Evaluating the role of cutting treatments, fire and soil seed banks in an experimental framework in ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills, South Dakota

Wienk, Cody L.; Sieg, Carolyn Hull; McPherson, Guy R.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2004.02.004

Cited by 93 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…This increase of grasses, whether invasive or native, in fuel treatments has been documented in a variety of thinning treatments [16,40,41], which suggests that many of the graminoids found in the seed bank were likely deposited after the mastication treatment. Even with the highly variable densities observed across the forest types this study displayed comparable seed densities to seed bank studies conducted in similar ecosystems [42][43][44][45].…”

Section: Seed Bankssupporting

confidence: 67%

Impacts of Mastication: Soil Seed Bank Responses to a Forest Thinning Treatment in Three Colorado (USA) Conifer Forest Types

Faist

Stone

Tripp

2015

Forests

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Mastication is a forest fuel thinning treatment that involves chipping or shredding small trees and shrubs and depositing the material across the forest floor. By decreasing forest density mastication has been shown to lessen crown fire hazard, yet other impacts have only recently started to be studied. Our study evaluates how mastication treatments alter the density and composition of soil seed banks in three Colorado conifer forest types. The three forest types were (1) lodgepole pine, (2) ponderosa pine and (3) pinyon pine-juniper. Results showed that masticated sites contained higher seed bank densities than untreated sites: a pattern primarily driven by treatment effects in ponderosa pine forests. The seed bank was dominated by forbs regardless of forest type or treatment. This pattern of forb dominance was not observed in the aboveground vegetation cover as it demonstrated more even proportions of the functional groups. Graminoids showed a higher seed density in treated sites than untreated and, similarly, the identified non-native species only occurred in the treated ponderosa pine sites suggesting a potential belowground invasion for this forest type. These results suggest that presence of masticated material might not be creating a physical barrier hindering the transfer of seeds as predicted. OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 3061

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Section: Seed Bankssupporting

confidence: 67%

Impacts of Mastication: Soil Seed Bank Responses to a Forest Thinning Treatment in Three Colorado (USA) Conifer Forest Types

Faist

Stone

Tripp

2015

Forests

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“…Our results are consistent with other overstory-understory studies in ponderosa pine forests and pine-oak woodlands that demonstrate that high overstory canopy cover results in low herbaceous production (Arnold 1950), and that rapid recovery of understory plant biomass can be obtained by basal area reduction (Thompson and Gartner 1971;Ffolliott and Clary 1982;Uresk and Severson 1989;McPherson and Weltzin 1998;Wienk et al 2004). Increased light availability, resulting from tree thinning, was likely the main factor stimulating increased herbaceous standing crop (McLaughlin 1978;Riegel et al 1995;Naumberg et al 2001), in addition to higher nitrogen and water availability (Riegel et al 1995;Kaye et al 2005).…”

Section: Thinning Effectssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Research has generally shown that understory production increases following low-intensity prescribed burns in ponderosa pine forests, though increases are often species specific (Harris and Covington 1983;Andariese and Covington 1986;Vose and White 1991;Wienk et al 2004).…”

Section: Fire Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In response to concerns about forest ecosystem health and large crown fires in southwestern ponderosa pine forests, land managers and the scientific community in the Southwest have begun using ecological restoration thinning treatments to convert dense, closed-canopy ponderosa pine stands back to more open-stand structures. Many of these treatments and management plans also call for regularly scheduled prescribed fires, in hopes of simulating the frequent fire regime that was common in these systems in presettlement times (Agee 1993;Covington et al 1997;Moore et al 1999;Wienk et al 2004). Both overstory tree thinning and prescribed burning can have mixed results on the herbaceous understory, depending upon thinning level and fire intensity, frequency, and season Tiedemann et al 2000;Wienk et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Herbaceous Vegetation Responses (1992-2004) to Restoration Treatments in a Ponderosa Pine Forest

