Succession
Succession is a transition in species composition over ecological time. There are two types of succession: Primary and secondary. Primary is when the area is completely lifeless; nothing is living and no soil is intact. Secondary is when the soil is still intact.
There have been no recent records of primary succession in Yosemite national park so an example would be when the park was first created. This would be before any organisms were present. The park would originate from a rocky area. Moss and lichens would have to appear to begin the process of creating a fertile environment for other plant life. Next to appear would be shrubs and grasses. Finally large trees such as pines and spruces would begin to form the forest. Once the plant life is developed, animal life can begin to increase in the area.
|
In Yosemite national park controlled wildfires are started to make room for new healthy plants by destroying dead plants.(11) The fires leave the soil intact but clear the area of dead plants. This is an example of secondary succession in the Yosemite national park. In secondary succession pioneer species that are needed in primary succession are not necessary for plants to regenerate. Birds and bugs and other trees help bring seeds to the cleared off area to help with the growth of new plants. (12)
|
Human Activity (13)
Roads and trails in Yosemite national park have created the issue of habit destruction and road kill. Trees and areas have been cleared to create paths that have destroyed the environment that certain species inhabit.(14) Also, animals constantly wonder into roads and drivers can't always avoid them. Over 200 species are killed in just a year and a half as road kill. Pollution is another thing creating issues in Yosemite National Park.
~ Air pollution
- Yosemite national park is one of the smoggiest national parks in the US due to fossil fuel burning, agricultural emissions, and automobiles.
~Water Pollution
- In areas with higher visitor use bathing, dish washing, and waste water production are creating real issues for the animals. Their water source is being contaminated and used by another more dominate species: humans. We are taking the resources that they need in order to survive.
Also global warming is thinning the winter snow packs, and the area where taigas are located is slowly being pushed north and is decreasing in size.(15)
Another issue is artificial light. This light can disrupt the natural cycles of plants and cause issues with nocturnal animals. Nocturnal animals need the dark for hunting, camouflage, reproduction and navigating through the ecosystem.
~ Air pollution
- Yosemite national park is one of the smoggiest national parks in the US due to fossil fuel burning, agricultural emissions, and automobiles.
~Water Pollution
- In areas with higher visitor use bathing, dish washing, and waste water production are creating real issues for the animals. Their water source is being contaminated and used by another more dominate species: humans. We are taking the resources that they need in order to survive.
Also global warming is thinning the winter snow packs, and the area where taigas are located is slowly being pushed north and is decreasing in size.(15)
Another issue is artificial light. This light can disrupt the natural cycles of plants and cause issues with nocturnal animals. Nocturnal animals need the dark for hunting, camouflage, reproduction and navigating through the ecosystem.
(18) The Carbon cycle is a biochemical cycle that is being affected by the air pollution that cars are emitting.(16) Cars are letting out increased levels of carbon dioxide(CO2) and this is adding to the green house effect. As more gas is trapped by the atmosphere the temperature of the earth is rising. This is called global warming which is also causing the shrinking of the taiga! (17)
Look into the future!
If we don't do something about the deforestation and pollution the taiga biome could cease to exist all together! If the pollution continues acid rain will increase and continue to destroy plant life. Water will become a contaminated source and leave the animals with nothing clean or safe to drink, and the water will kill fish species taking away the food source of other species causing them to either die off or adapt and find a new food source. if the species dies off then the species that eats it will be forced with the same choice creating a domino effect.
But if the species adapts to a new food source then competition will increase and one species will win and one will lose. The loosing species will either adapt or die off creating and endless cycle. If deforestation continues to occur and expand then many species will be without a habitat. This species will have to adapt to a new niche. If nothing is done to help the taiga there will soon be no taiga! We need to reduce pollution and protect this environment if we want it to continue to thrive and be successful.
read here about somethings you can do to keep the park safe when you visit. http://exploretaigashield.blogspot.com/2012/04/eco-tourism_18.html
But if the species adapts to a new food source then competition will increase and one species will win and one will lose. The loosing species will either adapt or die off creating and endless cycle. If deforestation continues to occur and expand then many species will be without a habitat. This species will have to adapt to a new niche. If nothing is done to help the taiga there will soon be no taiga! We need to reduce pollution and protect this environment if we want it to continue to thrive and be successful.
read here about somethings you can do to keep the park safe when you visit. http://exploretaigashield.blogspot.com/2012/04/eco-tourism_18.html
(11)
"wildlife and fire." nsp.gov. n.p. web. May 2, 2014.
