Plant Response Following Soil Disturbance in a Longleaf Pine Ecosystem

• Published in: The journal of the Torrey Botanical Society Vol. 128; no. 3; pp. 208 - 218
• Main Authors: Simkin, Samuel M., Michener, William K., Wyatt, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence Torrey Botanical Society 01.07.2001
• Subjects: Ecological disturbance; Ecosystems; Forbs; Geomys pinetis; Grasses; Plant roots; Plants; Seedlings; Soil disturbance; Soil ecology; Vegetation
• ISSN: 1095-5674; 1940-0616
• DOI: 10.2307/3088712

Soil disturbance by pocket gophers (Geomys pinetis) in a longleaf pine ecosystem had a limited impact on plant community composition, in contrast to significant changes documented in grassland ecosystems. No species or functional groups (grasses, forbs, or legumes) increased on pocket gopher mounds relative to undisturbed plots. Seedling recruitment was low, annuals were uncommon, and exotics were absent, with or without fire or soil disturbances. As a result of resprouting, however, plant stem density and species richness of plots measured before fire, one month after fire, 13 months after fire, and 25 months after fire were qualitatively similar. Simulated root destruction treatments kept bare soil microsites open longer, but still did not make them suitable refugia for colonizing species. The resprouting response shown here may be common in other ecosystems where climatic conditions are extreme, clonal perennial plants dominate the flora, and a history of frequent fire has exerted strong selective pressure for a generalized resprouting response to disturbance.