Growth, proportion, and distribution pattern of longleaf pine across southeastern forests and disturbance types: A change assessment for the period 1997-2018

Abstract

The long-term decline of longleaf pine-dominated forests has received considerable attention among land managers and conservation professionals in the last few decades. The objective of this study was to investigate the change in and the variation of the proportion, density, growth, and dominance of longleaf pine across the longleaf pine ecosystems for the 1997–2018 period. We used two sets of measurements of 1,432 plots from the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) dataset covering the entire current longleaf pine range. The relationship between disturbances and longleaf pine basal area ratio and basal area growth were analyzed using linear mixed modeling. Change detection maps were produced using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. The total basal area and aboveground biomass per hectare increased in 64% and 72%, but decreased in 30% and 28% of the study area, respectively, between the first and last inventory intervals. Species richness and diversity generally decreased across the studied plots. Longleaf pine tree density and importance value percent increased during the period. However, longleaf basal area ratio and aboveground biomass ratio in the stands decreased on average by 5% during the period, although these ratios increased in some locations in southwest Georgia and near the west coast of Florida. The longleaf pine basal area ratio and aboveground biomass ratio decreased equally in 37%, and increased in 19% and 21% of the study area, respectively. There was about 79% variation in the ratio of longleaf pine basal area among plots. When compared to the natural control of no disturbance, fire disturbance was significantly associated with greater longleaf pine basal area ratio and basal area growth. Understanding the change in growth and distribution patterns of longleaf pine across its range over time is vital to restore these critical ecosystems.

Spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Modeling for Pinus palustris Mill. (Longleaf Pine) Restoration in the South Carolina Sandhills Wiregrass Gap

“…Visually, the number and extent of large-parcel clusters increases with distance from Columbia. The findings from Ojha et al (2021) support our conclusions and project assumptions, as their study illustrates a concentration of Longleaf Pine habitat directly below the Fall Line and radiating outward from the middle of the state where there is a large amount of urbanization. Fort Jackson acts as a geographical barrier to urban expansion in the East, forcing Lexington county to absorb the effects of immigration and limiting forest-restoration opportunities in the southwest portion of the study area.…”

“…In many cases, spatially explicit decision support systems (DSS) can be valuable tools in forest management, especially when locating, examining, and classifying changes across ecological gradients and understudied ecoregions such as the South Carolina Sandhills Wiregrass Gap (SCSWG, Acosta and Corral 2017, Moseley 2019, The Nature Conservancy 2016, Vorhees 2015). Spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (SMCDA), i.e., a decision-making technique that uses various geospatial tools to help evaluate and prioritize spatial and aspatial data to better inform decision-makers (Chakhar and Mousseau 2008), has been successfully applied in research, restoration, urban planning, construction, conservation, forestry, wildlife management, and other social and environmental projects (Acosta and Corral 2017, Crawford et al 2020, Gillenwatera et al 2006, Hepinstall et al 1996, Hightower et al 2012, Hongoh et al 2011, Hovis et al 2021, Jato-Espino et al 2014, Lauver and Busby 2002, Moseley 2019, Ojha et al 2021, Phelps 2021, Vellidis et al 2009). Incorporating geographic information systems (GIS) into these decision-making frameworks is relatively recent from a forestry perspective (Greene et al 2010, Hayati et al 2013, Hytönen et al 2002, Keramitsoglou et al 2004).…”

Spatial patterns of stand structure and canopy disturbance in a fire‐maintainedPinus palustriswoodland

“…Remnant P . palustris stands that lack structural complexity are at increased risk of transitioning to alternative states from disturbance or other stresses (Beckage et al, 2006; Ojha et al, 2021). Intentional enhancement of structural complexity via silvicultural intervention is hypothesized to increase resilience and ecosystem adaptation potential in P .…”

“…Consequently, P. palustris ecosystems have been considered among the most endangered in the USA (Noss et al, 1995). Remnant P. palustris stands that lack structural complexity are at increased risk of transitioning to alternative states from disturbance or other stresses (Beckage et al, 2006;Ojha et al, 2021). Intentional enhancement of structural complexity via silvicultural intervention is hypothesized to increase resilience and ecosystem adaptation potential in P. palustris and other monospecific, or largely monospecific, forest ecosystems (O'Hara, 2014;Nagel et al, 2017;Puettmann et al, 2009).…”