Griffiths, R. 2011. Influence of microclimate gradients on soil characteristics within tree-fall gaps in the Andrews Experimental Forest, 1997 Long-Term Ecological Research Andrews Forest LTER Site. [Database]. Available: https://andrewsforest-stage.forestry.oregonstate.edu/data/fsdb-data-catalog/SP018 Accessed 2026-05-10.

This was the second in a series of tree-fall gap studies conducted at the HJA addressing the effects of tree-fall gaps on forest soil characteristics. The first looked at the effects of gap size on changes in soil carbon cycling within the gap along N-S transects. The present study compares the effects of gaps on soil properties along both N-S and E-W transects to better differentiate between microclimate and vegetation effects within the gaps. The third study expanded the number of variables studied and sampling intensity. By using the same grid system as Dr. Andy Gray in his vegetation survey work, we were able to relate below-ground processes with above-ground vegetation. Soil properties in eight, 7 year-old tree-fall gaps were compared with soils in the surrounding old-growth Douglas-fir forest. Soil characteristics were measured along two transects; one running north and south and the other east and west. This study was an extension of one done two years earlier by Shirley King (see Gap1 - study code SP017). In that study, there were significant differences in soil properties not only between soils collected in and out of gaps but also by orientation within the gap. More specifically, soils in the north end of the larger gaps were significantly different from those in the south. This study was designed confirm the previous findings that soils within gaps were different than those in the surrounding forest. In addition, we wanted to determine if there were also E/W differences. If there were none, then we could conclude that microclimate gradients were effecting these soils because the microclimate gradient along E/W transects should be much less than that found along N/S transects. We chose to measure soil characteristics at 2-meter intervals using this same basic design used by Shirley King in the Gap1 study. E/W and N/S transects were established in all of the gaps that were studied in Gap1 with the transects extending one radius into the surrounding forest.

Temporal coverage: 1997-07-01 to 1997-07-24

Geographic coverage: N/A

Bounds: W N/A, E N/A, N N/A, S N/A

• Tree-fall gaps are known to play an important role in the formation and maintenance of old-growth forest structure and forest biodiversity. Prior research has focused on above-ground vegetative succession and population dynamics and little is known about changes occurring below-ground as vegetation becomes reestablished. The interplay between gap microclimatic gradients and both vegetation and the below-ground component of the ecosystem is potentially complex. Thus to understand how gaps influence forest floor characteristics, one must consider how both vegetative and microclimatic gradients influence soil properties. This study was designed to assist and differentiating between these effects.

Title: Long-Term Ecological Research

• Robert P. Griffiths
  Role: Principal Investigator
  Oregon State University;Dept. of Forest Science;321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5752, USA
  Phone: (541) 737-6559
  Email: bbgriff@peak.org, griff@for.orst.edu
• Robert P. Griffiths
  Role: Abstractor
  Oregon State University;Dept. of Forest Science;321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5752, USA
  Phone: (541) 737-6559
  Email: bbgriff@peak.org, griff@for.orst.edu
• Robert P. Griffiths
  Role: Creator
  Oregon State University;Dept. of Forest Science;321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5752, USA
  Phone: (541) 737-6559
  Email: bbgriff@peak.org, griff@for.orst.edu

• Information Manager
  Andrews Forest LTER Program, US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331
  Email: hjaweb@fsl.orst.edu
  URL: http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/

• Andrews Forest LTER Site
  Role: Publisher
  Forest Ecosystems and Society Department in Forestry, Oregon State University, 201K Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5752
  Phone: (541) 737-8480
  Email: lterweb@fsl.orst.edu
  URL: http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/

