This blog is devoted to BIOL 6988, a graduate level seminar in the biological sciences at Youngstown State University. While targeted towards graduate students, BIOL 6988 actively incorporates undergraduate participants in their scholastic endeavors in the biological sciences. This blog is intended as a educational tool not just for YSU students and faculty, but for anyone who wishes to contribute to an active-learning environment.
Dr. Diggins' presentation was very informative as he discussed his academic journey as well as his topic of Rethinking the Disturbance/Competition Paradigm in Riparian Forests. Field ecology is a topic I have little knowledge on and hearing from Dr. Diggins about what he does was very insightful and I am glad to have learned about such an important topic.
He discussed the Lake Erie Gorges as well as the Zoar Valley Canyon and how these landforms were effected by the rivers. He also discussed the conceptual frameworks of disturbance and competition within forests and one of the major forms of competition being canopy formation. The source of the shade is appeared to be irrelevant but trees compete to be the canopy provider. The trees that end up surviving are the ones that are the most shade tolerant.
So, if climate change acts as a factor that will impact forests, what do you expect as a potential outcome for how the trees in the forests will continue to compete amongst each other? If certain trees are lost due to climate change i.e. dominant canopy providers, what do you expect to happen?
I enjoyed Dr. Diggins' talk this past Friday. I enjoyed him talking about his life and how he ended up here at YSU. He had some great pictures of the field work he did as well. I had no idea he went to New York State and did all this field work he does.
I also am not the most informed on the subject area Dr. Diggins talked about, so it was an interesting lecture to listen to. If climate change is a factor I think it will disrupt the current ecosystem and change the competition occuring between these species. If the dominant canopy providers are lost then another species, species X, who normally would not have a chance to flourish would then have the opportunity to survive and grow. This species, species X, could possibly become the next dominant canopy provider pushing out other slower growing less dominant species.
Dr. Diggins is such a character, his seminar was insightful and amusing. I enjoyed the pictures he had of his field work. I know very little about field ecology so this was entirely new terrain for me.
To answer Brittney's question, I believe that climate change will shake up the way that the trees compete. If we begin experiencing less warmth and sunlight the canopy providers could potentially lose their dominating survival role. Trees that are able to withstand harsh conditions and be aggressive regardless of temperature may thrive under the climate change. Climate change could also affect the diversity of the forests if the changes are not complimentary with the growth means necessary for the species' survival.
Dr. Diggins was rather entertaining in his talk, and I was educated about the ecology of riparian forests. Coincidentally, I have actually been to the Zoar Valley gorge and many of the sites that Dr. Diggins studies on recreational explorations. However, I definitely had not considered how the ecosystems developed and whether they were old or young.
Similar to Anna and Jessica's responses to Brittney's question, I would say that eventually climate change would change too rapidly for the current canopy species to persist. In the presence of higher and higher temperatures, I believe that C4 plants may begin to dominate the earths' ecosystems, as they are able to thrive in hotter and more arid environments by using alternative 4-carbon intermediates in their Calvin cycle, more efficiently using CO2 and preserving water.
I thought Dr. Diggins' presentation last week was informative and enjoyable. As for the question, I do feel that if climate change becomes a factor that impacts these ecosystems, it will put direct selective pressure on plants that do not thrive under higher temperatures. If the current dominant canopy providers cannot survive, this will change the competition dynamics of this ecosystem and allow different species to thrive. These species could then become dominant canopy providers.
I really enjoyed Dr. Diggins' presentation last week. Anything with nature and the outdoors catches my interest. As for Brittney's question, I do believe climate change will impact forests and how the trees compete. As temperatures increase, the current canopy species will have difficulty surviving under the new circumstances. This would allow new species that can handle the heat and sunlight to thrive and become the dominant canopy species.
I enjoyed the way Dr. Diggins got into some of the theories in regards to environmental evolution, since that has never been an area of my study. If certain trees are unable to adapt to changing climate conditions, then it is expected that those that can will begin to grow and thrive in their absence. The loss of the canopy providers can help new plants grow, while also negatively effecting other plants as well. Trees that gain adaptation that will help them thrive and persist in hotter temperatures obviously out compete those that cannot.
As human caused climate change continues there will be a variety of affects on forests. Some areas around the world will have hotter summers, colder winters and/or more intense disasters (hurricanes, droughts, floods, sea level rise, etc). One can expect various things to happen to forests. For example, since seasonal time periods are changing rapidly, trees that send out their seeds at various points in time will be affected and either selected for or against. If some tree species cannot evolve fast enough (which seems likely given the rapid effects of human caused climate change) then they will be selected against, freeing up niches for more adaptable species. These rapid disruptive events will likely cause some speciation as selective pressures change rapidly.
Dr. Diggins... My man! Now,since the common example seems to concern canopy tress will stick with that. I believe that there are two possible outcomes to this. The first being that the tress which make up the forest canopy, which are accustomed to significant amounts of sunlight cannot survive if climate changes somehow limit the amount of light that they can absorb. If this happens, they would most likely not be able to survive. Eventually they would die out if they are not able to adapt.Then the threes closer to the forest floor who are able to cope with lower levels of sunlight will flourish. The second possible outcome would essentially be inverse. if the climate changes so that there are increased amounts of sunlight, then canopy trees would continue to thrive. The tress which are then closer to the forest floor, may possible get less sunlight or more depending on the circumstances.
