment. Treatments reduced shrub-, but not tree basal area. Treatments lowered soil N, but not C. Stream chemistry responses to treatments varied between CR and CFFR and were transient, generally with pH, N, and some cations declining, and aluminum (Al) and DOC showing a pulse increase. By removing rhododendron, the remaining deciduous trees likely accelerated N uptake as soil moisture availability increased. This could partially explain why we observed lower than expected stream nutrients (NO 3 -N, Ca, and Mg) after treatments. Initial rhododendron slash on the forest floor coupled with incomplete consumption of the O-horizon on the CFFR treatment likely elevated DOC in the upper soil horizons and mobilized Al. From a management perspective, using these treatments to restore structure and function to riparian forests in the wake of eastern hemlock mortality, with or without fire, would most likely not result in short-term diminished water quality that is common when overstory trees are harvested and may even lower stream NO 3 -N concentrations long term.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Published by Elsevier B.V.)
فهرسة مساهمة: Keywords: Deciduous forest; Disturbance; Evergreen shrub; Headwater streams; Southern Appalachian Mountains; Tsuga canadensis
تواريخ الأحداث: Date Created: 20201108 Date Completed: 20210122 Latest Revision: 20210122
رمز التحديث: 20231215
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143270
PMID: 33160657
قاعدة البيانات: MEDLINE
الوصف
تدمد:1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143270