Skip to content

Effects of Herbivory on Ecology of Treefall Gaps

Nate Lemoine, FIU PhD candidate and Smithsonian researcher, sprays treefall gaps within the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center with herbicide. Photos by D. Doublet
Nate Lemoine, FIU PhD candidate and Smithsonian researcher, sprays treefall gaps within the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center with herbicide. Photos by D. Doublet

Naturally-occurring treefall gaps are an important part of forest ecology, playing a prominent role in the regeneration of both pioneer and non-pioneer tree species. Nate Lemoine is setting out to understand how insect herbivory plays a role in the growth and health of plants at treefall gaps. By caging small plots within gaps, he is deterring deer and other animals from eating the plants. He is also using herbicide to deter insects from some plots to compare to controlled plots where only water is sprayed.

By Dejeanne Doublet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.