Introduction
The American Basswood tree, Tilia americana, has become a staple in both urban and forested areas from Missouri to Maine. Also referred to as the American Linden, the tree has both historical and ecological significance. In the Northeast, Native Americans used the fibrous Basswood for rope, mats, nets, and baskets. The sap of the tree as well as the leaves and cambium were consumed in various ways. The Iroquois in particular used the bark of the tree for bandages and other medicinal purposes (Nesom, 2003). Ecologically, the tree provides ample resources for birds and other animals, especially during winter. Decaying older trees function as autogenic engineers by providing habitats for cavity-nesting animals. Basswoods also enrich …show more content…
This would be roughly 6,000 years after the retreat of the Wisconsinan glaciation.
The deglaciated terrain would need sufficient time to develop a soil profile substantial enough to support the needs of the Basswoods. The succession of the area would have begun with the pioneer species that, after an ample period of time, would have broken down the bedrock and provided organic materials to create soils. Therefore, we cannot expect Basswoods to occupy the deglaciated terrain until subsequent stages of succession.
Additionally, the Basswoods require damp soils in order to grow and reproduce. Moist soils would imply moist environments. The time period that best allows for a moist environment based on palynological evidence is approximately between 8,500-5,000 years ago. This was a warm and wet period after the glaciations of the Northeast. The cool and dry climate that existed before this time period, as indicated by Menking et al. (2012) would not have been an ideal climate for the expansion of