Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems
We studied the effects of liming on soils and forest songbirds as well as vegetation and calcium-rich invertebrate prey variables that were predicted to link birds to changes in soil conditions. We observed increases in soil pH, calcium, and magnesium, as well as in songbird abundances in response t...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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Series: | International Journal of Forestry Research |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/976809 |
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author | Sarah E. Pabian Shawn M. Rummel William E. Sharpe Margaret C. Brittingham |
author_facet | Sarah E. Pabian Shawn M. Rummel William E. Sharpe Margaret C. Brittingham |
author_sort | Sarah E. Pabian |
collection | DOAJ |
description | We studied the effects of liming on soils and forest songbirds as well as vegetation and calcium-rich invertebrate prey variables that were predicted to link birds to changes in soil conditions. We observed increases in soil pH, calcium, and magnesium, as well as in songbird abundances in response to lime application, with continuing increases through five years after liming. We observed an overall increase in snail abundance on limed sites, but an initial peak of a 23 fold increase three years after liming was reduced to an 11 fold increase five years after liming. We observed an increase in forb ground cover on limed sites, but liming had no effect on millipede abundance or other vegetation measures. Of the variables we measured, snail abundance was the most likely mechanism for the response in bird abundances. Because we observed continued benefits of liming up to five years post treatment, we concluded that liming is a very promising technique for restoring forest ecosystems impacted by acidic deposition. |
format | Article |
id | doaj-art-bf0119a048244317b64c3d91fda3c745 |
institution | Kabale University |
issn | 1687-9368 1687-9376 |
language | English |
publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
publisher | Wiley |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Forestry Research |
spelling | doaj-art-bf0119a048244317b64c3d91fda3c7452025-02-03T01:07:43ZengWileyInternational Journal of Forestry Research1687-93681687-93762012-01-01201210.1155/2012/976809976809Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest EcosystemsSarah E. Pabian0Shawn M. Rummel1William E. Sharpe2Margaret C. Brittingham3School of Forest Resources, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USASchool of Forest Resources, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USASchool of Forest Resources, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USASchool of Forest Resources, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USAWe studied the effects of liming on soils and forest songbirds as well as vegetation and calcium-rich invertebrate prey variables that were predicted to link birds to changes in soil conditions. We observed increases in soil pH, calcium, and magnesium, as well as in songbird abundances in response to lime application, with continuing increases through five years after liming. We observed an overall increase in snail abundance on limed sites, but an initial peak of a 23 fold increase three years after liming was reduced to an 11 fold increase five years after liming. We observed an increase in forb ground cover on limed sites, but liming had no effect on millipede abundance or other vegetation measures. Of the variables we measured, snail abundance was the most likely mechanism for the response in bird abundances. Because we observed continued benefits of liming up to five years post treatment, we concluded that liming is a very promising technique for restoring forest ecosystems impacted by acidic deposition.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/976809 |
spellingShingle | Sarah E. Pabian Shawn M. Rummel William E. Sharpe Margaret C. Brittingham Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems International Journal of Forestry Research |
title | Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems |
title_full | Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems |
title_fullStr | Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems |
title_full_unstemmed | Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems |
title_short | Terrestrial Liming As a Restoration Technique for Acidified Forest Ecosystems |
title_sort | terrestrial liming as a restoration technique for acidified forest ecosystems |
url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/976809 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahepabian terrestriallimingasarestorationtechniqueforacidifiedforestecosystems AT shawnmrummel terrestriallimingasarestorationtechniqueforacidifiedforestecosystems AT williamesharpe terrestriallimingasarestorationtechniqueforacidifiedforestecosystems AT margaretcbrittingham terrestriallimingasarestorationtechniqueforacidifiedforestecosystems |