A comparison between Cornus rugosa and Viburnum acerifolium in terms of shade tolerance, nutrient requirement, and their roles in the succession on disturbed sites.

Abstract

After observing Viburnum and Cornus at different sites throughout the UMBS campus and surrounding areas, I can say a lot about their shade tolerance, nutrient requirements, preferred habitats, and roles in succession on disturbed sites. They are both tolerant of shade and grow taller when found in the shade. But, Cornus is able to live and thrive in the direct sunlight whereas Viburnum cannot. They are both found on sandy sites but Viburnum is generally found on more moist, nutrient rich soils and Cornus is often found on nutrient poor, dry soils. They both seem to prefer soils that are near neutral in pH. Both can be found disturbed sites but the time they arrive after the disturbance is quite different for each. Cornus tends to arrive very soon after the disturbance occurs and Viburnum arrives much later when more vegetation is present and the soil contains more nutrients. Moreover, it will seed in more quickly if the disturbed area is found near a woods in which Viburnum is present. As the disturbed site succeeds into a wooded area, Cornus will tend to become less prevalent whereas Viburnum will become more abundant. This is due to the amount of space that each requires; Cornus requires much more space and cannot compete well with other plant species as they become more dense. Therefore, Cornus is only present for a relatively short amount of time on disturbed areas whereas Viburnum seems to be a more permanent feature of wooded areas.