About This Project

Ecological systems move on long timescales which require long-term study. Forest dynamics at the Ross Biological Reserve have been measured continuously every decade since 1949. In 2019, we are due for the 80 year study, but do not have the required funding to complete this. With the funds to support a crew of six we plan to complete the 2019 census from April to September. We plan to take our collected data and all previous data and digitize it making the data publicly available online.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Long-term ecological data lets us ask two main questions. How does community structure and species diversity change through time? How does forest productivity change through time?

During the last 70 years, researchers discovered a gradual decline in native shrubs and dogwood and a rise of invasive shrubs like honeysuckle. They also found an almost complete turnover of the dominant species of trees. In other long-term studies, many unexpected patterns emerged only after study for >100 years, highlighting the urgent need for long-term study. Currently, a large number of invasive pests are currently decimating forests in North America. We do not yet know how these pests change the forest. Our 2019 census study will create the data set making this a 80 year long study.

What is the significance of this project?

Forest dynamics are slow, and trees live a very long time. The dynamics of forests cannot be captured during the brief time-scale of grant funding cycles or graduate theses. Instead, to understand how forests are structured, and how they change, we must watch them for decades or even centuries. The Ross Reserve data-set lets us do this.

There are relatively few data sets that are as long-term as the Ross Reserve survey. This is almost completely unique, and incredibly valuable. With the retirement of the faculty member who has maintained the survey, there is a chance that data collection will end.

The Ross Reserve has been part of 130 publications, dozens of dissertations, and has a number of ongoing other projects.

What are the goals of the project?

In our 2019 census we will first identify new individual trees recruited into the the forest and track tree mortality. Second, we will measure the size of trees estimating productivity and map the exact position of every tree in the reserve. Third, we will synthesize dynamics over 80 years. The census has continued unbroken since 1949 and we need your support to continue this data set bringing it to year 80.

The data sets from all censuses prior to 2009, are on physical paper. Part of this project is to digitize these data and make it all publicly available.