This study will examine the hypothesis that the "old-growth" forests of the Puget Sound Lowlands of western Washington may be a relative new feature in the Northwestern landscape. This will be done by the examination of pollen cores taken from small hollows in a representative area of the Puget Sound Lowlands. If their hypothesis is correct, it will force a reconsideration of the current assumption that the "old-growth" forest structure and species associated with it represents "natural" equilibrium conditions in that area. This study will also provide an example of a non-equilibrium system created by a changing disturbance regime, which are difficult to study in modern ecosystems. This research has the potential to provide evidence needed to dispel the equilibrium myth of northwestern Forests and sharpen our understanding of biological inertia, storage effects and processes contributing to the non-equilibrium conditions.
