Thesis
Down Woody Debris Microsite Facilitation for Black Huckleberry (Vaccinium Membranacuem Dougl.) Seedlings
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000006353
Abstract
Black huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum) is an economically, ecologically, and culturally important shrub species in the Pacific and Inland Northwest. As a result of fire suppression and climate change, suitable habitats for V. membranaceum and therefore continued V. membranaceum survival and production are in decline. We tested down woody debris (DWD) as a restoration tool to supplement unsuitable habitat conditions and promote V. membranaceum health and survival. DWD has been identified as a tool for creating microsites of favorable abiotic growing conditions to facilitate seedling establishment and survival. In testing the microsite spatial pattern and applicability to V. membranaceum seedlings we hypothesized that V. membranaceum seedlings would have greater survival, health, and growth on the north DWD aspect and closer to DWD, associated with locations of lower soil surface temperature (SST) and higher soil volumetric water content (VWC). To test the DWD microsite hypotheses, we planted one year old V. membranaceum seedlings at four distances (0.0 meters, 0.25 m, 0.5 m, and 1.5 m) from DWD, on the north and south DWD aspects. We repeated this design at six logs per site, and three sites in northern Idaho. We monitored the seedlings for 1-2 growing seasons, taking monthly measurements of survival, seedling stress level, chlorophyll fluorescence, seedling height, basal diameter, canopy cover, SST, and VWC. Our results show that seedlings planted on the north DWD aspect and at closer distances to DWD (0 meters and 0.25 meters) have the highest probability of survival, lowest stress levels, and highest values of chlorophyll fluorescence. These locations were also associated with lowest SST and highest VWC. These results were highly significant and supportive of our hypotheses, demonstrating the benefit of DWD to V. membranaceum seedlings. The survival we observed within the spatial pattern of the DWD microsite indicates that intentional placement or retention of DWD may help to supplement V. membranaceum habitats and therefore promote V. membranaceum survival as climate change and fire suppression continue to create unsuitable habitats. DWD microsites should be tested on other species and in varying habitats in order to establish ubiquity as a restoration tool.
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Details
- Title
- Down Woody Debris Microsite Facilitation for Black Huckleberry (Vaccinium Membranacuem Dougl.) Seedlings
- Creators
- Margaret I. S. Magee
- Contributors
- Mark E Swanson (Advisor)Henry D Adams (Committee Member)Andrew S Nelson (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- School of the Environment (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 102
- Identifiers
- 99901087337601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis