Download or read book Multiple Gap Stand and Landscape scale Factors Affect Regeneration in Managed Northern Hardwood Forests written by Megan Shanahan Matonis and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Effects of Group selection Openings on Regeneration Composition in Conventionally Managed Northern Hardwoods written by and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract : Northern hardwood forests in the Upper Great Lakes region-often existing on mesic, nutrient-rich sites and characterized by mixtures deciduous species such as sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), and/or American beech (Fagus grandifolia L.)-have become more homogenous in composition over time due to the primary uneven-aged management system, single-tree selection (STS), which tends to favor shade-tolerant regeneration. Consequently, the proportion of trees with low shade-tolerance entering the canopy in managed northern hardwoods has decreased, while shade-tolerant species such as sugar maple have become dominant. Group-selection is an alternative form of uneven-aged management designed to naturally regenerate species within a wider range of shade-tolerances and holds promise for increasing long-term forest resilience by increasing canopy diversity. This thesis examines regeneration dynamics within two long-term group-selection experiments in Upper Great Lakes region: the Yellow Birch Legacy-Tree Project (YBLP) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Divide Canopy Gap Study (DCGS) in northeastern Wisconsin. Chapter 2 focuses on regeneration layers (seedlings and saplings) in the YBLP. The goals were to assess regeneration composition 15 years post-harvest, the efficacy of treatments at producing more species-rich regeneration layers than adjacent STS-managed stands, and effects of opening size on regeneration composition. At 15 years post-harvest, shade-tolerant sugar maple dominated regeneration layers across all treatments with modest increases in seedling and sapling diversity within openings that may alter long-term canopy composition over several cutting cycles. We also found that gains in diversity and evenness in canopy gaps persisted through time and that large openings (22 m) had the most species-rich and even regeneration compared to reference sites. Chapter 3 examines the composition of saplings poised to capture canopy positions within openings (termed "gap-capturing saplings") in the YBLP and the DCGS. Tallest saplings were recorded and measured within pre-defined regions within group-selection openings at both study sites, along with pre-harvest canopy composition and post-harvest advance regeneration. Our goals were to look for compositional differences in gap-capturing saplings between opening sizes, pre-existing canopies and advance regeneration, and for spatial patterns of gap-capturing sapling composition and height within openings. Opening size did not influence overall composition of gap-capturing saplings in either study except possibly in the smallest gaps (3 m). However, site-specific factors such as harvest methods, local herbivore densities, and stand management histories appear to have greatly influenced the composition of gap-capturing saplings relative to past canopies and advance regeneration. Opening size affected sapling height but only in the smallest gaps in both studies; in the YBLP (with legacy-retention) no effect of opening size on sapling height was detected above 300-400 m2, and in the DCGS (no legacy-retention) no effect was detected above 100-200 m2. Group-selection appears to be one management option for adding shade-intolerant and midtolerant species to the overstory in hardwood forests.
Download or read book Regeneration Responses to Management for Old Growth Characteristics in Northern Hardwood Conifer Forests written by Aviva Joy Gottesman and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Silviculture practices interact with multiple sources of variability to influence regeneration trends in northern hardwood forests. There is uncertainty whether low-intensity selection harvesting techniques will result in desirable tree regeneration. Our research is part of a long-term study that tests the hypothesis that a silvicultural approach called “structural complexity enhancement” (SCE) can promote accelerated development of late-successional forest structure and functions. Our objective is to understand the regeneration dynamics following three uneven-aged forestry treatments modified to increase postharvest structural retention: single-tree selection, group selection, and SCE. In terms of regeneration densities and composition, how do light availability, competition, seedbad, and herbivory interact with overstory treatment effects? To explore these relationships, manipulations and controls were replicated across 2-hectare treatment units at two sites in Vermont, USA. Forest inventory data were collected pre-harvest and 13 years post-harvest. We used linear mixed effects models with repeated measures to evaluate the effects of treatment on seedling and sapling abundances and diversity (Shannon-Weiner H’). Multivariate analyses evaluated the relative predictive strength of treatment versus alternative sources of ecological variability. Thirteen-years post-harvest, the harvested treatments were all successful in recruiting a sapling class with a significantly higher mean than the control. However, in all of the treatments prolific beech regeneration dominated the understory in patches. Seedling densities exhibited pulses of recruitment and mortality with a significant positive treatment effect on all harvested treatments in the first four years post-harvest. Seedling diversity was maintained, while sapling diversity was negatively influenced by herbivory (deer and moose browse) and leaf litter substrate. Multivariate analyses suggest that while treatment had a dominant effect, other factors were strongly influential in driving regeneration responses. Results indicate variants of uneven-aged systems that retain or enhance stand structural complexity, including old-growth characteristics, generally regenerate at adequate and desirable densities depending on site conditions.
