Q57. At Coweeta, HWA infestations are expected to lead to hemlock trees being re
ID: 41080 • Letter: Q
Question
Q57. At Coweeta, HWA infestations are expected to lead to hemlock trees being replaced by either tulip poplar or rhododendron. As you learned previously, this shift will affect litter quality. Let's say you sampled decomposer organisms from experimental plots dominated by poplar and plots dominated by rhododendron. Explain how classifying those decomposers by physical position in the litter and soil column might help predict differences in ecosystem function depending on which species replaces hemlock.
Explanation / Answer
HWA infestations stand for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid infestations. The scientific name of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is Adelges tsugae. It feeds on the sap of hemlock and spruce trees, thus it is a pest that destroys hemlocks trees very badly. As a result, tulip poplar and rhododendron will start rising in the place of hemlock trees.
The litter produced from these trees is quite different; therefore, the decomposers will also vary. The position of the decomposers depends on the position of the decomposing leaf. Those leaves that decompose at the surface of the soil will have their decomposers on the top soil. Those leaves that decompose inside the soil column will have their decomposers inside the soil column. Thus, prediction depends on the physical position of the litter.
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