Primary succession and forest development on coastal Lake Michigan sand dunes

• Published in: Ecological monographs 1998-11, Vol.68 (4), p.487-510
• Main Author: Lichter, J. (Duke University, Durham, NC.)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; BIODIVERSIDAD; BIODIVERSITE; BIODIVERSITY; Biological and medical sciences; Biological diversity; Coastal flora; Coasts; Coniferous forests; Dunes; ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION; Environmental aspects; Forest ecology; Forest ecosystems; Forest soils; Forest succession; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lakes; MICHIGAN; Mineral soils; PLANT SUCCESSION; Sand dunes; Soil ecology; Species; SPECIES DIVERSITY; SUCCESSION ECOLOGIQUE; SUCESION ECOLOGICA; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; VEGETACION; VEGETATION
• ISSN: 0012-9615; 1557-7015
• DOI: 10.2307/2657151

Vegetation and soil properties were described across a well-dated sand-dune chronosequence bordering northern Lake Michigan to document patterns and rates of primary succession and forest ecosystem development, and to determine environmental constraints that potentially drive succession and regulate species diversity. The site experienced frequent and continuing formation of 72 shore-parallel dune ridges over the past 2375 yr. Across the chronosequence represented by the youngest 13 dune ridges aged 25-440 yr, there were clear patterns of species turnover and community convergence as well as successional changes in species diversity, aboveground biomass, aboveground litter production, net ecosystem production, nutrient pools, and nutrient cycling. Dune-building species were replaced by evergreen shrubs and bunchgrass within 100 yr, which in turn, were replaced by mixed pine forest within 345 yr. Plant-species richness increased to a peak in developing forest at 285 yr but thereafter decreased as early-successional species disappeared from the communities. Rates of species addition peaked between 95 and 145 yr as forest species invaded, whereas rates of species loss peaked between 345 and 440 yr as early-successional species were lost from the developing forest. Development of the forest ecosystem required ∼300 yr (i.e., 145-440 years). Total ecosystem carbon increased in a logistic manner to 128 Mg C/ha, with net ecosystem production peaking at 30 g C·m-2·yr-1in developing forest. Aboveground biomass and O horizon mass increased to ∼137 Mg/ha and ∼79 Mg/ha, respectively, whereas aboveground litter production increased to 3.5 Mg·ha-1·yr-1at 440 yr, but thereafter varied between 175 and 350 Mg·ha-1·yr-1. Total carbon and total nitrogen in the upper 15 cm of mineral soil and O horizon accumulated to ∼42 Mg/ha and ∼1.36 Mg/ha, respectively. Estimated average rates of carbon and nitrogen accumulation over 440 yr of ecosystem aggradation were 23.2 g·m-2·yr-1for carbon and 0.38 g·m-2·yr-1for nitrogen. Because nitrogen-fixing plants are rare on the upland dune ridges, ecosystem aggradation depends largely on atmospheric nitrogen inputs. Following colonization by conifers, soil acidification resulted in rapid leaching losses of calcium and magnesium, whereas phosphorus and potassium were cycled more tightly. The dune chronosequence represents a complex gradient of changing environmental constraints that differentially reduce the survival, growth, and reproduction o