Download or read book Influence of Residual Stand Density on Regeneration of Northern Hardwoods written by William B. Leak and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Pattern and Process of Tree Regeneration and Recruitment in Managed Northern Hardwood Forests written by Catherine Rose Henry and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For managed forests which rely on natural tree regeneration for canopy recruitment, abundance and composition of tree regeneration portend future forest structure and diversity. For northern hardwood forests, a geographically widespread forest type in North America, typical single-tree selection (STS) management relies on natural regeneration to promote new cohorts of canopy trees. Harvesting dispersed, select trees every 15 - 20 years, STS generates low light levels intended to promote sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and other shade-tolerant tree species in an uneven-aged system. However, following 60 + years of STS implementation in the Great Lakes region, concerning regeneration trends have emerged, namely low densities of sugar maple and low tree species diversity. Additionally, few studies have analyzed age structure under this system to assess its past efficacy in generating uneven-aged forests. The research presented here characterizes regeneration and recruitment outcomes of STS, analyzing data from a uniquely detailed and geographically widespread research project of 141 northern hardwood stands across northern Michigan.Given the silvicultural focus on regenerating sugar maple, the first two chapters focus on management outcomes for this key species. First, a flexible Bayesian hierarchical model offers insight on patterns of sugar maple regeneration for key size classes as a function of plot and stand level predictors. Our results indicate that sugar maple regeneration is sparse to absent, particularly for size classes actively browsed by deer and recently escaped from the deer browsing zone. The second analysis characterizes age structure for a subset of 51 stands, drawing on 1499 sugar maple trees > 5 cm diameter sampled via basal discs from recently harvested stumps; this analysis provides insight to past patterns of recruitment and establishment. The results suggest little evidence of sugar maple seedling regeneration and canopy ingrowth over the past 60 + years of STS management; instead, stands have highly suppressed saplings plus aging poletimber and sawtimber classes, which are at or quickly approaching economic maturity. Given declines in sugar maple dominance as evidenced by the first two research analyses, the third analysis assesses stand-level tree species diversity and individual species abundance as a function of landscape predictors and size class to shed light on projected future canopy composition. On average, there are approximately three effective common species for seedlings, saplings, and canopy stems at the stand level, and species less desirable for management are occupying growing space in the sapling layer.Together, these results indicate that STS has been unsuccessful in regenerating or recruiting sugar maple over the past 60 + years, and stands are characterized by a paucity of tree species. Our results support several potential alternative management strategies, including decreasing basal area via more intense harvests, prohibiting deer browsing via natural browsing barriers, or introducing greater diversity of tree species via direct seeding or planting. These results should be considered to improve current management of northern hardwood forests in the Great Lakes region.
Download or read book Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest N F Boulder Project written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest N F Cayuga Project Area written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Long term Stand Development and Demographic Sustainability of Tree Populations in Northern Hardwood Forests written by and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An understanding of trajectories in long-term forest development is essential for examining several fundamental issues in forest ecology and management. Long-term forest development has important implications for issues as diverse as forest productivity, carbon storage, biological diversity, and ecological forestry methods. While much has been learned from studies of old-growth forests, a limitation is that these have necessarily been brief snapshots of species composition and forest structure at one point in time from which accurate trends are difficult to infer. The overarching themes of this dissertation are the long-term trajectory of forest development and the impact of the historic natural disturbance regime on that trajectory. Specific objectives were: (1) to quantify long-term trends in above-ground tree biomass and stand structure in northern hardwood forests, and effects of the natural disturbance regime, (2) to estimate the frequency of structural stand stages, along with residence times and transition rates among stages, under several disturbance regimes, and (3) to develop a quantitative approach to evaluating demographic sustainability of tree populations under several conditions, including those of restricted recruitment. Computer simulation with the CANOPY model was used to clarify long-term trends. However, to the extent possible, these model predictions were verified against available field data, including an extensive field survey and a 30-year record of change on permanent plots in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Major conclusions from this work were: (1) The Bormann-Likens hypothesis of a peak in biomass followed by a decline to a lower level was largely supported by both simulation and field data. The asymptotic biomass trend documented in recent chronosequences may be a consequence of using maximum tree age to estimate stand age. (2) The majority of landscapes of old-growth northern hardwoods is occupied by non-equilibrium stands, but nearly 1/3 was also structurally indistinguishable from steady state. Individual stands were highly dynamic, spending only a few decades in any structural stage. (3) Minimum sustainable tree populations had a variable slope in their size distribution. Enforcing a shallow fixed slope in understory trees typical of those used in uneven-aged management for larger trees rendered the stand unsustainable.
