Five decades of succession after severe disturbance in a permanent plot in northern lower Michigan.

Abstract

In 1938 a series of permanent plots was established to compare vegetational change on different soil types in northern lower Michigan. Plot 6 is located on wet sandy soil. A windthrow in 1940 removed the 15 year old stand of Populus tremuloides that had grown up after logging and fire in the 1920's. Alnus rugosa dominated the plot and has continued to through 1991. Acer rubrum, Betula papyrifera, and Abies balsamea which increased in density immediately after the windthrow began to decline in density between 10-15 years afterward because of mortality and low recruitment. Fraxinus nigra has continued to multiply and may become the next dominant overstory species.