This paper examines the bryophyte-paludification hypothesis introduced by Klinger (1990) which claims that mature upland forests develop into a stable climax bog community in the absence of large-scale disturbance. The primary mechanism of this process is dictated by the ground cover of bryophyte... Show moreThis paper examines the bryophyte-paludification hypothesis introduced by Klinger (1990) which claims that mature upland forests develop into a stable climax bog community in the absence of large-scale disturbance. The primary mechanism of this process is dictated by the ground cover of bryophytes that kill fine feeder tree roots. This minute activity of forest decline elevates into a broader scale transition from forest to bog ecosystems. This phenomenon of forest decline is understood to be a natural process of ecosystem dynamics. Various positive and negative feedback mechanisms of bryophytes were investigated to obtain a better understanding for designing the research experiment. I describe an observational field experiment designed to test and prove the bryophyte-paludification hypothesis. Results from research indicate that due to the short sampling time frame, no initial comparisons can be drawn from the collected data. However, these results will be used as a baseline to compare subsequent samplings in the future. Show less
