Chapter 4: Plant Succession and Disturbances in the Urban Forest Ecosystem1
Welcome to Chapter 4 of the publication Restoring the Urban Forest Ecosystem. This publication consists of 10 chapters available only in PDF format. The chapters explain basic ecological principles for the urban forest's water, soil, plant and animal communities. They discuss problems common in the urban forest such as aquatic eutrophication, soil aeration, invasive plants and loss of biodiversity. Solutions, strategies, examples, and additional resources are presented to help make urban forest restoration projects successful.
Abstract
Ecosystems are dynamic. Disturbances lead to changes in ecosystems, collectively called succession. Disturbances can be natural and/or anthropogenic (human-caused). Natural disturbances, such as wildfire, play an important role in forest succession. Knowledge of natural disturbance regimes is important to maintaining biodiversity. In forest succession, species composition, ecosystem structure and ecosystem functioning all change gradually over time. In urban areas, the alterations of natural disturbance regimes, along with the introduction of invasive species have altered natural succession. Natural disturbances vary in spatial scale (from small to large areas) and temporal scale (from hours to eons). Variation in the temporal and spatial scales of disturbances leads to ecosystems spread over the landscape that are in different successional stages. This landscape diversity meets the needs of a variety of wildlife species. In order to restore more natural successional regimes, we have to learn about ecosystems: their natural disturbance regimes, their expected stages of succession, and how they fit into the overall landscape. Small-scale urban forestry projects should incorporate the concepts of succession, while eliminating invasive species and re-introducing natural disturbance regimes. Large-scale projects can also adopt these strategies, but have the additional opportunity to manage for several stages of succession across the landscape and to restore missing stages of succession.
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Footnotes
This document is part of Circular 1266, and Fact Sheet FOR 93, part of a series. School of Forestry Resources and Conservation, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published August 2001.
Eliana Kämpf Binelli, former Extension Forester, Henry L. Gholz, Professor, and Mary L. Duryea, Professor and Extension Forester, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611.
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contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
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University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
