Resistant

• This common trajectory for developing forests leads to: E. Several Giant Trees
• Strong important trees begin to dominate
• Smaller less important trees are lost to disturbance or competition
• The focus is on growing deeper roots and thicker canopies rather than initiating new trees

Resourceful/Resilient

• New trees fill the gap left by the disturbance
• Forest composition changes but size and density may return to pre-disturbance conditions.

Revolutionary

• This trajectory may be responsible for the disturbance!
• This trajectory finds unique ways to initiate new trees without losing existing trees, at first.
• However, if the new trees are better adapted, they can begin to outcompete older trees.
• Old trees are tend to be resistant to disturbance, thus the loss of these trees may be slow and difficult.

Reserved

In unique situations, a large disturbance may substantially alter the ecosystem. Rather than trying to fill the gap, a revolutionary trajectory can be achieved over a longer period through a pathway of suppression:

Here suppression maintains the gap in the disturbed forest to allow time for appropriate new trees that are adapted to the new conditions to take root and create a longer-term robust forest.

Disturbance (AGAIN!)

• Disturbances can create more disturbances.
• Or if disturbance is too large, it can lead to suppressed forests