Abstract
The composition and dominance of 1256 witness (land survey) trees were compiled for the early Colonial era (pre-1700) in two locations in eastern Virginia, a region where studies of such information are lacking. The study locations are the Marine Corps Base Quantico and the Cheatham Annex Naval Supply Center, both along major rivers of Tidewater Virginia. At Quantico, a total of 754 witness trees comprising 22 species were recorded. Oak (Quercus) species made up 67% of these trees, followed by hickory (Carya; 15%), poplar (Liriodendron), gum (Nyssa), and pine (Pinus) each representing 4% of the forest composition. At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees from 24 species were recorded. Oaks made up 57% of the total composition followed by hickory (13%), pine (10%), poplar (5%), and gum (5%). There was a dearth of late successional, fire sensitive species at both locations, despite the presence of many mesic locations that should support such species. This suggests Native American activity (e.g., burning and land clearing) was an important factor affecting forests in eastern Virginia. This research provides a better understanding of the original forests of eastern Virginia and can serve as a baseline for making comparisons with present day forests to assess forest change since the Colonial era.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Quantico records contained 754 witness trees from 22 species.
Verbatim
e0“At Quantico, a total of 754 witness trees comprising 22 species were recorded”
Claim · model-written summary
Oaks comprised 67% of Quantico witness trees.
QuercusOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Oak (Quercus) species made up 67% of these trees”
e1“At Quantico”
Claim · model-written summary
Hickory comprised 15% of Quantico witness trees.
Verbatim
e0“hickory (Carya; 15%)”
e1“At Quantico”
Claim · model-written summary
Poplar, gum and pine each represented 4% of Quantico forest composition.
- Taxon
- poplar (Liriodendron), gum (Nyssa), and pine (Pinus)
Pinus
Liriodendron
Nyssae0 - Outcome
- forest compositione0
- Value
- 4%e0
- Setting
- Quanticoe1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“poplar (Liriodendron), gum (Nyssa), and pine (Pinus) each representing 4% of the forest composition”
e1“At Quantico”
Claim · model-written summary
Cheatham Annex records contained 502 witness trees from 24 species.
Verbatim
e0“At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees from 24 species were recorded”
Claim · model-written summary
Oaks comprised 57% of Cheatham Annex trees.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Oaks made up 57% of the total composition”
e1“At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Hickory comprised 13% of Cheatham Annex trees.
Verbatim
e0“hickory (13%)”
e1“At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Pine comprised 10% of Cheatham Annex trees.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pine (10%)”
e1“At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Poplar and gum each comprised 5% of Cheatham Annex trees.
Verbatim
e0“poplar (5%), and gum (5%)”
e1“At Cheatham Annex a total of 502 witness trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Late successional fire-sensitive species were scarce at both sites.
Verbatim
e0“There was a dearth of late successional, fire sensitive species at both locations”
Claim · model-written summary
Native American burning and clearing was suggested to have affected eastern Virginia forests.
Verbatim
e0“This suggests Native American activity (e.g., burning and land clearing) was an important factor affecting forests in eastern Virginia”