(12) Jin, Y., J. T. Randerson, S. J. Goetz, P. S. A. Beck, M. M. Loranty, and M. L. Goulden (2012), The influence of burn severity on postfire vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in North American boreal forests, J. Geophys. Res., 117, G01036, doi:10.1029/2011JG001886.
(13)"human impact on yosemite." prezi. n.p., june 7, 2013. web. 4/20/214
(14)Moen, J., Rist, L., Bishop, K., Chapin, F. S., Ellison, D., Kuuluvainen, T., Petersson, H., Puettmann, K. J., Rayner, J., Warkentin, I. G. and Bradshaw, C. J. A. (2014), Eye on the taiga: removing global policy impediments to safeguard the boreal forest. Conservation Letters. doi: 10.1111/conl.12098
(15) Bright, R. M., Antón-Fernández, C., Astrup, R., Cherubini, F., Kvalevåg, M. and Strømman, A. H. (2014), Climate change implications of shifting forest management strategy in a boreal forest ecosystem of Norway. Global Change Biology, 20: 607–621. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12451
(16)JU, W., CHEN, J. M., BLACK, T. A., BARR, A. G. and McCAUGHEY, H. (2010), Spatially simulating changes of soil water content and their effects on carbon sequestration in Canada's forests and wetlands. Tellus B, 62: 140–159. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2010.00459.x
(17) Olsson, R. (1995), Taiga Under Threat: An Environmental Review of Boreal Forest Consumption. Review of European Community & International Environmental Law, 4: 230–234. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9388.1995.tb00229.x
Kolchugina, T. P. and Vinson, T. S. (1993), Climate warming and the carbon cycle in the permafrost zone of the former Soviet Union. Permafrost Periglac. Process., 4: 149–163. doi: 10.1002/ppp.3430040207
(18) Sasakawa, M., T. Machida, N. Tsuda, M. Arshinov, D. Davydov, A. Fofonov, and O. Krasnov (2013),Aircraft and tower measurements of CO2 concentration in the planetary boundary layer and the lower free troposphere over southern taiga in West Siberia: Long-term records from 2002 to 2011,J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 9489–9498, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50755.(30p) http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22599523
(31p) http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/30-fascinating-facts-about-the-boreal-forest.html
(32p) http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/boreal.htm
(33p) https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles6.htm
(12) Jin, Y., J. T. Randerson, S. J. Goetz, P. S. A. Beck, M. M. Loranty, and M. L. Goulden (2012), The influence of burn severity on postfire vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in North American boreal forests, J. Geophys. Res., 117, G01036, doi:10.1029/2011JG001886.
(13)"human impact on yosemite." prezi. n.p., june 7, 2013. web. 4/20/214
(14)Moen, J., Rist, L., Bishop, K., Chapin, F. S., Ellison, D., Kuuluvainen, T., Petersson, H., Puettmann, K. J., Rayner, J., Warkentin, I. G. and Bradshaw, C. J. A. (2014), Eye on the taiga: removing global policy impediments to safeguard the boreal forest. Conservation Letters. doi: 10.1111/conl.12098
(15) Bright, R. M., Antón-Fernández, C., Astrup, R., Cherubini, F., Kvalevåg, M. and Strømman, A. H. (2014), Climate change implications of shifting forest management strategy in a boreal forest ecosystem of Norway. Global Change Biology, 20: 607–621. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12451
(16)JU, W., CHEN, J. M., BLACK, T. A., BARR, A. G. and McCAUGHEY, H. (2010), Spatially simulating changes of soil water content and their effects on carbon sequestration in Canada's forests and wetlands. Tellus B, 62: 140–159. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2010.00459.x
(17) Olsson, R. (1995), Taiga Under Threat: An Environmental Review of Boreal Forest Consumption. Review of European Community & International Environmental Law, 4: 230–234. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9388.1995.tb00229.x
Kolchugina, T. P. and Vinson, T. S. (1993), Climate warming and the carbon cycle in the permafrost zone of the former Soviet Union. Permafrost Periglac. Process., 4: 149–163. doi: 10.1002/ppp.3430040207
(18) Sasakawa, M., T. Machida, N. Tsuda, M. Arshinov, D. Davydov, A. Fofonov, and O. Krasnov (2013),Aircraft and tower measurements of CO2 concentration in the planetary boundary layer and the lower free troposphere over southern taiga in West Siberia: Long-term records from 2002 to 2011,J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 9489–9498, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50755.(30p) http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22599523
(31p) http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/30-fascinating-facts-about-the-boreal-forest.html
(32p) http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/boreal.htm
(33p) https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles6.htm