Comparison of structural and compositional characteristics in old-growth and mature, managed hardwood forests of Minnesota, U.S.A.

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1479-1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
C M Hale ◽  
J Pastor ◽  
K A Rusterholz
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Hardwood Forests ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Extended rotation of managed temperate hardwood forests is sometimes presumed to provide the important compositional and structural features of old-growth hardwood forests. However, the features of temperate hardwood old-growth and managed stands of extended rotation age have not been fully quantified and compared. This study compared quantitative parameters (density and volume of logs and snags, coarse woody debris volume (volume of logs + volume of snags), the proportion of hollow logs, basal area and tree, sapling, large seedling and small seedling densities), distributional patterns (diameter class and rot class of live trees, decay class of logs), and vascular plant species composition and diversity in old-growth and mature, managed sugar maple (Acer saccharum L.) - basswood (Tilia americana L.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) stands. Old-growth forests had higher coarse woody debris volumes and higher proportions of hollow logs, of live trees in large diameter classes, of logs in decay classes 1 and 2, and of live trees in rot classes 3-5 than the mature, managed forests. Old-growth and mature, managed forests did not differ significantly in plant species composition. These results indicate that, while older extended-rotation, managed stands can be very similar compositionally to old-growth forests, they differ quantitatively in structural features.

scholarly journals Bryophyte Conservation in Managed Boreal Landscapes: Fourteen-Year Impacts of Partial Cuts on Epixylic Bryophytes

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Opoku-Nyame ◽  
Alain Leduc ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Over Time

Clear cut harvest simplifies and eliminates old growth forest structure, negatively impacting biodiversity. Partial cut harvest has been hypothesized (1) to have less impact on biodiversity than clear cut harvest, and (2) to encourage old growth forest structures. Long-term studies are required to test this hypothesis as most studies are conducted soon after harvest. Using epixylic bryophytes as indicators, this study addresses this knowledge gap. Fourteen years after harvest, we examined changes in epixylic bryophyte community composition richness and traits, and their microhabitats (coarse woody debris characteristics and microclimate) along an unharvested, partial cuts and clear cuts harvest treatment in 30 permanent plots established in the boreal black spruce (Picea mariana) forests of northwestern Quebec, Canada. Our results were compared to those of an initial post-harvest study (year 5) and to a chronosequence of old growth forests to examine species changes over time and the similarity of bryophyte communities in partial cut and old growth forests. Coarse woody debris (CWD) volume by decay class varied among harvest treatments with partial cuts and clear cuts recording lower volumes of early decay CWD. The epixylic community was richer in partial cuts than in mature unharvested forests and clear cuts. In addition, species richness and overall abundance doubled in partial and clear cuts between years 5 and 14. Species composition also differed among treatments between years 5 and 14. Furthermore, conditions in partial cut stands supported small, drought sensitive, and old growth confined species that are threatened by conditions in clear cut stands. Lastly, over time, species composition in partial cuts became more similar to old growth forests. Partial cuts reduced harvest impacts by continuing to provide favorable microhabitat conditions that support epixylic bryophytes. Also, partial cut harvest has the potential to encourage old growth species assemblages, which has been a major concern for biodiversity conservation in managed forest landscapes. Our findings support the promotion of partial cut harvest as an effective strategy to achieve species and habitat conservation goals.

Coarse woody debris in old-growth temperate beech (Nothofagus) forests of New Zealand

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1989-1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn H. Stewart ◽  
Larry E. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Hardwood Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Decay Sequence ◽  
Nothofagus Forests

The volume, biomass, and carbon and nitrogen content of coarse woody debris were measured on three 1-ha reference plots in old-growth Nothofagusfusca (Hook. f.) Oerst.–Nothofagusmenziesii (Hook. f.) Oerst. forest on the South Island of New Zealand. Two decay sequences for logs and one for standing dead trees (snags) were recognised from two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) of up to 30 variables related to physical characteristics and structural integrity. Wood volume (up to 800 m3•ha−1) and biomass were high (up to 300 Mg•ha−1), and the inside-out decay sequence from heartwood to sapwood was unusual compared with that of other temperate hardwood forests. Coarse woody debris represented significant carbon and nitrogen pools, with ca. 150 Mg•ha−1 and 370 kg•ha−1, respectively, in one stand. The coarse woody debris component of these broad-leaved evergreen hardwood forests was much higher than that reported for other temperate hardwood forests and approaches that of many northern hemisphere conifer forests. The large coarse woody debris pools are discussed in relation to live stand biomass, natural disturbances and tree mortality, and decomposition processes.

scholarly journals Coarse woody debris in the old-growth forests of British Columbia

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (S1) ◽  
pp. S135-S157 ◽  
Author(s):  
M C Feller
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Forest Age ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forests

