Long-term changes in forest structure and species composition of an upland oak forest in Arkansas

Chapman, Ruth Ann; Heitzman, Eric; Shelton, Michael G.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.341

Cited by 53 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The consequences of tree mortality cause notable changes in the light and stand thermal conditions which led to structural changes of the shrub layer (Chapman et al 2006) and changes in the soil condition (Thomas, Büttner 1998). Some studies pointed out the negative effect of tree abundance (quantified through basal area or stem density, or directly by light availability) on understorey vegetation cover or diversity (Alaback, Herman 1988;Thomas et al 1999), also supported by the results of this paper.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Changes in species richness and Evenness index indicated how the community composition had been altered because of environmental changes. Chapman et al (2006) reported that in the upland oak forest of the USA the total shoot density and basal area in the understorey were substantially higher in 2002 than in 1934, increasing from 240 to 688 trees·ha -1 and from 0.9 to 3.6 m 2 ·ha -1 , while the density of most oaks and shortleaf pines in the canopy decreased appreciably over time. Overstorey density and basal area approximately doubled from 1934 to 2002, increasing from 73 to 150 trees·ha -1 and from 7.2 to 14.2 m 2 ·ha -1 , while the black oak density rate decreased in importance from 30.0 to 10.0% (Chapman et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chapman et al (2006) reported that in the upland oak forest of the USA the total shoot density and basal area in the understorey were substantially higher in 2002 than in 1934, increasing from 240 to 688 trees·ha -1 and from 0.9 to 3.6 m 2 ·ha -1 , while the density of most oaks and shortleaf pines in the canopy decreased appreciably over time. Overstorey density and basal area approximately doubled from 1934 to 2002, increasing from 73 to 150 trees·ha -1 and from 7.2 to 14.2 m 2 ·ha -1 , while the black oak density rate decreased in importance from 30.0 to 10.0% (Chapman et al 2006). On the Síkfőkút site a considerable increase in the basal area of the understorey and overstorey layer was detected in the long-term trend, while the shoot and tree density of the under-and overstorey decreased.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-term response of understorey cover, basal area and diversity to stand density in a mixed oak forest on the Síkfőkút plot in Hungary

Misik¹,

Varga²,

Veres³

et al. 2013

J. For. Sci.

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ABSTRACT:The serious oak decline was reported for the 1979-80 period and 63.0% of adult oaks died in a mixed oak forest in the Síkfőkút site, Hungary. The data were used to obtain (1) quantitative information on diversity indices of shrub layer and shrub canopy, including foliage cover percentage of the shrub layer, mean cover of shrub species before and after the oak decline and (2) structural information on shrub basal area and shrub foliage arrangement. Since 1972 we have determined diversity indices, cover percentage and basal area of shrubby vegetation on the monitoring and plus plots. A negative relation was detected between Shannon-Wiener and Evenness indices of the shrub layer and living oak tree density. A positive relation was confirmed between basal area and mean cover of dominant woody species (Acer campestre, Acer tataricum and Cornus mas). The mean cover of shrub species except of A. campestre increased non-significantly after the oak decline on the 48 m × 48 m plot. The findings of the study indicate that diversity indices of the shrub layer and mean cover of A. campestre can be used as a principal indicator of natural disturbance in the studied mature stand and the species of the shrub layer respond differently to the decreasing stand density.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-term response of understorey cover, basal area and diversity to stand density in a mixed oak forest on the Síkfőkút plot in Hungary

Misik¹,

Varga²,

Veres³

et al. 2013

J. For. Sci.

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“…Understanding tree mortality patterns is crucial to understand current forest community composition and to predict changes in stand structure and species composition (Chapman et al, 2006;Heitzman et al, 2007;Galiano et al, 2010;Carnicer et al, 2011;Lechuga et al, 2017). At a regional scale, tree mortality may be mainly influenced by climate, for instance extreme events, such as drought and high temperatures (Anderegg et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects of drought are more common visualized at the regional-scale (Keyser & Brown, 2016;Sánchez-Salguero et al, 2017), but its influence on crown dieback and tree death will be modulated at the local-scale, where factors such as topography, soil and stand structure might be as important as regional climate to understand oak forests dynamics (Jenkins & Pallardy, 1995;Chapman et al, 2006;Gea-Izquierdo et al, 2009;Galiano et al, 2010). Topographic characteristics such as slope and aspect also strongly influence soil moisture, and therefore drought-induced tree mortality may vary accordingly (Das et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Site factors and stand conditions associated with Persian oak decline in Zagros mountain forests

Hosseini

Linares

2018

For. syst.