This was the second in a series of tree-fall gap studies conducted at the HJA addressing the effects of tree-fall gaps on forest soil characteristics. The first looked at the effects of gap size on changes in soil carbon cycling within the gap along N-S transects. The present study compares the effects of gaps on soil properties along both N-S and E-W transects to better differentiate between microclimate and vegetation effects within the gaps. The third study expanded the number of variables studied and sampling intensity. By using the same grid system as Dr. Andy Gray in his vegetation survey work, we were able to relate below-ground processes with above-ground vegetation. Soil properties in eight, 7 year-old tree-fall gaps were compared with soils in the surrounding old-growth Douglas-fir forest. Soil characteristics were measured along two transects; one running north and south and the other east and west. This study was an extension of one done two years earlier by Shirley King (see Gap1 - study code SP017). In that study, there were significant differences in soil properties not only between soils collected in and out of gaps but also by orientation within the gap. More specifically, soils in the north end of the larger gaps were significantly different from those in the south. This study was designed confirm the previous findings that soils within gaps were different than those in the surrounding forest. In addition, we wanted to determine if there were also E/W differences. If there were none, then we could conclude that microclimate gradients were effecting these soils because the microclimate gradient along E/W transects should be much less than that found along N/S transects. We chose to measure soil characteristics at 2-meter intervals using this same basic design used by Shirley King in the Gap1 study. E/W and N/S transects were established in all of the gaps that were studied in Gap1 with the transects extending one radius into the surrounding forest. Tree-fall gaps are known to play an important role in the formation and maintenance of old-growth forest structure and forest biodiversity. Prior research has focused on above-ground vegetative succession and population dynamics and little is known about changes occurring below-ground as vegetation becomes reestablished. The interplay between gap microclimatic gradients and both vegetation and the below-ground component of the ecosystem is potentially complex. Thus to understand how gaps influence forest floor characteristics, one must consider how both vegetative and microclimatic gradients influence soil properties. This study was designed to assist and differentiating between these effects. Field Methods - SP018

Purpose: Tree-fall gaps are known to play an important role in the formation and maintenance of old-growth forest structure and forest biodiversity. Prior research has focused on above-ground vegetative succession and population dynamics and little is known about changes occurring below-ground as vegetation becomes reestablished. The interplay between gap microclimatic gradients and both vegetation and the below-ground component of the ecosystem is potentially complex. Thus to understand how gaps influence forest floor characteristics, one must consider how both vegetative and microclimatic gradients influence soil properties. This study was designed to assist and differentiating between these effects.

Method Steps

Sampling

No software entries listed in this EML file.

• LTER controlled vocabulary: disturbance (theme), inorganic nutrients (theme), soil (theme), forests (theme), canopy gaps (theme)
• Andrews Experimental Forest site thesaurus: Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) (theme)
• LTER core research areas: disturbance (theme), inorganic nutrients (theme)

No taxonomic hierarchy listed in this EML file.

• SP017
• TV025

No publication citations found in this EML file.

No related files listed in this EML file.

Data Use Agreement:

The re-use of scientific data has the potential to greatly increase communication, collaboration and synthesis within and among disciplines, and thus is fostered, supported and encouraged. This Data Set is released under the Creative Commons license CC BY "Attribution" (see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Creative Commons license CC BY - Attribution is a license that allows others to distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work (even commercially), as long as you are credited for the original creation. This license accommodates maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.

It is considered professional conduct and an ethical obligation to acknowledge the work of other scientists. The Data User is asked to provide attribution of the original work if this data package is shared in whole or by individual parts or used in the derivation of other products. A recommended citation is provided for each Data Set in the Andrews LTER data catalog (see: http://andlter.forestry.oregonstate.edu/data/catalog/datacatalog.aspx). A generic citation is also provided for this Data Set on the website https://portal.edirepository.org in the summary metadata page. Data Users are thus strongly encouraged to consider consultation, collaboration and/or co-authorship with the Data Set Creator.

While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed and all data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data.

General acknowledgement: Data were provided by the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest research program, funded by the National Science Foundation's Long-Term Ecological Research Program (DEB 2025755), US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, and Oregon State University. If data used in publication, the Griffiths and Filan will be listed as a coauthors. Whenever these data are presented in whatever form, the PI will be acknowledged.

License: N/A

Maintenance update frequency: irregular

Description

• An update history is logged and maintained with each new version of every dataset.

Change History

• Version1 (2001-04-22)
  Original metadata creation.
• Version2 (2002-02-08)
  Metadata restructured and moved into SQLServer metadata database LTERMETA. Data moved into SQLServer database FSDBDATA.