Northern hardwood forests in northern lower Michigan.

Abstract

The presence of the northern hardwood forest type in Northern Lower Michigan is the result of many different factors. Glacial landforms and deposits, nutrient cycling in the soil, specially adapted species, successional processes, and compositional and typographical changes brought about by disturbance are all critical occurrences that allow for the persistence of northern hardwood forests. Because disturbance is such a prevalent aspect of forest ecology, the northern hardwood forest is constantly changing, but it is also apparent that certain species are dominant over time.