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Poster
The University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study: Light availability, soil texture, and soil seedbanks in Hardwood- vs. Pine-dominated forests
Student Scholars Symposium and Faculty Research Showcase (University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, 04/18/2024)
Abstract
The importance of soil cannot be understated for forest ecosystems, as it comprises the foundation supporting plants by providing nutrients and water necessary for growth and reproduction. Soil texture influences all of these.
Three primary particles determine texture: sand, silt, and clay. These arise as products of weathering from both abiotic processes (e.g., water, solar radiation) and biotic factors (e.g., microbes, plants).
A relevant abiotic factor when comparing forest types is solar radiation. Higher solar radiation can increase weathering and alter soil texture (Gilliam et al. 2014). Thus, contrasting canopy types may have different levels of solar radiation leading to different soil texture.
The UWF Campus Ecosystem Study (CES) has to date studied pine-dominated stands of the main campus and natural areas (Gilliam et al. 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). Our study addressed the following questions: (1) how does light vary with forest type? (2) how does soil texture vary with stand type? (3) is there a soil seed bank?
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UWF's Pensacola campus is a unique ecosystem. This professor works to protect and study it
Pensacola News Journal (PNJ) (Tom McLaughlin)Details
- Title
- The University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study: Light availability, soil texture, and soil seedbanks in Hardwood- vs. Pine-dominated forests
- Resource Type
- Poster
- Event
- Student Scholars Symposium and Faculty Research Showcase (University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, 04/18/2024)
- Contributors
- Frank S Gilliam (Faculty Mentor) - University of West Florida, Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering
- Copyright
- Permission granted to the University of West Florida Libraries by the author to digitize and/or display this information for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires the permission of the copyright holder.
- Identifiers
- 99380556096806600
- Academic Unit
- Earth and Environmental Sciences; Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English