| Abstract Detail
Conservation Biology Shahi, Dhan [1], Michaels, Helen [1]. Effects of density and environmental factors on growth and reproduction of American Ginseng. Previous demographic studies suggest that harvest for the medicinal plant trade and deer browsing have significantly affected wild populations of Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng), leading to serious reductions in population sustainability. Two years of monitoring in two remnant populations in central Ohio indicate that deer browsing and insect herbivory significantly impacted reproduction of P. quinquefolius populations. There were also significant, but weak effects of density (absolute and nearest neighbor density) on some measures of reproduction in each year. Multiple regression analyses of environmental factors found that vegetative growth was significantly influenced by soil Ca, Mg, K, pH and Shade. Reproduction was primarily soil resource limited, with per flower fruit set strongly influenced by nitrate, ammonium, K, Mg, Cu, and P and total fruit production influenced by nitrate, ammonium, K, and Mg. These results indicate that both spatial and annual variation in environmental factors influence habitat quality within populations and are also likely to contribute to limits on ginseng population sustainability.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - Bowling Green State University, Biological Sciences, Life Science Building, Bowling Green, Ohio, 43403, USA
Keywords:
ginseng
density
sustainable harvest
reproductive success.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P65007
Abstract ID:1939 |
