Disciplines
Geographic Information Sciences
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The purpose of this study is to determine the trends in composition and structure of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Arboretum, located on the Kennesaw Campus. To assess the trends, we identified the tree species, and measured the diameter (dbh) and locations of all stems including new growths (i.e. greater than 1cm dbh) in the permanent plot during the summer of 2014. Density, dominance, and frequency values were calculated and all trees were plotted from data collected in 2008, 2010, and 2014. Findings show that there have been an increase in Fagus grandifolia (beech), a significant decline in Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) and marked differences in the understory species compared to those dominating the canopy layer. As a small urban forest remnant, the trees located in the plot show a community transition from a pine/oak stand to one dominated by shade‑tolerant mesophytic species.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
Geography and Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Nancy Hoalst Pullen, PhD
Included in
Structure And Composition Of The Kennesaw State University Arboretum: Past And Present
The purpose of this study is to determine the trends in composition and structure of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Arboretum, located on the Kennesaw Campus. To assess the trends, we identified the tree species, and measured the diameter (dbh) and locations of all stems including new growths (i.e. greater than 1cm dbh) in the permanent plot during the summer of 2014. Density, dominance, and frequency values were calculated and all trees were plotted from data collected in 2008, 2010, and 2014. Findings show that there have been an increase in Fagus grandifolia (beech), a significant decline in Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) and marked differences in the understory species compared to those dominating the canopy layer. As a small urban forest remnant, the trees located in the plot show a community transition from a pine/oak stand to one dominated by shade‑tolerant mesophytic species.