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Aim of study: Drought and stand structure are major and interconnected drivers of forest dynamics. Water shortage and tree-to-tree competition may interact under the current climate change scenario, increasing tree mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate climate trends, site and stand structure effects on tree mortality, with the main hypothesis that drought-induced mortality is higher as competition increases.Area of study: Persian oak forests from Zagros Range, western Iran. Material and methods:We split the study area into 20 topographical units (TUs), based on aspect, slope and elevation. In each TU, three 0.1 ha plots were established to quantify site and stand characteristics, namely the diameter of all trees and shrubs, stand density and basal area, canopy dieback and mortality. In addition, soil profiles were analyzed to obtain physical and chemical soil properties. Six transects 100 m length were established per TU to measure tree-to-tree competition for alive and dead trees.Main results: The highest mortality rates and crown dieback were found at higher elevations and southern and western aspects. Our findings confirm increasing rates of tree mortality in stands with higher tree density and shallow soils. As regard links between climate change and forest decline, our results suggest that changing forest structure may have a significant impact on dust emission.Research highlights: Despite severe dry years occurred recently the study area, they are not significantly different than those recorded in the past. Stand structure appears as a modulating factor of climate change effects, linked to competition-related tree vulnerability to drought.

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Effects of prescribed fire on prenesting movements of wild turkeys in Arkansas

Pittman

Krementz

2022

Wildlife Society Bulletin

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The restoration of historic disturbance regimes is an increasingly common management strategy to conserve disturbance‐dependent communities and species, and enhance resilience of ecosystems to climate change or plant and animal invasions. However, the reintroduction of frequent and wide‐scale disturbance may have unexpected consequences on species that are accustomed to an environment absent of frequent disturbance. Implementation of frequent prescribed fire for community restoration has coincided with population declines of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in the Ozark Highlands of Arkansas. We investigated whether there was evidence of linkage between wild turkey movement behavior and habitat use and the widespread use of prescribed fire that began in 2002 and continued through the end of our study in 2013. We fitted 67 female wild turkeys with satellite transmitters in 2012 and 2013 on the White Rock Ecosystem Restoration Area to estimate annual and seasonal home ranges and examine pre‐nesting habitat use at multiple spatial scales. Home range was larger for adults in 2013 (4,750 ha, SE = 946.2, n = 12) than in 2012 (2,703 ha, SE = 283.4, n = 19). Mean pre‐nesting ranges for adults were 1,633 ha (SE = 238.9, n = 23) in 2012 and 1,118 ha (SE = 158.8, n = 18) in 2013, smaller than those of sub‐adults, 1,761 ha (SE = 581.2, n = 3) in 2012 and 5,576 ha (SE = 2260, n = 8) in 2013. Habitat selection analyses for the pre‐nesting period indicated that wild turkeys used locations with more variability in canopy cover and vegetation height and in smaller patch sizes than expected based on availability. However, female wild turkeys selected nesting cover that had more variability in canopy cover and vegetation height but in larger patches. Differences in sub‐adults and adult home and seasonal ranges suggest that other factors such as density dependence or social hierarchy could be driving movements as opposed to prescribed fire application. Wild turkey females selected variable vegetation structure during the pre‐nesting and nesting periods with characteristics that could be a result of frequent prescribed fire or forest succession. However, we documented no direct evidence these characteristics or other aspects of the prescribed fire program were causing wild turkey population declines.

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Long-term changes in forest structure and species composition of an upland oak forest in Arkansas

Cited by 53 publications

References 18 publications

Long-term response of understorey cover, basal area and diversity to stand density in a mixed oak forest on the Síkfőkút plot in Hungary

Long-term response of understorey cover, basal area and diversity to stand density in a mixed oak forest on the Síkfőkút plot in Hungary

Site factors and stand conditions associated with Persian oak decline in Zagros mountain forests

Effects of prescribed fire on prenesting movements of wild turkeys in Arkansas

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