Event Title
Carbon Sequestration in a Restored West Michigan Oak Savanna: Implications on Management Practices
Description
The savanna system is an ecotone (i.e. a barrier ecosystem) that lies between forest and grassland ecosystems. They occur across the world in various forms, but in the North American Midwest, they are specifically oak savannas: systems, where the open overstory is dominated by various species of oak (Quercus spp.) and the understory consists of carbon-rich prairie grasses and forbs. This is a highly degraded ecosystem that has lost almost 99% of its former range due to agriculture and fire suppression. PURPOSE: Oak savannas are ecosystems that are maintained by and require disturbances to clear woody encroachment and open the canopy for the diverse understory. This study took place at the Muskegon State Game Area (MSGA) in Muskegon, Michigan. Our objective was to determine the quality of the oak savanna restoration across three management practices and measure the carbon storage potential of the ecosystem. These findings will be disseminated to the game manager at MSGA. SUBJECTS: We quantified carbon stored in restored plots of savanna, then compared the changes in carbon sequestration to plant species diversity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We established three restoration sites, each with a grid of sample points. At each point, we collected canopy cover and solar radiation data using hemispheric photography, total carbon measures with USDA standard methods, and plant species community composition figures. ANALYSES: Using multivariate tests, we determined differences in community composition, total carbon, and environmental factors. These differences were then compared using a canonical correspondence analysis to find a link between community composition and carbon sequestration. RESULTS: The three sites were vastly different in multiple environmental factors and community composition. The site that is undergoing intense restoration saw a moderate increase in carbon storage compared to the minimally managed site, but also had the highest species diversity. CONCLUSIONS: Management for restoration can have many goals, but sometimes different goals contradict each other. In this site, intense management will yield higher species diversity but will offer little help with carbon storage in the future.
Carbon Sequestration in a Restored West Michigan Oak Savanna: Implications on Management Practices
The savanna system is an ecotone (i.e. a barrier ecosystem) that lies between forest and grassland ecosystems. They occur across the world in various forms, but in the North American Midwest, they are specifically oak savannas: systems, where the open overstory is dominated by various species of oak (Quercus spp.) and the understory consists of carbon-rich prairie grasses and forbs. This is a highly degraded ecosystem that has lost almost 99% of its former range due to agriculture and fire suppression. PURPOSE: Oak savannas are ecosystems that are maintained by and require disturbances to clear woody encroachment and open the canopy for the diverse understory. This study took place at the Muskegon State Game Area (MSGA) in Muskegon, Michigan. Our objective was to determine the quality of the oak savanna restoration across three management practices and measure the carbon storage potential of the ecosystem. These findings will be disseminated to the game manager at MSGA. SUBJECTS: We quantified carbon stored in restored plots of savanna, then compared the changes in carbon sequestration to plant species diversity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We established three restoration sites, each with a grid of sample points. At each point, we collected canopy cover and solar radiation data using hemispheric photography, total carbon measures with USDA standard methods, and plant species community composition figures. ANALYSES: Using multivariate tests, we determined differences in community composition, total carbon, and environmental factors. These differences were then compared using a canonical correspondence analysis to find a link between community composition and carbon sequestration. RESULTS: The three sites were vastly different in multiple environmental factors and community composition. The site that is undergoing intense restoration saw a moderate increase in carbon storage compared to the minimally managed site, but also had the highest species diversity. CONCLUSIONS: Management for restoration can have many goals, but sometimes different goals contradict each other. In this site, intense management will yield higher species diversity but will offer little help with carbon storage in the future.