The Life of a White Mountains Bristlecone
The Life of a White Mountains Bristlecone
The Life of a White Mountains Bristlecone
- No tags were found...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Population Ecology <strong>of</strong> Long-Lived &Long-Dead Charismatic MegafloraAdelia Barber, PhD StudentUniversity <strong>of</strong> California Santa Cruz
Population Ecology1. Estimate vital rates <strong>of</strong> each lifestage (Growth, Survival orMortality, Reproduction)1. Analyze numbers, rates <strong>of</strong>variability, estimates <strong>of</strong>uncertainty=>Demographic Models⇒Matrix Voodoo⇒Mathematical Hell, etc....
Long-lived species are difficult to study!1. It is impossible to directly study entire life-spans.2. Recruitment and mortality events for long-lived speciesare rare and difficult to record.Solution: records <strong>of</strong> past births and deaths!Sadly, almost all species decompose following death andmost have unmarked graves.
Sampling for Birth & Death Dates
Spatially Explicit Graveyards
Campito MountainCampito
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>
A few calculations….2008 Cones on Campito: 12,67750‐200 Seeds per cone, 80‐85% viability507,000 – 2,028,000 seeds (poor cone year)Next year: 1.5 –6 million seeds?
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION99%
Caged seed experiment:98% unprotected seed was gone within a month53/ 14000 protected seeds germinated30 produced needles1 is still alive
62 People Hours spent searching the ground500 sq. meters <strong>of</strong> optimal germination placesFOUND: 9 Baby <strong>Bristlecone</strong>s!4 are still alive
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION
older juvenile
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION9
Number <strong>of</strong>SeedlingsGerminatedin a Year(cool & wet) CLIMATE INDEX (hot & dry)
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION9
• Living treeExample 3
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION0 ‐ 9
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION0 ‐ 9
Episodes <strong>of</strong> recruitment and mortalityBirthsDeaths10Temperature Anomaly (°C)+.20‐ .2‐ .4‐ .6‐ .8‐ 12000 1600 1200 800 400 0Years Before Present86420Birth or Deaths per 100 years
Correlated episodes <strong>of</strong>recruitment and mortality43.532.5Live fast dieyoung!!!21.510.5Slow N’Steady…R 2 = .7400 1 2 3 4 5 6Births per 100 years
LIGHTNING!73% <strong>of</strong> Campito SnagsBURN SCOOPSCHARCOALSHATTERED WOOD+Lots <strong>of</strong> Fulgurite
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>White</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>Bristlecone</strong>.5‐6 MILLION0 ‐ 9
7000 B.P.‐5000 BC
6000 B.P.‐4000 BC
5000 B.P.‐3000 BC
4000 B.P.‐2000 BC
3000 B.P.‐1000 BC
2000 B.P.0 AD
1000 B.P.1000 AD
500 B.P.1500 AD
Demographic Modeling & Elasticities12
Thanks!<strong>White</strong> Mountain Research StationTim Forsell, Lisa Bedient, John Smiley & Denise Waterbury<strong>White</strong> Mountain Minigrant ProgramNational Science Foundation GRFP & DDIG ProgramsSTEPS InstituteU. <strong>of</strong> Arizona LTRR & Tom HarlanDan Doak & Ingrid ParkerKeren Crum, Mary Goldman, Dave Rowland, WillSatterthwaite, Roderick Bale, George Grossman, ColinMaher, Nathan Diem, Marcos Grabiel, Daniel Nagy, JeffGarcia, Elizabeth Hooshiar, Steve Jensen, StephanieKimisuka, Ricky Creelman, Sau Vong, Jimmy Spaulding,Connie Millar and Michael Loik
Change language