Understory Tree Characteristics and Disturbance History of a Central Appalachian211 Forest Prior to Old-Growth Harvesting

摘要

To better understand the dynamics of red oak regeneration, the authors evaluated211u001ethe composition of understory woody species and recruitment characteristics of a 211u001emixed mesophytic forest in the central Appalachian region at the time of old-211u001egrowth logging. The authors also evaluated canopy disturbance history during both 211u001ethe old-growth and second-growth periods. Stemwood radial growth patterns were 211u001eused to evaluate the frequency of disturbance. levels of red oak radial growth 211u001echange were greatest from 1906 to 1911, which is indicative of a major 211u001edisturbance. The oak regeneration in all sampled areas that developed into the 211u001esecond-growth forest was dominated by seedling-size individuals that were 211u001erecruited from 1902 to 1910. The stand-wide median canopy disturbance interval 211u001ewas 30.83 years between 1797 and 1983.