hite pine would be establishing itself and dominating, because disturbed/cleared out areas are where they establish best.5. According to the Study Site section of the Forest Community Structure and Succession lab manual, about 100 years ago College Woods was dominated by large, old white pine. The white pine was dominating due to the observation that the area was most likely cleared during the 1600’s making is a perfect area for white pine to dominate, because they prefer abandoned fields, burned over areas or large canopy openings, areas where they can receive direct sunlight. It was also stated that the understory was exclusively of hemlock and a few beech; which are two of the most shade tolerate trees.Refer to figure ten, the white pine (Ps) was dominant 100 years ago rather then the hemlock (Ts) and black birch (Bl) which are dominant now. And the only two species in the understory were exclusively hemlock and beech (Fg), rather then having a more diverse population of species as we have now of beech, red oak (Qr), red maple (Ar), White pine, sugar maple (As), Yellow birch (Ba) and hophornbeam (Ov). The rest of the species were either not present or at very low quantities, such as the white ash (Fa) is now.6. As discussed in question 4.a. it was found that species of Hemlock and American Beech were increasing, species of Red Oak and White Pine are decreasing rapidly, to the possible point of local extinction, and that Black Birch is staying at approximately the same population. Without any disturbances, the trend should stay the same as it is now. Therefore, in comparison to College Woods now, there will be an increase in hemlock and beech, a great decrease in oak and pine, and constant population of black birch. Also since the abundance’s of all other species ranked below white pine were even smaller then that of white pine, the decreasing trend of the pine it most likely a trait of those ranked lower, therefore the o...