This paper synthesizes data extracted from the literature and data collected in various studies by the author on the quantity, characteristics, and functional importance of coarse woody debris (CWD) in the old-growth forests of British Columbia (B.C.). There is little agreement in the literature about the minimum diameter of CWD or the number of decay classes recognized. In western North America, five decay classes are commonly used, but recent studies suggest fewer decay classes are preferable. Comparisons among decay classes and biogeoclimatic zones and subzones in B.C. reveal that quantities and volumes are greatest (up to approximately 60 kg/m2 and approximately 1800 m3/ha, respectively), and CWD persists the longest (sometimes in excess of 1000 years) in the Coastal Western Hemlock (CWH) biogeoclimatic zone. The quantity and ground cover of CWD increase with forest productivity. Persistence of CWD has varied from less than 100 to over 800 years in two coastal (CWH and Mountain Hemlock (MH)) and three interior (Interior Douglas-fir (IDF), Interior Cedar–Hemlock (ICH), and Engelmann Spruce – Subalpine Fir (ESSF)) biogeoclimatic zones. Trends in CWD quantity with forest age in managed coastal B.C. forests suggest a U-shaped curve, with greater quantities occurring in recent cutovers than in old-growth forests, and lowest quantities occurring in middle-aged forests. This may be the normal trend in CWD with forest age, with departures from this trend resulting from disturbance- or environment-specific factors. Relatively large amounts of data exist on the characteristics of CWD in the CWH, IDF, ICH, ESSF, and Boreal White and Black Spruce (BWBS) biogeoclimatic zones, but such data for the Coastal Douglas-fir, Sub-Boreal Pine–Spruce, Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS), and Spruce–Willow–Birch biogeoclimatic zones appear relatively sparse. There have been few studies of the functional role of CWD in B.C. forests, but those studies that have been completed indicate that CWD is an important habitat component for some plant and animal species. A total of 169 plant species, including >95% of all lichens and liverworts, were found to grow on CWD in old-growth forests in the CWH, MH, IDF, ICH, and ESSF biogeoclimatic zones. One third of these species were restricted to CWD. Studies in several biogeoclimatic zones have found that CWD provided preferred habitat for and was associated with higher populations of some small animal species, such as shrews, some voles, and some salamanders, in old-growth forests, but the effects varied with species and biogeoclimatic zone. The nutrient cycling role of CWD is not yet well known, but it currently appears to be relatively insignificant in B.C. old-growth forests. Although it has been considered that CWD could increase mineral soil acidification and eluviation, no evidence for this was found in a study of the CWH, MH, IDF, ICH, ESSF, BWBS, and SBS biogeoclimatic zones. Future studies of the functional role of CWD should consider both scale (square metre vs. hectare) and temporal (changes in CWD with forest age) issues, as studies including these are sparse and both may be important. Key words: biogeoclimatic zones, British Columbia, coarse woody debris, old-growth forests.

Effect of small-scale forest management on fungivorous Coleoptera in old-growth forest fragments in southeastern Ontario, Canada

2007 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Zeran ◽  
Robert S. Anderson ◽  
Terry A. Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Hardwood Forests ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Species Analysis

AbstractFungivorous Coleoptera were sampled from old-growth and managed (selectively logged in 1999) hemlock–hardwood forests in southeastern Ontario to examine the effect of small-scale forest management on fungivore diversity in forest fragments. Sampling using flight-intercept traps and trunk-window traps for 22 weeks in 2003 yielded 11 888 beetles representing 73 species in 11 target families (Anthribidae, Cerylonidae, Endomychidae, Erotylidae, Leiodidae, Mycetophagidae, Scaphidiidae, Sphindidae, Tenebrionidae, Trogossitidae, and Zopheridae). The leiodid subfamily Leiodinae was the dominant taxon (10 386 individuals, 38 species). While old-growth stands had no recent logging and had higher volumes of coarse woody debris, species diversity and composition of fungivorous Coleoptera were similar between forest types, suggesting that the stand differences measured (recent logging history, volume of coarse woody debris) did not have a significant effect on beetle diversity in this study. Indicator species analysis showed that Triplax macra LeConte (Erotylidae) was strongly associated with old-growth stands, while Anisotoma blanchardi (Horn), Anogdus obsoletus (Melsheimer), Agathidium sp. 1 (Leiodidae), and Mycetina perpulchra (Newman) (Endomychidae) were associated with managed stands. The lack of difference observed between stand types may be related to the small size of the forest fragments or the relatively small scale of the disturbance.

scholarly journals Longleaf Pine Patch Dynamics Influence Ground-Layer Vegetation in Old-Growth Pine Savanna

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mugnani ◽  
Robertson ◽  
Miller ◽  
Platt
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Longleaf Pine ◽  
Ground Layer ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Pine Savanna

