Understory Regeneration

A team of researchers led by forest ecologist Michelle Spicer is providing new insights into the impact on native plant species

Natural disturbances such as tornadoes, ice storms or insect outbreaks can maintain forest diversity by creating a heterogeneous forest ecosystem. Yet, almost all forest landscapes are subject to multiple human- or animal-created stressors, which can deter plant diversity and forest recovery after natural disturbances. In the first large-scale field experiment that tested four simultaneous disturbances, a team of researchers led by forest ecologist Michelle Spicer is providing new insights into the impact of these disturbances on helping native plant species.

Using an area in western Pennsylvania that was struck by a tornado in 2012, the team picked four large tornado blowdowns where most of the overstory fell to the ground. Researchers compared the plant groups in the experimental area to undisturbed nearby forest areas, attempting to explain the effects of deer browsing, biomass changes and salvage logging on understory regeneration and plant species diversity.

Read Michelle Spicer's full story on the College of Arts and Sciences