Forest Ecology

Question 1

Shade tolerance

Answer 1

– ability to establish and grow in shade.

Question 2

Upper tree layer

Answer 2

Canopy

Question 3

Shrub/herb layer

Answer 3

understory

Question 4

forest floor layer

Answer 4

forest floor

Question 5

Local differences in forest types influenced by

Answer 5

Precipitation temperature
elevation

Question 6

what can dense canopies do?

Answer 6

eliminate understory

Question 7

Keeps some shade on the site at all times – what does it promote

Answer 7

Partial Harvest Forestry
tends to promote regeneration of shade tolerant trees

Question 8

what does canopy affect?

Answer 8

watershed
-through transpiration and interception
-cleans water

Question 9

Transpiration

Answer 9

water evaporating from the leaves

Question 10

Interception

Answer 10

water held in the canopy of trees

Question 11

The forest floor intercepts precipitation, acts as

Answer 11

as a thermal barrier, controls nutrient cycling,
physical barrier preventing erosion.

Question 12

Feather moss and forest floor also intercept snow and rain - acts like

Answer 12

a sponge

Question 13

Forests usually have a closed C cycle over millennia, explain this

Answer 13

-C uptake, storage = release back the
atmosphere over the longterm
-Forest fires, insects, disease can speed the cycle of C back to the atmosphere
-Solid Wood products take C out of the loop: 1 to 500 years-

Question 14

how much carbon do Forest floor and deeper soil store

Answer 14

as much or more C than in the trees

Question 15

how many trees do you need to store C

Answer 15

2 billion

Question 16

Forests are source of clean stream water but

Answer 16

reduce the total flow