Secondary Succession and Soils on the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey

Abstract

HANKS, J. P. (Dept. Biol., City College of New York, New York 10031). Secondary succession and soils on the inner coastal plain of New Jersey. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 98: 315-321. 1971.-Old field succession on the inner coastal plain of New Jersey was investigated in oneto two-year-old fields and through the forest stage. The number of introduced species decreases through older age-groups. The number of native species shows a reciprocal inerease through older age-groups. Oneto two-year-old fields are dlominated by Conyza canadensis and Anthemis arvensis. Tento 15-year-old fields are dominated by Sotidago juncea and Andropogon virginicus. Rubu's spp. are the most important shrubs in the 10to 15-year-old fields. The 25to 40-year-old fields are young forests, dominated by Liquidambar styraciflita anid Acer rubrumi. The forest stands are dominated by Faguts grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera and Acer rubrum. The area will probably support a mixed beech-oak forest given a suitable period of time for stabilization. Selected soil characteristics including pH, organic matter, magnesium, phosphorous calcium, and potassium content differed among successional age-groups. These differences are almost certainly the result of agricultural practices on the inner coastal plain. A considerable initerrelationship among land use history, soil parameters, ancl old field succession exists on the area.