Download or read book Introduction to Forestry and Natural Resources written by Donald L. Grebner and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-01-19 with total page 513 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction to Forestry and Natural Resources, Second Edition, presents a broad, completely updated overview of the profession of forestry. The book details several key fields within forestry, including forest management, economics, policy, utilization and forestry careers. Chapters deal specifically with forest regions of the world, landowners, forest products, wildlife habitats, tree anatomy and physiology, and forest disturbances and health. These topics are ideal for undergraduate introductory courses and include numerous examples and questions for students to ponder. There is also a section dedicated to forestry careers. Unlike other introductory forestry texts, which focus largely on forest ecology rather than practical forestry concepts, this book encompasses the economic, ecological and social aspects, thus providing a uniquely balanced text. The wide range of experience of the contributing authors equips them especially well to identify missing content from other texts in the area and address topics currently covered in corresponding college courses. - Covers the application of forestry and natural resources around the world with a focus on practical applications and graphical examples - Describes basic techniques for measuring and evaluating forest resources and natural resources, including fundamental terminology and concepts - Includes management policies and their influence at the local, national and international levels
Download or read book Patterns and Processes in Forest Landscapes written by Raffaele Lafortezza and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-08-30 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasing evidence suggests that the composition and spatial configuration – the pattern – of forest landscapes affect many ecological processes, including the movement and persistence of particular species, the susceptibility and spread of disturbances such as fires or pest outbreaks, and the redistribution of matter and nutrients. Understanding these issues is key to the successful management of complex, multifunctional forest landscapes, and landscape ecology, based on a foundation of island bio-geography and meta-population dynamic theories, provides the rationale to deal with this pattern-to-process interaction at different spatial and temporal scales. This carefully edited volume represents a stimulating addition to the international literature on landscape ecology and resource management. It provides key insights into some of the applicable landscape ecological theories that underlie forest management, with a specific focus on how forest management can benefit from landscape ecology, and how landscape ecology can be advanced by tackling challenging problems in forest (landscape) management. It also presents a series of case studies from Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and Australia exploring the issues of disturbance, diversity, management, and scale, and with a specific focus on how human intervention affects forest landscapes and, in turn, how landscapes influence humans and their culture. An important reference for advanced students and researchers in landscape ecology, conservation biology, forest ecology, natural resource management and ecology across multiple scales, the book will also appeal to researchers and practitioners in reserve design, ecological restoration, forest management, landscape planning and landscape architecture.
Download or read book Ecology Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 730 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coverage: 1982- current; updated: monthly. This database covers current ecology research across a wide range of disciplines, reflecting recent advances in light of growing evidence regarding global environmental change and destruction. Major ares of subject coverage include: Algae/lichens, Animals, Annelids, Aquatic ecosystems, Arachnids, Arid zones, Birds, Brackish water, Bryophytes/pteridophytes, Coastal ecosystems, Conifers, Conservation, Control, Crustaceans, Ecosyst em studies, Fungi, Grasses, Grasslands, High altitude environments, Human ecology, Insects, Legumes, Mammals, Management, Microorganisms, Molluscs, Nematodes, Paleo-ecology, Plants, Pollution studies, Reptiles, River basins, Soil, TAiga/tundra, Terrestrial ecosystems, Vertebrates, Wetlands, Woodlands.
Download or read book General Technical Report RM written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Canadian Journal of Forest Research written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Managing Forests as Complex Adaptive Systems written by Christian Messier and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-02-11 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book links the emerging concepts of complexity, complex adaptive system (CAS) and resilience to forest ecology and management. It explores how these concepts can be applied in various forest biomes of the world with their different ecological, economic and social settings, and history. Individual chapters stress different elements of these concepts based on the specific setting and expertise of the authors. Regions and authors have been selected to cover a diversity of viewpoints and emphases, from silviculture and natural forests to forest restoration, and from boreal to tropical forests. The chapters show that there is no single generally applicable approach to forest management that applies to all settings. The first set of chapters provides a global overview of how complexity, CAS and resilience theory can benefit researchers who study forest ecosystems. A second set of chapters provides guidance for managers in understanding how these concepts can help them to facilitate forest ecosystem change and renewal (adapt or self-organize) in the face of global change while still delivering the goods and services desired by humans. The book takes a broad approach by covering a variety of forest biomes and the full range of management goals from timber production to forest restoration to promote the maintenance of biodiversity, quality of water, or carbon storage.
Download or read book Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses Based on Physiological and Functional Ecology written by Kaixiong Xing and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2023-10-31 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plants require a proper balance of matter and energy to maintain their survival and reproduction. Biotic and/or abiotic stresses in diverse environments could influence plant photosynthesis, water and nutrient acquisition and utilization. Through the lens of plant physiological and functional ecology, the study of responses of individual plant traits and/or integration of plant responses to environmental change has been well developed. The variation of plant physiological characteristics and functional traits has been recognized with hundreds of high-quality papers on topics of plant responses to environmental stresses. For now, despite the increasing number of studies trying to establish a linkage between plant physiological processes and functional traits, these covariations have received limited theoretical and experimental verification. This knowledge gap hampers our ability to understand and predict the comprehensive responses of plants to environmental stresses at different scales.
Download or read book Bibliography of Agriculture written by and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 1120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Polish Journal of Ecology written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 874 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
