Regeneration microsites and resource levels resulting from a range of silvicultural treatments in tennessee oak-hickory forests
This article is part of a larger document. View the larger document here.Abstract
Regeneration microsites were investigated by measuring photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), soil moisture, nutrients, and understory vegetation in (1) uncut controls and plots with partial cutting to either 50, 25, or 12.5 percent of original basal area, (2) commercial clearcuts, and (3) silvicultural clearcuts. Treatments and controls were replicated in northfacing, south-facing, and ridgetop blocks within mature oak-hickory forest. Abundance and height of herb species increased with decreases in residual basal area and shaded the regeneration layer in clearcuts. Mean percent full PAR was 3.8, 41.0, 70.0, 77.4, 81.8, and 86.7 percent in the uncut, 50 percent, 25 percent, 12.5 percent, commercial clearcut, and silvicultural clearcut plots, respectively. A regression equation (p < .0001, r2 = .91) was developed that relates percent full PAR to basal area. No significant differences in moisture or nutrients occurred between treatments. This was likely due to high spatial variability in these resources and above-average precipitation during the study.