Autecology: Student Driven Lectures

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Autecology Student Driven Lectures
Five Approaches Critical topics and weight given
to the five approaches

• Concepts (e.g., meristems, modules, sun-shade,
  young vs. old)
• Processes (e.g., transpiration, photosynthesis,
  growth, carbon allocation)
• Species Focus (e.g., black cottonwood,
  Douglas-fir, Pacific silver fir)
• Systems Understanding (e.g., subalpine)
• Management implications (e.g., pruning, urban
  trees)

Clearly illustrate each one
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Key Concepts

• Big-picture integration, scaling.
• Mid-picture structure - function, gene -
  environment,
• Micro-picture - meristems, modules

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Key Concepts - 2

• Gene vs. environment
• Why?
• What does it confer?

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Processes

• Transpiration - forest or ecosystem scale
• Concept Energy balance

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Processes - 2 - transpiration at tree scale

• Role of crown class in whole tree water loss or
  transpiration - why?

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Species Focus Black cottonwood

• Over the range of distribution of black
  cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) are their
  genetic differences? What are the nature of
  these differences?
• What ecophysiological features help one to
  understand the distribution and success (or lack
  of) of Potr?
• What life history and reproductive traits are
  important?
• How have human activities impacted Pote?

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Species Focus Black cottonwood

• Relationship between flow regime and vegetative
  and reproductive activity.

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Species Focus Black cottonwood
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Species Focus Black cottonwood

• What do we know about whole tree?
• Canopy architecture
• Transpiration
• Photosynthesis
• Root growth

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Species Focus Black cottonwood

• What do we know about the ecophysiology of black
  cottonwood?

Source Biology of Populus, NRC Press, 1996
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Systems Understanding
Example systems treelines, riparian zones, etc.

• What controls species distribution, function and
  form at high elevations? What determines
  treelines?
• Role of snow
• Role of wind and ice
• Role of cold soils
• Role of cool growing season temperatures

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Management/human Implications
Air pollution, global climate change

• Fertilization increases leaf area index
• Fertilization irrigation increase LAI
• Concept Beers law light interception
• Scale stand
• Process Photosynthesis

Pinus taeda, Scotland Co., North Carolina
(Albaugh et al. 1998)
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Your choices