Natural stand dynamics in longleaf pine: How climatic disturbances shape the community.
Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) once dominated the overstory of a wide range of southern plant communities from the Atlantic to Texas. Although periodic fires shaped the longleaf pine communities, climatic caused disturbances, significantly impacted them as well, changing stand structure and providing open sites for regeneration. Tornadoes, which usually operate at the partial stand scale are mimicked by even age management of longleaf pine. Seed-tree and shelterwood systems create conditions similar to less severe hurricanes that remove only some of the overstory. Lightening strikes, are continuously impacting longleaf stands creating small scale gaps of 2 to 4 trees where regeneration is not uniform. Managers using the selection system should be aware of this, and create gaps in dry sandhills sites accordingly.
- Research Organization:
- USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI09-00SR22188
- OSTI ID:
- 819836
- Report Number(s):
- na; 01-22-P; TRN: US200706%%678
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3rd Longleaf Alliance Reg. Conf. Oct. 16-18, 2000. Alexandria, Lousiana. Kush, J.S. (comp.). Forests For Our Future. - Restoration and Management of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: Silvicultural, Social, Political and Economic Challenge.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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