Late-quaternary vegetational dynamics and community stability reconsidered |
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Authors: | Paul A Delcourt Hazel R Delcourt |
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Institution: | 1. Program for Quaternary Studies of the Southeastern United States, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 USA;2. Graduate Program in Ecology University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 USA;3. Program for Quaternary Studies of the Southeastern United States, Department of Botany, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 USA |
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Abstract: | Defining the spatial and temporal limits of vegetational processes such as migration and invasion of established communities is a prerequisite to evaluating the degree of stability in plant communities through the late Quaternary. The interpretation of changes in boundaries of major vegetation types over the past 20,000 yr offers a complementary view to that provided by migration maps for particular plant taxa. North of approximately 43°N in eastern North America, continual vegetational disequilibrium has resulted from climatic change, soil development, and species migrations during postglacial times. Between 33° and 39°N, stable full-glacial vegetation was replaced by a relatively unstable vegetation during late-glacial climatic amelioration; stable interglacial vegetation developed there after about 9000 yr B.P. Late-Quaternary vegetation has been in dynamic equilibrium, with a relatively constant flora, south of 33°N on upland interfluves along the northern Gulf Coastal Plain, peninsular Florida, and west-central Mexico. |
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