Tree+Biodiversity

=__**Tree Biodiversity at Watson's Bend**__=

On April 27th, 2011, a deadly tornado swept through the city of Tuscaloosa and the surrounding areas. From one's initial observation, Watson's Bend seemed destroyed. On October 3rd, 2011, the students in Dr. Cherry's NEW 243 class got to see first hand what the tornado did to the tree life in this area. The students were tasked with discovering how the tornado might have effected the tree biodiversity at Watson's Bend. The key factors the students were looking for were regarding if new trees had been introduced, old trees killed/removed, and whether or not the area would recover.

During a previous observation for the trees biodiversity around Hurricane Creek (befor the tornado) the most common trees at that time were // Carya tomentosa // – Mockernut Hickory, //Carya tomentosa// – Mockernut Hickory, //Liquidambar styraciflua// – Sweetgum, //Oxydendrum arboretum// – Sourwood, and //Quercus alba// – White Oak. Also, other trees like //Carya glabra// – Pignut Hickory, //Fagus grandifolia// – American Beech, //Liriodendron tulipifera// – Yellow Poplar, //Magnolia macrophylla// – Bigleaf Magnolia, //Nyssa sylvatica// – Blackgum, //Pinus taeda// – Loblolly Pine, //Prunus serotina// – Black Cherry, //Quercus falcata// – Southern Red Oak, and Quercus //nigra// – Water Oak were identified in the surrounding area to Hurricane Creek.

In order to perform this biodiversity lab, students worked on-site at Watson's Bend by scavenging through the area, looking for different tree leaves. In order to avoid duplicates, students marked the trees from which they extracted leaves. The class then worked together to identify each leaf, using books specializing in tree classification. Once the leaves were identified we recorded the type of tree that we had discovered and how many of these trees we found. In the end, we came out with a good idea of what types of trees were recolonizing and which trees didn't appear to be coming back.

The condition of Watson's Bend as of September 26th 2011. Photo: John Michael Simpson

The following table represents trees that were identified at Watson's Bend on October 3rd, 2011:
 * //Acer rubrum // || Red Maple ||
 * //Albizia julibrissin // || Silktree ||
 * //Carya tomentosa // || Mockernut Hickory ||
 * //Cercis canadensis // || Redbud ||
 * //Ilex opaca // || American Holly ||
 * //Liquidambar styraciflua // || Sweetgum ||
 * //Liriodendron tulipifera // || Yellow Poplar ||
 * //Magnolia macrophylla // || Bigleaf Magnolia ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Morus rubra // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Red Mulberry ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Plantanus occidentalis // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American Sycamore ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus alba // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">White Oak ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus falcate // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Southern Red Oak ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus phellos // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Willow Oak ||
 * Table 1: Tree Biodiversity Fall 2011**

Of these trees identified in Table 1, the Yellow Poplar, Bigleaf Magnolia, and Red Mulberry were most common.

The following data highlight the changes before and after the tornado for the trees.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Species of Trees || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Common Name || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Present Before Tornado || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Present After Tornado ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Acer rubrum // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Red Mable ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Albizia julibrissin // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Silktree ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carya glabra // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pignut Hickory || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carya tomentosa // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mockernut Hickory || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cercis canadensis // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Redbud ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fagus grandifolia // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American Beech || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ilex opaca // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American Holly ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Liquidambar styraciflua // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sweetgum || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Liriodendron tulipifera // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yellow Polar || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Magnolia macrophylla // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bigleaf Magnolia || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Morus rubra // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Red Mulberry ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nyssa syvatica // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Blackgum || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oxydendrum arboretrum // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sourwood || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pinus taeda // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Loblolly Pine || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Plantanus accidentalis // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American Sycamore ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Prunus serotina // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Black Cherry || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus alba // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">White Oak || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X (most common) || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus falcata // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Southern Read Oak || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus nigra // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Water Oak || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||  ||
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quercus phellos // || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Willow Oak ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">X ||
 * Table 2: Comparative Tree Identification**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">As can be seen in Table 2, there are variations in the trees identified. Some trees that were most common are now not as common (Mockernut Hickory, Sweetgum, White Oak), and others that existed in the area are no longer present (Pignut Hickory, Blackgum, Black Cherry, Water Oak). However, certain trees that were not in the vicinity are now present within Hurricane Creek (Red Mable, Silk Tree, Red Mulberry, American Sycamore, and Willow Oak), while others that were in the area before are now the most common (Yellow Polar and Bigleaf Magnolia). <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">These results support the notion that while there were many plant species less abundant prior to the tornado, there were also many that were more abundant after the tornado.

These results support the idea that new trees were able to develop and many trees did survive the tornado. This is in part because new sunlight was able to hit the soil, allowing trees that could not have survived before the opportunity to thrive. John Wathen states, "The woods seemed to have been waiting for such a storm to clear the old and give the new growth a chance." Although it is not the prettiest site to to be seen, as time goes on, Watson's Bend will regrow to be what is was, possibly even better.

The introduction of new tree species into the area was due to a multitude of causes. Whether it be the amount of sunlight <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">the watershed can now receive prior to the tornado, or the increased amount of erosion which could contribute to soil fertility; their seems to also be an emergence of plant life prior to the tornado. Firstly, as the tornado ripped roots from the ground, it plowed the settled surface, which allowed droppings and wind-carried seeds that are typically introduced to plant themselves more quickly. The soil erosion that naturally takes place in the absence of tree roots was hastened by the heavy rain, and so the seeds, after they settled, received water more quickly than they would have otherwise, because of the increase in land slope. Fewer standing trees meant a more open ground area, which allowed a higher percentage of seed-rich bird droppings to find the soil, rather than tree branches. The violent winds and run off caused by erosion from higher elevations carried many seeds that were previously foreign to the area and deposited them near Watson’s Bend. Secondly, the absence of certain dominant tree species (including Carya glabra, Fagus grandifolia, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboretrum, Pinus taeda, Prunus serotina, and Quercus nigra) allowed other dominant tree species to be introduced (including Acer rubrum, Albiziz julibrissin, Cercis canadensis, Ilex opaca, Morus rubra, Plantanus accidentalis, and Quercus phellos), for trees with longer life spans have thicker trunks and a wider root span, and therefore limit the number of similar trees that may grow in an area, due to space and nutrient supply. Thirdly, because the canopy density was thinned, more trees with a lower shade tolerance were able to grow.

Despite the destruction that the tornado did cause to the subsistence of different plant species it also helped to increase the livelihood of other plants. The Friends of Hurricane Creek have found a unique opportunity to make sure the uprooted trees are put to good use. Rather than throwing the timber away, the timber will continue to help the community grow back stronger than it was before. The timber will be cut and the beautiful, strong wood will be used as Tuscaloosa rebuilds. For more information, please refer to [].