Moore¹,

Casey²,

Bakker³

2006

REM

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Ecological restoration treatments are widely applied in southwestern ponderosa pine forests to convert them to an open canopy structure similar to that found at the time of Euro-American settlement. An experiment was initiated in northern Arizona in 1994 to evaluate long-term ecosystem responses to 3 restoration treatments: 1) thinning from below (thinning), 2) thinning from below plus forest floor manipulation with periodic prescribed burning (composite), and 3) an untreated control. Results focus on total herbaceous and functional-group standing crop response to these restoration treatments. Pretreatment data were collected in 1992 and posttreatment responses were measured from 1994 through 2004. Total herbaceous standing crop was significantly higher on the 2 treated areas than on the control over the entire posttreatment period, but did not differ between the thinning and composite treatments. Plant functional groups responded differently to treatments and to drought. In general, the graminoid standing crop responded within several years after the initial treatments and continued to increase through time, until a series of severe droughts reduced standing crop to pretreatment levels. C 3 graminoids dominated the standing-crop response, of which bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey ssp. elymoides) was the primary contributor. C 4 graminoids had a minimal response to restoration treatments, possibly because they were less abundant before the experiment began or because they were adversely affected by autumn burning. Legumes and forbs exhibited a 4-5 year lag before responding to the thinning and composite treatments. Annual and biennial plants showed a large biomass increase approximately 5 years after implementation of the composite treatment. The restoration goal of optimizing herbaceous standing crop must be weighed against the competing goals of increasing the abundance of specific functional groups, increasing biodiversity or rare plants, and managing invasive plant species. ResumenLos tratamientos de restauració n ecoló gica son ampliamente aplicados en los bosques de ''Ponderosa pine'' del sudoeste para convertirlos en una estructura de cobertura abierta similar a la que se encontró en el tiempo de la colonizació n Euroamericana. En 1994, en el norte de Arizona, se inicio un experimento para evaluar las respuestas a largo lazo del ecosistema a tres tratamientos de restauració n: 1) aclareo desde abajo (aclareo); 2) Aclareo desde abajo mas manipulació n del piso del bosque con fuego prescrito perió dico (compuesto) y 3) control sin tratar. Los resultados se enfocaron en la respuesta de la biomasa total herbá cea y de grupos funcionales a estos tratamientos de restauració n. Los datos pre-tratamiento fueron colectados en 1992 y las respuestas post-tratamientos fueron medidas de 1994 a 2004. Durante todo el periodo post-tratamiento la biomasa total herbá cea de las dos á reas tratadas fue significativamente mayor que la del á rea control, pero no difirió entre los tratamientos d...

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“…También se han observado relaciones similares en bosques implantados, donde la densidad del rodal mostró gran importancia incidiendo en la presencia y composición del sotobosque. Wienk et al (2004) encontraron en bosques implantados de pinos disminuciones en la diversidad del sotobosque llegando a ser reemplazado por un grueso manto de agujas de pino. Por otra parte, los autores encontraron que el talado del bosque implantado también puede generar un incremento en la riqueza y cobertura de las especies del sotobosque.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Understory changes associated with the replacement of natural vegetation by Pinus ponderosa Dougl. under different plantation management (SW Neuquén, Argentina)

2006

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ResumenSe estudió la influencia de diferentes intensidades de manejo sobre el sotobosque de plantaciones de pino ponderosa en parcelas distribuidas en una transecta O-E. Cinco bajo bosque de Nothofagus y diez bajo pino -cinco con 90-100% de cobertura y cinco con una reducción al 60-70%-y otras dos bajo estepa y sus equivalentes bajo pinos sin raleo y raleado. Se calculó el índice de diversidad de Shannon, y se caracterizó y comparó el suelo superficial. Bajo pino la diversidad fue menor que bajo vegetación natural -Nothofagus y estepa-lo que junto con el menor contenido de carbono del suelo evidenciaron la alteración del ecosistema. La diversidad bajo pino raleado respecto al no raleado fue mayor y dominada por especies herbáceas exóticas y arbustos nativos, reflejándose en la estructura del suelo superficial, que tendió a granular como bajo vegetación natural, mostrando su capacidad de resiliencia. El raleo favoreció el desarrollo del sotobosque bajo pino ponderosa, tendiendo a la restauración de la biodiversidad, lo que se debería a la mayor radiación recibida. De la composición del sotobosque y su efecto sobre los primeros centímetros del suelo, se podrían derivar estrategias de manejo apuntando a lograr la diversificación de los sistemas productivos.Palabras clave: diversidad del sotobosque, raleo, Andinopatagonia, Andisoles, Nothofagus sp., estepa, forestaciones. Abstract Understory changes associated with the replacement of natural vegetation by Pinus ponderosa Dougl. under different plantation management (SW Neuquén, Argentina)Influence of different plantation management intensity on understory vegetation of Ponderosa pine plantation was studied in plots distributed through a W-E transverse. Five under Nothofagus forest and ten under Ponderosa pine plantation -five with 90-100% soil cover and five with an overstory reduction to 60-70%-; and other two under steppe vegetation and their equivalents under non-thinned and thinned pine plantations. Shannon diversity index was calculated, and topsoil was characterized and compared. Under pines diversity was lower than under natural vegetation -Nothofagus and steppe-which together with the lower carbon content showed the ecosystem alteration. Diversity was higher under thinned plantations and dominated by non-native herbal species and native shrubs, this was reflected on top soil structure which tended to be granular as under native vegetation, showing its resilience capacity. Overstory reduction promoted shrub and herbal understory development in Ponderosa pine plantation, showing a tendency to biodiversity restoration, probably due to the higher radiation which reaches the soil. From the information gathered on the species composition of the understory vegetation and its consequences on top soil properties, strategies for the effective management can be derived to enhance productivity diversification.

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Evaluating the role of cutting treatments, fire and soil seed banks in an experimental framework in ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills, South Dakota

Cited by 93 publications

References 43 publications

Impacts of Mastication: Soil Seed Bank Responses to a Forest Thinning Treatment in Three Colorado (USA) Conifer Forest Types

Impacts of Mastication: Soil Seed Bank Responses to a Forest Thinning Treatment in Three Colorado (USA) Conifer Forest Types

Herbaceous Vegetation Responses (1992-2004) to Restoration Treatments in a Ponderosa Pine Forest

Understory changes associated with the replacement of natural vegetation by Pinus ponderosa Dougl. under different plantation management (SW Neuquén, Argentina)

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