The Response of an Early Successional Community to Shortened Growing Season

Abstract
First year successional communities were stressed by foreshortening of the time available for plant growth. The resultant communities were examined with respect to their composition, production, density and diversity relationships. Species composition [Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Chenopodium album and Ipomoea hederacea] changed only with respect to relative production and density of the species but Setaria faberii was the most dense and productive species in all treatments. Community production declined only after much delay in plowing time. Species richness did not change but diversity was lowest in plots plowed in midseason. A high degree of resiliance of these communities to environmental stress was observed in the case of each of these parameters.