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Frankenberg_Thesis_v24_FINAL.pdf (1.17 MB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
Fire, Forest, Ice, and Fungi: Exploring The Mesh Of Relationships Driving Seedling Regeneration In The Siberian Arctic
Author Info
Frankenberg, Sarah J
ORCID® Identifier
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0633-7010
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1596147602477988
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2020, Master of Science (M.S.), University of Dayton, Biology.
Abstract
Arctic warming may influence the global climate system by altering of ecological processes that preserve vast quantities of carbon stored in permafrost. Thirty-two percent of global forest carbon stock is stored in boreal forests, and a majority of this carbon is found in Russian forests. Boreal forests of the Siberian Arctic are dominated by monospecific stands of
Larix cajanderii
that grow on permafrost and may sequester up to 35% of the carbon stored in Russian boreal forests. Due to the spatial extent of its range, the single-species nature of this forest, and permafrost underlying these forests,
Larix cajanderii
is a crucial component of the Siberian Arctic carbon sink and may be a key regulator of global climate. This boreal tree species is symbiotic with ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are critical to their growth. Post fire recruitment density of
L. cajanderii
varies widely, and may be impacted by surrounding vegetation and fungal communities. In this study, I investigate factors affecting ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) colonization of roots of
L. cajanderii
in plots representing a gradient of seedling density after fire in northeast Siberia. In nine burn scars among upland or lowland landscape positions, I measured soil characteristics, seedling metrics, and surrounding EMF inoculum sources to examine the influence these factors have on EMF colonization of tree seedling roots. To determine the effect of EMF colonization on larch seedlings, I quantified percentage of fine root length colonized by EMF for 110 harvested recruits across density treatments. Seedling density treatments of none, moderate and high were observed and a control treatment located in the adjacent unburned stand. EMF were present on nearly all samples collected for analysis. I found that there is a positive relationship between EMF colonization and fresh seasonal growth of recruited seedlings. Together these results demonstrate that EMF may be essential to seedling success. Site topography influenced EMF colonization rates, and an inverse relationship between soil organic layer (SOL) depth and EMF colonization appeared. From the environmental variables sampled, no trend emerged associating certain habitat characteristics with seedling density, and there was no detectable variation in colonization rates across density treatments. A Principle Components Analysis revealed little difference in SOL depth, thaw depth, canopy openness, moisture, or temperature between density treatments, but between upland and lowland sites a higher degree of separation appeared in regards to these abiotic factors. Surprisingly, proximity and species of nearby EMF host plants influenced the colonization on seedling root systems and may indicate post-fire sources of inoculum for
L. cajanderii
seedlings. This study showed that EMF have increased colonization in shallow SOL depths and in upland habitats. Climate warming affects ecosystem characteristics, potentially influencing post-fire EMF inoculum potential. Understanding the ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization on
L. cajanderii
roots in post-fire habitats will provide insight into the potential resilience of
Larix
forests. Ultimately, this knowledge of the intricacies of vegetation responses to the increasing local disturbance and regional temperature increase may help identify the vulnerability of the ecosystem in the face of climate change.
Committee
Ryan McEwan (Advisor)
Rebecca Hewitt (Committee Member)
Chelse Prather (Committee Member)
Albert Burky (Committee Member)
Pages
58 p.
Subject Headings
Biology
;
Climate Change
;
Forestry
Keywords
Forestry
;
Arctic
;
Ectomycorrhizal fungi
;
Forest Regeneration
Recommended Citations
Refworks
EndNote
RIS
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Citations
Frankenberg, S. J. (2020).
Fire, Forest, Ice, and Fungi: Exploring The Mesh Of Relationships Driving Seedling Regeneration In The Siberian Arctic
[Master's thesis, University of Dayton]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1596147602477988
APA Style (7th edition)
Frankenberg, Sarah.
Fire, Forest, Ice, and Fungi: Exploring The Mesh Of Relationships Driving Seedling Regeneration In The Siberian Arctic.
2020. University of Dayton, Master's thesis.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1596147602477988.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Frankenberg, Sarah. "Fire, Forest, Ice, and Fungi: Exploring The Mesh Of Relationships Driving Seedling Regeneration In The Siberian Arctic." Master's thesis, University of Dayton, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1596147602477988
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
dayton1596147602477988
Download Count:
216
Copyright Info
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Dayton and OhioLINK.