The hypothesis of my project is that maidenhair fern outcompetes sword-fern downslope of burn piles, based on the prediction that maidenhair has a higher frond density in pile transects than in controls. The literature review portion of the project will focus on two ecological concepts:
- Fire performs a similar function to decomposition for increasing nutrient availability in forested ecosystems, but at a much more rapid rate. The effects of burn piles on the nitrogen cycle will be researched; specifically, how burning changes the chemical form of nitrogen. If possible, papers comparing anthropogenic burning to wildfire would be an ideal way to ascertain if land management efforts can match the benefits of natural fire.
- Currently, one prediction is that maidenhair have a preference for a form of nitrogen which is bio-available after burning. In an attempt to answer this prediction, another research concept will focus on the nitrogen demands of the two species, or if they exhibit preferences for fixed (i.e., slowly-released) or bioavailable nitrogen. Another consideration is the temporal aspect of the two species; are maidenhair able to absorb nitrogen faster than sword-fern?
Some keywords/phrases which allude to the report are: burn piles, fire effects, nitrogen availability post-fire, and fern species nitrogen demand.