Spatial Variation of Tree Mortalities on the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot
For my internship, I was a member of the 2011 field crew at the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot (YFDP). The crew was taught about the ecology of the Sierra Nevada; tree, beetle, and pathogen identification, and basic tree measure- ments. During the survey, we determined which trees had died since the plots establishment, and we recorded all the contributing factors to tree mortality. Using this data and GIS-mapping, I assessed how the tree mortalities were spatial distributed throughout the site. I used the distribution of stem densities and basal area to assess the spatial variation in their associated rates of mortality. This analysis contributes understanding of the utility of these variables in determining the future structure and thus, function and composition of old-growth forests.
