Tuesday, August 3, 2010: 8:00 AM-11:30 AM
306-307, David L Lawrence Convention Center
OOS 11 - Vegetation Dynamics, Structures and Traits of the Midwestern Oak-Savannas Under Changing Environment
Oak-savanna is a wooded community with oak (Quercus spp.) canopy cover between 10 and 50% and a rich herbaceous groundcover. Oak-savanna ecosystems have been an integral part of the biodiversity in the Midwestern North America, supporting highly diverse flora and fauna. It has been estimated that oak-savannas once have covered 11-13 million hectares prior to European settlement. However, during the 19th and 20th Centuries, over 99.8% of its coverage disappeared by human activities such as conversion to agricultural lands and suppression of fires. In addition, the remnant oak-savannas have faced significant modifications in their community structures and functions. For example, fire suppression has converted once open-canopy savannas to closed-canopy forests, changing their light regimes, species compositions and vegetation dynamics. Moreover, further environmental changes that are caused by human activities, such as climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, add uncertainty to the future of the Midwestern oak-savannas. In the recent decades, there have been rising public recognitions and awareness of the oak-savanna for its values of natural heritage, biological diversity, and ecosystem services. Along with such recognitions and awareness, a majority of the research projects on the savannas have focused on structural and functional traits, role of prescribed fires, secondary succession on prior-converted old-fields, and restoration strategies. The proposed session is to explore the past changes and the current status of oak-savanna. In doing so, results from some selected projects will be presented with the topics of nature, historical changes, functional traits, functional diversity, species richness, role of fire, effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, and vegetation dynamics of (or in) oak-savanna. Also, the proposed session will attempt to make “best-guess” projections for changes in the future as a result of climate change.
Organizer:	Young D. Choi, Purdue University Calumet
Moderator:	Young D. Choi, Purdue University Calumet
8:00 AM	OOS 11-1		CANCELLED - Tree growth rates in former prairie and savanna: Edaphic factors, disturbance, competition, and recent climate change Gabriel I. Yospin, University of Oregon, Scott D. Bridgham, University of Oregon, Bart R. Johnson, University of Oregon
8:20 AM	OOS 11-2		Oak woodlands and savanna: Historic and futuristic perspectives Roger C. Anderson, Illinois State University
8:40 AM	OOS 11-3		Midwest oak savannas – unique or ecotonal? Ralph Grundel, US Geological Survey, Noel B. Pavlovic, US Geological Survey
9:00 AM	OOS 11-4		Landscape dynamics of oak-savanna in the Lower Chippewa River Valley, Wisconsin Christina Hupy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
9:20 AM	OOS 11-5		Multiple controls on diversity components and functional trait composition in Wisconsin oak savannas Evan Weiher, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Kaitlyn Pettingill, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Tyler Bunton, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
9:40 AM			Break
9:50 AM	OOS 11-6		Determinants of oak savanna ground layer composition and richness Noel B. Pavlovic, US Geological Survey, Ralph Grundel, US Geological Survey
10:10 AM	OOS 11-7		Temporal dynamics in Eastern Sand Savanna ground-layer vegetation across canopy and edaphic gradients, and projected climate change impacts Marlin Bowles, The Morton Arboretum, Bryant Scharenbroch, The Morton Arboretum, Alan Haney, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Steven Apfelbaum, Applied Ecological Services
10:30 AM	OOS 11-8		Oak savanna restoration presents conflicting carbon and biodiversity outcomes Lars A. Brudvig, Michigan State University, Heidi Asbjornsen, Iowa State University, Anthony Beringer, Iowa State University, Cynthia A. Cambardella, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Vilma Mateos, Iowa State University, Jesse A. Randall, Iowa State University
10:50 AM	OOS 11-9		Large-scale oak savanna restoration in Wisconsin: What regional climate change models foretell Mark K. Leach, Northland College, Keith Cherkauer, Purdue University
11:10 AM	OOS 11-10		Lessons from a longleaf pine savanna restoration in South Carolina, USA: Primary productivity and soil organic matter Todd A. Aschenbach, Grand Valley State University, Bryan L. Foster, University of Kansas, Donald W. Imm, University of Georgia

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