Poster Details
RETHINKING FOUNDATION SPECIES IN A CHANGING WORLD: THE CASE FOR RHODODENDRON MAXIMUM AS AN EMERGING FOUNDATION SPECIES IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
“Foundation species” are widespread, abundant species that play critical roles in structuring, stabilizing ecosystems and modulating ecological processes. Sometimes foundation species are only recognized in retrospect, after they have declined due to anthropogenic activity; similarly, scientists may be slow to recognize newly emerging foundation species in changing ecosystems. Here, we present rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) as an example of an emerging foundation species in riparian forest and headwater stream ecosystems of the southern Appalachian Mountains. In areas where it is dominant, rhododendron structures, stabilizes, and modulates functions within both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Studies of forest ecosystem response to a variety of environmental conditions indicate that rhododendron may increase the resistance and resilience of riparian and stream ecosystems to predicted future anthropogenic stress. A more dynamic approach to foundation species as transient and dependent on ecosystem states will also help ecologists to focus on restoration strategies that target ecosystem processes and services, rather than on historically dominant species.
Maura Dudley (Primary Presenter/Author), Oglethorpe University, maurapdudley@gmail.com;
Mary Freeman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Geological Survey, mcfreeman@usgs.gov;
Seth Wenger (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, swenger@uga.edu;
C. Rhett Jackson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, RJACKSON@warnell.uga.edu;
Catherine Pringle (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, cpringle@uga.edu;