Interactions Between Meadow Voles and White-Footed Mice at Forest—Oldfield Edges: Competition and Net Effects on Tree Invasion of Oldfields

摘要: When farmers in New England and York abandoned fields wholesale during the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, either due economic depression, urbanization, or when seeking more fertile Ohio Valley midwestern prairies, they unwittingly initiated an ecological experiment of gigantic proportions. Fields from agriculture were invaded initially by herbaceous plants later woody species such as shrubs trees. The result 50–150 years is a regionwide landscape mosaic that consists matrix forests within which are embedded oldfields still dominated shrubby vegetation. Some have resisted invasion trees over this period active management (e.g., mowing for hay, grazing) slow rates succession. Outside urban suburban areas, process reforestation land surrounding oldfield patches has resulted massive proliferation edges between forest field. These zones tension dominant vegetation types on side, sites most rapid changes plant communities ongoing species. “experiment” commenced with abandonment allowed ecologists ask, What patterns differential succession, what processes responsible existence these patterns? This chapter concerned some cryptic but fundamental influence ability invade oldfields, composition tree invaders, spatial pattern invasion.