Long‐term response of oak‐hickory regeneration to partial harvest and repeated fires: influence of light and moisture

Iverson, Louis R.; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Peters, Matthew P.; