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Forests
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Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests
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Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2019) | Viewed by 13589

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Michael A. Jenkins

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
Interests: disturbance ecology; invasion biology; applied forest ecology; deer herbivory; long-term studies
Dr. Bryan Murray

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues:

Natural regeneration is the predominant mechanism for recruiting new trees in managed mixed hardwood forests. However, natural regeneration in contemporary forests is often hindered by human-driven alterations to disturbance regimes, species pools, and landscape structure. These alterations include fire suppression, overabundant ungulate populations, and invasive species, and the legacy of historic land use, exploitive logging, and fragmentation. Understanding the mechanisms of natural regeneration, and how they are influenced by silvicultural practices, is critical to maintaining desired tree species that sustain the ecological and economic integrity of mixed hardwood forests. Examinations of these mechanisms must be made within the context of species traits, disturbance regimes, forest succession, and interspecific competition.

For this Special Issue of Forests, we invite contributions that examine the mechanisms, challenges, and applications of natural regeneration across the global distribution of mixed hardwood temperate forests. We welcome work based upon both field observations and designed experiments, as well as review papers. We hope this issue will help synthesize our knowledge of natural regeneration and provide valuable information for the management and restoration of mixed hardwood forests.

Prof. Dr. Michael A. Jenkins
Dr. Bryan Murray
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • disturbance
  • succession
  • understory
  • sprouting
  • recruitment
  • herbivory
  • fire

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 3558 KiB  
Article
Survival of Quercus alba (White Oak) Advance Reproduction in Small Group and Single Tree Openings
by Martin A. Spetich
Forests 2020, 11(8), 889; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11080889 - 15 Aug 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1961
Abstract
Survival probabilities of white oak (Quercus alba) in small circular group and single tree openings ranging in size from 0.001 to 0.175 ha twelve years after opening creation are presented. At the beginning of the study, 3948 advance reproduction white oak [...] Read more.
Survival probabilities of white oak (Quercus alba) in small circular group and single tree openings ranging in size from 0.001 to 0.175 ha twelve years after opening creation are presented. At the beginning of the study, 3948 advance reproduction white oak trees were measured and tagged to determine survival of each tagged seedling at the end of the study. Logistic regression indicated that variables important in predicting advance reproduction survival included initial seedling basal diameter, aspect, slope, canopy opening size, opening border tree height and treatment for control of understory competition. Survival probability ranged from 10% to 90% depending on the combination of and disposition of variables. For these small openings, the greatest probability of survival of advance reproduction resulted when advance reproduction initial basal diameters were ≥1 cm, when the height of trees bordering the openings were relatively short, with understory chemical competition control, in the largest canopy openings, on 6% slopes, and on southwest and northwest aspects. These criteria can help managers select sites and treatment options for group opening creation that provide optimal conditions for advance reproduction survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests)
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16 pages, 1837 KiB  
Article
Managing Mixed Stands: Reassessing a Forgotten Stand Type in the Southeastern United States
by John L. Willis, Jason S. Gordon, Shaun Tanger, Michael A. Blazier, Andrew B. Self and Arnold Brodbeck
Forests 2019, 10(9), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10090751 - 01 Sep 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2823
Abstract
Forestry in the Southeastern United States has long focused on converting natural stands into pine plantations or managing exclusively for hardwoods. Little consideration has been given to managing stands containing pine and hardwood mixtures, as these stands were considered inferior in terms of [...] Read more.
Forestry in the Southeastern United States has long focused on converting natural stands into pine plantations or managing exclusively for hardwoods. Little consideration has been given to managing stands containing pine and hardwood mixtures, as these stands were considered inferior in terms of productivity and/or quality. Recent declines in small-diameter softwood markets and logging workforce have, however, begun to stress the traditional pine production model in some locations, raising interest in management alternatives. Here, we provide biological, economic, and sociocultural rationale for pine-hardwood mixtures as an alternative strategy for landowners with multiple management objectives. To support this idea, an illustration compares a mixed-species plantation to pine and hardwood monocultures under a variety of simulated scenarios to demonstrate growth potential and economic and biological resilience. Moreover, to identify scenarios where managing pine-hardwood mixtures would be most appropriate, and to help conceptualize landowner interest in mixed stands, we present a guide combining biological, economic, and sociocultural factors that we anticipate influencing the adoption of mixed-stand management. The aim of this conceptual paper is not to suggest that mixed-species stand management should become the dominant management paradigm; rather, we seek to encourage researchers and land managers to consider it as part of the broader silvicultural toolbox. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests)
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21 pages, 3099 KiB  
Article
Woody Regeneration Response to Overstory Mortality Caused by the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
by Meghan L. Mulroy, Eric J. Holzmueller and Michael A. Jenkins
Forests 2019, 10(9), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10090717 - 21 Aug 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2260
Abstract
Adelges tsugae Annand (hemlock woolly adelgid, HWA, an invasive insect native to Japan), which causes defoliation and death of Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière (eastern hemlock), was introduced to the United States in the early 1950s and has spread throughout much of the range [...] Read more.
Adelges tsugae Annand (hemlock woolly adelgid, HWA, an invasive insect native to Japan), which causes defoliation and death of Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière (eastern hemlock), was introduced to the United States in the early 1950s and has spread throughout much of the range of T. canadensis causing widespread mortality. In 2016 and 2017, we resampled long-term vegetation monitoring plots across five forest types (ecogroups) within Great Smoky Mountains National Park that contained T. canadensis in 2003 (prior to the spread of HWA within the park) to examine changes in the species composition and diversity of the regeneration layer. We hypothesized that compositional changes in the seedling and sapling strata would be driven primarily by the pre-HWA importance value of T. canadensis and relative dominance of Rhododendron maximum L. (rosebay rhododendron), and that species diversity metrics would differ across year depending on ecogroup and the relative dominance of R. maximum. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed that the seedling and sapling strata of plots with greater pre-HWA importance of T. canadensis and lower basal area of R. maximum generally exhibited greater compositional change between 2003 and 2017. Topo-edaphic variables were also significant in both NMDS ordinations and were associated with the distribution of multiple hardwood species. Species richness, evenness, and Shannon-Wiener diversity varied with strata following the loss of T. canadensis, with the degree and direction of change varying with the dominance of R. maximum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests)
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15 pages, 1606 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Efficacy of Seedling Planting as a Forest Restoration Technique in Temperate Hardwood Forests Impacted by Invasive Species
by Michaela J. Woods, Meredith Cobb, Katie Hickle and Ryan W. McEwan
Forests 2019, 10(8), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10080699 - 18 Aug 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3495
Abstract
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire; EAB) is an invasive insect that causes mortality of trees in the genus Fraxinus, creating canopy gaps that may facilitate invasion by exotic plants. Planting native tree seedlings under EAB-infested Fraxinus may accelerate succession [...] Read more.
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire; EAB) is an invasive insect that causes mortality of trees in the genus Fraxinus, creating canopy gaps that may facilitate invasion by exotic plants. Planting native tree seedlings under EAB-infested Fraxinus may accelerate succession and preclude invasive plant expansion; however, the effectiveness of this approach has not been experimentally tested. We assessed understory seedling planting of Quercus rubra, Carya laciniosa, and Juglans cinerea in EAB-infested forests, where the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle) was removed. We tested whether the use of plastic tree shelters (“tree tubes”) or planting season (fall versus spring) contributed to the success of the reforestation plan by measuring growth rates (cm/yr) and survivorship two and seven years after planting. After seven years, seedling survivorship was <25% for all species and planting techniques. Quercus rubra exhibited poor survivorship with one seedling surviving to the conclusion of the experiment. Juglans cinerea and C. laciniosa had higher survivability and growth rates than did Q. rubra after two and seven years. Effects of tree tubes were weak and temporary. After 2 years, Q. rubra seedling survivorship was higher in tree tubes; however, by the end of the experiment 29 of the 30 Q. rubra seedlings in tree tubes had died. Juglans cinerea seedlings grew faster when planted in the fall compared to the spring, but overall survivorship of these seedlings was unaffected by planting season. Neither the use of tree shelters nor the planting season contributed to the growth or survival of C. laciniosa seedlings. In summary, our results indicate that seedling planting of Carya and Juglans may be a useful way to increase biodiversity in regenerating forests; however, the resource-expensive processes of over-wintering seedlings and using tree shelters may not increase the success of reforestation efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests)
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17 pages, 3228 KiB  
Article
Press-Pulse Odocoileus Virginianus Herbivory in Relict Tsuga Canadensis Stands in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA
by Grace L. Parikh and Christopher R. Webster
Forests 2019, 10(6), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10060496 - 11 Jun 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2651
Abstract
Ungulate herbivory occurring within a forest plant community’s natural range of variation may help maintain species diversity. However, acute or chronically elevated levels of herbivory can produce dramatic changes in forest communities. For example, chronically high levels of herbivory by white-tailed deer ( [...] Read more.
Ungulate herbivory occurring within a forest plant community’s natural range of variation may help maintain species diversity. However, acute or chronically elevated levels of herbivory can produce dramatic changes in forest communities. For example, chronically high levels of herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) in regions of historically low abundance at northern latitudes have dramatically altered forest community composition. In eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carrière) stands where deer aggregate during winter, high deer use has been associated with a shift towards deciduous species (i.e., maples [Acer spp.]) dominating the regeneration layer. Especially harsh winters can lead to deer population declines, which could facilitate regeneration of species that have been suppressed by browsing, such as hemlock. To enhance our understanding of how fluctuations in herbivory influence regeneration dynamics, we surveyed regeneration and deer use in 15 relict hemlock stands in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2007 and again in 2015. With the exception of small seedlings (0.04–0.24 m height), primarily maples whose abundance increased significantly (p < 0.05), we observed widespread significant declines (p < 0.05) in the abundance of medium (0.25 ≤ 1.4 m height) and large regeneration (>1.4 m tall ≤ 4 cm diameter at breast height) over the study period. Midway through our study period, the region experienced a high severity winter (i.e., “polar vortex”) which resulted in a substantial decline in the white-tailed deer population. Given the dominance of maples and dearth of hemlock in the seedling layer, the decline in the deer population may fail to forestall or possibly hasten the trend towards maple dominance of the regeneration layer as these stands recover from pulses of acute herbivory associated with high-severity winters and the press of chronically high herbivory that precedes them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Regeneration in Mixed Hardwood Forests)
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