I loved Dr. Diggins seminar. It was both very informative and very interesting to listen to. I believe that if the canopy trees would not be able to survive, the lower level trees would be able to flourish in their absence. These lower level trees would be able to grow better in the absence of the canopy trees.
Dr. Diggins' presentation was very informative as he discussed his academic journey as well as his topic of Rethinking the Disturbance/Competition Paradigm in Riparian Forests. Field ecology is a topic I have little knowledge on and hearing from Dr. Diggins about what he does was very insightful and I am glad to have learned about such an important topic.
ReplyDeleteHe discussed the Lake Erie Gorges as well as the Zoar Valley Canyon and how these landforms were effected by the rivers. He also discussed the conceptual frameworks of disturbance and competition within forests and one of the major forms of competition being canopy formation. The source of the shade is appeared to be irrelevant but trees compete to be the canopy provider. The trees that end up surviving are the ones that are the most shade tolerant.
So, if climate change acts as a factor that will impact forests, what do you expect as a potential outcome for how the trees in the forests will continue to compete amongst each other? If certain trees are lost due to climate change i.e. dominant canopy providers, what do you expect to happen?
I enjoyed Dr. Diggins' talk this past Friday. I enjoyed him talking about his life and how he ended up here at YSU. He had some great pictures of the field work he did as well. I had no idea he went to New York State and did all this field work he does.
ReplyDeleteI also am not the most informed on the subject area Dr. Diggins talked about, so it was an interesting lecture to listen to. If climate change is a factor I think it will disrupt the current ecosystem and change the competition occuring between these species. If the dominant canopy providers are lost then another species, species X, who normally would not have a chance to flourish would then have the opportunity to survive and grow. This species, species X, could possibly become the next dominant canopy provider pushing out other slower growing less dominant species.
Dr. Diggins is such a character, his seminar was insightful and amusing. I enjoyed the pictures he had of his field work. I know very little about field ecology so this was entirely new terrain for me.
ReplyDeleteTo answer Brittney's question, I believe that climate change will shake up the way that the trees compete. If we begin experiencing less warmth and sunlight the canopy providers could potentially lose their dominating survival role. Trees that are able to withstand harsh conditions and be aggressive regardless of temperature may thrive under the climate change. Climate change could also affect the diversity of the forests if the changes are not complimentary with the growth means necessary for the species' survival.
Dr. Diggins was rather entertaining in his talk, and I was educated about the ecology of riparian forests. Coincidentally, I have actually been to the Zoar Valley gorge and many of the sites that Dr. Diggins studies on recreational explorations. However, I definitely had not considered how the ecosystems developed and whether they were old or young.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Anna and Jessica's responses to Brittney's question, I would say that eventually climate change would change too rapidly for the current canopy species to persist. In the presence of higher and higher temperatures, I believe that C4 plants may begin to dominate the earths' ecosystems, as they are able to thrive in hotter and more arid environments by using alternative 4-carbon intermediates in their Calvin cycle, more efficiently using CO2 and preserving water.
I thought Dr. Diggins' presentation last week was informative and enjoyable. As for the question, I do feel that if climate change becomes a factor that impacts these ecosystems, it will put direct selective pressure on plants that do not thrive under higher temperatures. If the current dominant canopy providers cannot survive, this will change the competition dynamics of this ecosystem and allow different species to thrive. These species could then become dominant canopy providers.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Dr. Diggins' presentation last week. Anything with nature and the outdoors catches my interest. As for Brittney's question, I do believe climate change will impact forests and how the trees compete. As temperatures increase, the current canopy species will have difficulty surviving under the new circumstances. This would allow new species that can handle the heat and sunlight to thrive and become the dominant canopy species.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the way Dr. Diggins got into some of the theories in regards to environmental evolution, since that has never been an area of my study. If certain trees are unable to adapt to changing climate conditions, then it is expected that those that can will begin to grow and thrive in their absence. The loss of the canopy providers can help new plants grow, while also negatively effecting other plants as well. Trees that gain adaptation that will help them thrive and persist in hotter temperatures obviously out compete those that cannot.
ReplyDeleteAs human caused climate change continues there will be a variety of affects on forests. Some areas around the world will have hotter summers, colder winters and/or more intense disasters (hurricanes, droughts, floods, sea level rise, etc). One can expect various things to happen to forests. For example, since seasonal time periods are changing rapidly, trees that send out their seeds at various points in time will be affected and either selected for or against. If some tree species cannot evolve fast enough (which seems likely given the rapid effects of human caused climate change) then they will be selected against, freeing up niches for more adaptable species. These rapid disruptive events will likely cause some speciation as selective pressures change rapidly.
ReplyDeleteDr. Diggins... My man! Now,since the common example seems to concern canopy tress will stick with that. I believe that there are two possible outcomes to this. The first being that the tress which make up the forest canopy, which are accustomed to significant amounts of sunlight cannot survive if climate changes somehow limit the amount of light that they can absorb. If this happens, they would most likely not be able to survive. Eventually they would die out if they are not able to adapt.Then the threes closer to the forest floor who are able to cope with lower levels of sunlight will flourish. The second possible outcome would essentially be inverse. if the climate changes so that there are increased amounts of sunlight, then canopy trees would continue to thrive. The tress which are then closer to the forest floor, may possible get less sunlight or more depending on the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI loved Dr. Diggins seminar. It was both very informative and very interesting to listen to.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if the canopy trees would not be able to survive, the lower level trees would be able to flourish in their absence. These lower level trees would be able to grow better in the absence of the canopy trees.