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Dendroecology of Piñon Trees At the Los Pinos Mountains on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. By Jason Lopez. Dendroecology- Is the study of how age and growth of the trees reflects the underlining ecological processes and conditions. Why do trees produce annual rings?.
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Dendroecology of Piñon Trees At the Los Pinos Mountains on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge By Jason Lopez
Dendroecology- Is the study of how age and growth of the trees reflects the underlining ecological processes and conditions.
Why do trees produce annual rings? • Limiting factors control the growth of the tree. • Water • Temperature • Competition and insect herbivory • Soil and geomorphological characteristics
Colorado Piñon • Colorado Piñon ( Pinus edulis ) Two-needle • Piñon are conifer trees and produce dark annual rings. • The oldest piñon tree discovered in Northeastern Utah is approximately 973 years.
Piñon Pine Distribution • Occurs 4,500 to 9,000 ft. • Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado
Purpose • To explore correlations between growth and age in piñon trees. • See how the sites characteristics and geomorphology of the area might have influenced the trees growth.
Study Site • The Los Pinos Mountains are a poorly studied area, and are dominated by Piñon-Juniper Woodlands
Field & Lab Equipment • Increment Borers • Field book • Clip board • Cleaning kit • GPS • Tape • Measuring tape • Drinking straws • Cleaning patches • Dissecting scope • Straws
Field Methods • 5 Locations • North Facing Slope • South Facing Slope • East Facing Slope • 2 Ridges • 2 cores were collected from 5 trees at each site.
Field Methods • Diameter root crown (DRC) of each tree was measured • Height at which core sample was taken was measured. • Crown, tree height and distance to nearest trees were measured
Lab Methods • Seedlings were cut down and taken back to the lab to analyze. • Seedlings were the same height as the core samples • Cores were mounted and sanded down for analysis. • Rings were counted on all cores.
Analytical Methods • Skeleton plots were created for each core.
Summary • No correlation between height and age. • There is a strong correlation between diameter root crown (DRC) and age. • There is a good correlation between volume and age. • There were differences among slopes and geomorphological setting with respect to growth patterns
Discussion • There were indications that there were differences among slopes with respect to growth patterns embedded in the general all-sites regression. • However a larger sample size is need to confirm these patterns. • The oldest tree found was 229 years old.
Further Research • Explore more of the soils and the site’s landscape. • Sample other parts of the Los Pinos mountain. • Past climate • Fire history.
Special Thanks ToJennifer Johnson • Thanks for hiring me • Thanks for not firing me • Thanks for putting up with me • Thanks for making fun of me • Thanks for helping me with my project and grammar • Thanks for not letting the other REUs kill me • AND JUST PLAIN THANKS FOR EVERYTHING.
Acknowledgements • Esteban Muldavin • Leslie D. McFadden • Jennifer Johnson • All of the REU’s • Interns • Sevilleta LTER REU program • US Fish and Wildlife Service • National Science Foundation • University of New Mexico • The oldest tree found here was 229 years old
Questions? ? ? ?