THE PLANT SUCCESSIONS OF THE HOLYOKE RANGE 



CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 198 



Edith A. Roberts 



(with map) 



Introduction 



The Holyoke Range lies well within the eastern deciduous forest 

 region with the climatic plant formation of the mesophytic decidu- 

 ous climax type made up of Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Fagns 

 grandifolia (beech), and Tsuga canadensis (hemlock). The range 

 is located nearly in the center of the Connecticut valley, which 

 crosses the state of Massachusetts from north to south and varies 

 from 100 to 1200 feet in elevation. The many topographical 

 features offer opportunity for the study of the development of 

 the vegetative cycles terminating in the climax forest of central 

 Massachusetts. 



A few isolated portions which have been uncut for over 250 

 years furnish evidence as to the climax, while the repeated cutting 

 in other places gives excellent opportunity to study the develop- 

 ment of the so-called " secondary succession " (1), a study which 

 will of necessity be more valuable as the work of reforesting in- 

 creases, especially in the New England states, where the future 

 forests will for the most part be of that type. 



The purpose of the work is to determine the varying lines of 

 bio tic successions leading to the present climax in this region, and 

 in a later paper to determine the relationship of the factors which 

 are influencing these successions. 



The region is typical of the central portion of the state and the 

 range represents a natural unit which, owing to its direction (see 

 map), offers opportunity to study north, south, east, and west 

 slopes, with their variations in succession. 



The work was begun at the suggestion of Dr. Henry C. Cowles, 

 of the University of Chicago, and I wish to express my thanks for 

 his suggestions and interest in the work. I wish to thank Miss 

 Mignon Talbot, of Mount Holyoke College, for the material on 



Botanical Gazette, vol. 58] 



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