Understanding the Relationships among Biodiversity, Forest Management, and Invasive Species Disturbance in a Forested New England Landscape
Participating Institution:
Unity College
Team leader:
Amy Arnett
Team Members:
Abstract
It is known that the biodiversity of insects and other invertebrates is a central component of ecosystem function, not only because they constitute a great part of the animal biomass, but they also act as ecosystem engineers. However, what is not clear is how disturbances directly and indirectly change the role these invertebrates play in maintaining ecosystem function. We propose to investigate the relationship of both biotic and abiotic variables on plant and invertebrate diversity, with two foci which are of particular concern to Maine forests: 1) the impact on biodiversity of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand), and 2) the impact on biodiversity of the current forestry practice of complete woody debris removal.
