C. Ross Hinkle

DECREASED LEAF‐MINER ABUNDANCE IN ELEVATED CO2: REDUCED LEAF QUALITY AND INCREASED PARASITOID ATTACK

Most studies on the effects of elevated CO2 have focused on the effects on plant growth and ecosystem processes. Fewer studies have examined the effects of elevated CO2 on herbivory, and of these, most have examined feeding rates in laboratory conditions. Our study takes advantage of an open-top CO2 fertilization study in a Florida scrub-oak community to examine the effects of elevated CO2 on herbivore densities, herbivore feeding rates, and levels of attack of herbivores by natural enemies. Higher atmospheric CO2 concentration reduced plant foliar nitrogen concentrations, decreased abundance of leaf-mining insect herbivores, increased per capita leaf consumption by leafminers, and increased leafminer mortality. As suggested by other authors, reduced foliar quality contributed to the increase in herbivore mortality, but only partly. The major factor increasing mortality was higher attack rate by parasitoids. Thus increasing CO2 concentrations may reduce the survivorship of insect herbivores directly, by reducing plant quality, but also indirectly, by changing herbivore feeding and eliciting greater top-down pressure from natural enemies.

NITROGEN CYCLING DURING SEVEN YEARS OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2 ENRICHMENT IN A SCRUB OAK WOODLAND

Experimentally increasing atmospheric CO2 often stimulates plant growth and ecosystem carbon (C) uptake. Biogeochemical theory predicts that these initial responses will immobilize nitrogen (N) in plant biomass and soil organic matter, causing N availability to plants to decline, and reducing the long-term CO2-stimulation of C storage in N limited ecosystems. While many experiments have examined changes in N cycling in response to elevated CO2, empirical tests of this theoretical prediction are scarce. During seven years of postfire recovery in a scrub oak ecosystem, elevated CO2 initially increased plant N accumulation and plant uptake of tracer 15N, peaking after four years of CO2 enrichment. Between years four and seven, these responses to CO2 declined. Elevated CO2 also increased N and tracer 15N accumulation in the O horizon, and reduced 15N recovery in underlying mineral soil. These responses are consistent with progressive N limitation: the initial CO2 stimulation of plant growth immobilized N in plant biomass and in the O horizon, progressively reducing N availability to plants. Litterfall production (one measure of aboveground primary productivity) increased initially in response to elevated CO2, but the CO2 stimulation declined during years five through seven, concurrent with the accumulation of N in the O horizon and the apparent restriction of plant N availability. Yet, at the level of aboveground plant biomass (estimated by allometry), progressive N limitation was less apparent, initially because of increased N acquisition from soil and later because of reduced N concentration in biomass as N availability declined. Over this seven-year period, elevated CO2 caused a redistribution of N within the ecosystem, from mineral soils, to plants, to surface organic matter. In N limited ecosystems, such changes in N cycling are likely to reduce the response of plant production to elevated CO2.

Estimating Occupancy of Gopher Tortoise (Gorpherus polyphemus) Burrows in Coastal Scrub and Slash Pine Flatwoods

One hundred twelve plots were established in coastal scrub and slash pine flatwoods habitats on the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to evaluate relationships between the number of burrows and gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) density. All burrows were located within these plots and were classified according to tortoise activity. Depending on season, bucket trapping, a stick method, a gopher tortoise pulling device, and a camera system were used to estimate tortoise occupancy. Correction factors (% of burrows occupied) were calculated by season and habitat type. Our data suggest that <20% of the active and inactive burrows combined were occupied during seasons when gopher tortoises were active. Correction factors were higher in poorly-drained areas and lower in well-drained areas during the winter, when gopher tortoise activity was low. Correction factors differed from studies elsewhere, indicating that population estimates require correction factors specific to the site and season to accurately estimate pop- ulation size.

Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Densities in Coastal Scrub and Slash Pine Flatwoods in Florida

Densities of gopher tortoises were compared with habitat characteristics in scrub and in flatwood habitats on the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Tortoises were distributed widely among habitat types and did not have higher densities in well-drained (oak-palmetto) than in poorly-drained (saw palmetto) habitats. Fall densities of tortoises ranged from a mean of 2.7 individuals/ha in disturbed habitat to 0.0 individuals/ha in saw palmetto habitat. Spring densities of tortoises ranged from a mean of 2.5 individuals/ha in saw palmetto habitat to 0.7 individuals/ha in oak-palmetto habitat. Densities of tortoises were correlated positively with the percent herbaceous cover, an indicator of food resources. Plots were divided into three burn classes; these were areas burned within three years, burned four to seven years, and unburned for more than seven years prior to the study. Relationships between densities of tortoises and time-since-fire classes were inconsistent.

Changes in community composition and biomass inJuncus roemerianus scheele andSpartina bakeri merr. marshes one year after a fire

Fires occur naturally in many wetlands and are widely used for marsh management. We examined the responses to fire ofJuncus roemerianus andSpartina bakeri marshes on Kennedy Space Center, Florida. In each marsh, we determined vegetation cover before burning on 5 permanent 15 m transects in the greater than 0.5 m and less than 0.5 m layers and sampled biomass on 25 plots (0.25 m2). One year after burning, we repeated the sampling. Species composition one year after burning was similar to that before the fire in bothJuncus andSpartina marshes. Minor species tended to increase, but this was significant only in the less than 0.5 m layer. In mixed stands, fire appeared to favorSpartina bakeri. Total cover (sum of the cover values for each species) in both marshes reestablished by one year after burning. Biomass did not recover as rapidly. In theJuncus marsh one year after burning, live biomass was 47.2%, standing dead 18.7%, and total biomass 29.3% of that before burning. In theSpartina marsh, biomass one year after burning was live 42.3%, standing dead 21.4%, and total 30.7% of that before burning. Fire increased the ratio of live to dead biomass from 0.82 before burning to 1.85 one year after the fire in theJuncus marsh. In theSpartina marsh, the ratio of live to dead biomass increased from 0.80 before burning to 1.59 one year after burning.

Soil Dynamics Following Fire in Juncus and Spartina Marshes

We examined soil changes in the 0–5 and 5–15 cm layers for one year after a fire in burnedJuncus roemerianus andSpartina bakeri marshes and an unburnedJuncus marsh. Each marsh was sampled (N=25) preburn, immediately postburn, and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postburn. All marshes were flooded at the time of the fire; water levels declined below the surface by 6 months but reflooded at 12 months after the fire. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, organic matter, exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K, available PO4−P, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), exchangeable NO3−N, NO2−N, and NH4−N. Changes due to burning were most pronounced in the surface (0–5 cm) layer. Soil pH increased 0.16–0.28 units immediately postburn but returned to preburn levels in 1 month. Organic matter increased by 1 month and remained elevated through 9 months after the fire. Calcium, Mg, K, and PO4−P all increased by 1 month after burning, and the increases persisted for 6 to 12 months. Conductivity increased in association with these cations. Burning released ions from organic matter as indicated by the increase in pH, conductivity, Ca, Mg, K, and PO4−P. NH4−N in burned marshes was elevated 6 months and NO3−N 12 months after burning. TKN showed seasonal variations but no clear fire-related changes. Nitrogen species were affected by the seasonally varying water levels as well as fire; these changes differed from those observed in many upland systems.