Old-growth longleaf pine savannas are characterized by diverse ground-layer plant communities comprised of graminoids, forbs, and woody plants. These communities co-exist with variable-aged patches containing similar-aged trees of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). We tested the conceptual model that physical conditions related to the cycle of longleaf pine regeneration (stand structure, soil attributes, fire effects, and light) influence plant species’ composition and spatial heterogeneity of ground-layer vegetation. We used a chrono-sequence approach in which local patches represented six stages of the regeneration cycle, from open areas without trees (gaps) to trees several centuries old, based on a 40-year population study and increment cores of trees. We measured soil characteristics, patch stand structure, fuel loads and consumption during fires, plant productivity, and ground-layer plant species composition. Patch characteristics (e.g., tree density, basal diameter, soil carbon, and fire heat release) indicated a cyclical pattern that corresponded to the establishment, growth, and mortality of trees over a period of approximately three centuries. We found that plants in the families Fabaceae and Asteraceae and certain genera were significantly associated with a particular patch stage or ranges of patch stages, presumably responding to changes in physical conditions of patches over time. However, whole-community-level analyses did not indicate associations between the patch stage and distinct plant communities. Our study indicates that changes in composition and the structure of pine patches contribute to patterns in spatial and temporal heterogeneity in physical characteristics, fire regimes, and species composition of the ground-layer vegetation in old-growth pine savanna.

Cavity trees and coarse woody debris in old-growth and managed northern hardwood forests in Wisconsin and Michigan

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M Goodburn ◽  
Craig G Lorimer
Keyword(s):  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Hardwood Forests ◽  
Northern Hardwoods ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Northern Hardwood Forests ◽  
Northern Hardwood ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Cavity Tree

The effects of uneven-aged management on the availability of coarse woody debris habitat were examined in northern hardwood forests (with and without a hemlock component) in north-central Wisconsin and adjacent western Upper Michigan. Snags, cavity trees, fallen wood, and recent tip-up mounds in 15 managed uneven-aged (selection) stands were compared with levels in 10 old-growth stands and six unmanaged even-aged second-growth stands. Amounts of coarse woody debris in selection stands were generally intermediate between old-growth and even-aged stands. Density of snags >30 cm DBH in northern hardwood selection stands averaged 12/ha, approximately double that found in even-aged northern hardwoods, but only 54% of the level in old-growth northern hardwoods. Highest densities of snags >30 cm DBH occurred in old-growth hemlock-hardwood stands, averaging over 40 snags/ha. For combined forest types, the volume of fallen wood (>10 cm in diameter) was significantly lower in selection stands (60 m3/ha) and even-aged stands (25 m3/ha) than in old-growth stands (99 m3/ha). Volume differences were even more pronounced for large-diameter debris (>40 cm). Cavity tree density in selection stands averaged 11 trees/ha, 65% of the mean number in old-growth stands. Densities of snags (>30 cm DBH) and large-diameter cavity trees (>45 cm) present in selection stands exceeded current guidelines for wildlife tree retention on public forests.

scholarly journals Maintaining attributes of old-growth forests in coastal B.C. through variable retention

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Beese ◽  
B G Dunsworth ◽  
K. Zielke ◽  
B. Bancroft
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Variable Retention ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Variable retention is a new approach to harvesting and silvicultural systems that was developed by ecologists in the Pacific Northwest region of North America to address a wide array of forest management goals. Variable retention recognizes that natural disturbances, such as fire, wind or disease, nearly always leave some standing structure from the original forest. This structural complexity plays an important role in forest ecosystem function and biological diversity. A new "retention silvicultural system" was defined that leaves trees distributed throughout harvested areas. This system facilitates retention of structural features of old-growth forests, such as live and dead trees of varying sizes, multiple canopy layers, and coarse woody debris. Weyerhaeuser's British Columbia Coastal Group will use the variable retention approach for all harvesting by 2003. More than 75% of the company's coastal harvesting in British Columbia used variable retention in 2001. Company guidelines describe the amount, type, and spatial distribution of retention for groups and individual trees. An adaptive management program is monitoring the amount and type of structural attributes retained in relation to the original forest. Key words: old-growth forests, variable retention, silvicultural systems, biodiversity, landscape zoning

Landscape patterns of change in coarse woody debris accumulation in an old-growth deciduous forest on the Cumberland Plateau, southeastern Kentucky

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 763-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert N Muller
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Landscape Position ◽  
Cumberland Plateau ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Forest disturbance was evaluated in an old-growth forest on the Cumberland Plateau in southeastern Kentucky using a 10-year history of coarse woody debris (CWD) accumulation. CWD averaged 21.8 Mg/ha in 1989 and 29.6 Mg/ha (36% increase) in 1999. In both years, Quercus montana Willd. and Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. were the two dominant components of CWD; however, over the 10-year interval, Tilia heterophylla Vent., Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet, and Acer saccharum Marsh. increased significantly, while Quercus alba L. declined. CWD occurrence had a highly skewed frequency, which is consistent with the idea that gap dynamics dominate the disturbance patterns of temperate old-growth forests. However, CWD composition bore limited relationship to overstory species composition or to the dynamics of gap creation. Further, while CWD showed no relationship to forest community (i.e., landscape position) in 1989, it was strongly related to community in 1999. The increase in CWD mass and changing importance of landscape position appear to have occurred in the absence of extrinsic disturbance factors. Thus, in old-growth deciduous forests of the temperate region, autogenic disturbance appears to occur at two scales: (i) the patch dynamics of individual tree mortality and (ii) landscape-scale patterns of mortality that are determined by species composition and differing patterns of mortality among species.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document