Unpublished Paper
The role of herbaceous woodland perennial diversity for improving nutrient uptake of riparian areas
Leopold Center Completed Grant Reports
Project ID
E2006-03
Abstract
Investigation of disturbed and intact woodlands herbaceous understories provided information on species present, biomass production and nutrient capture in preserved and secondary forests.
Key Question
What characteristics of woodland understory plant communities are functionally important in agricultural landscapes?
Findings
The number, frequency, and abundance of different understory herbaceous species, especially spring-growing species, are greater in preserved forests than in secondary or disturbed forests, and are important for maintaining biodiversity and contributing to nutrient capture. Certain spring-growing species produce large amounts of biomass and substantially increase nutrient capture in the understory. Including these species in riparian woodland restoration should lead to increased effectiveness for nutrient capture.
Principal Investigator(s)
Jan R. Thompson
Co-Investigator(s)
Cathy Mabry McMullen
Year of Grant Completion
2009
Disciplines
Citation Information
Janette Thompson and Catherine Mabry McMullen. "The role of herbaceous woodland perennial diversity for improving nutrient uptake of riparian areas" (2009) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/catherine_mcmullen/6/