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Stand development patterns in southern bottomland hardwoods: Management considerations and research needs

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Stand development invloves changes in stand structure over time. Knowledge of stand dvelopment patterns is crucial for effective forest managment, especially of southern botomland hardwood forests. These forests contain more than 70 tree species, many of which ahve commercial timber and wildlife habitat value. In this paper, current techniques in stand development research are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on stand development studies in bottomland red oaks (Quercus spp.) especially cherrybark oak (Q. pagoda), although examples from other oak forest types are included. These studies were divided into 3 broad categories: pure, single-cohort stands; mixed, single-cohort stands; and mixed, multi-cohort stands. Management implications bases on these development patterns are discussed, including the importance of many of the non- or less-commercial species during stand development. Areas for future research also are suggested to increase the knowledge base on bottomland hardwood stand development.

Keywords

bottomland hardwoods, cherrybark oak, chronosequence, reconstruction, stand development

Citation

Lockhart, Brian R.; Meadows, James S.; Hodges, John D. 2005. Stand development patterns in southern bottomland hardwoods: Management considerations and research needs. The state of our understanding. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri printing. 439-448
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/20850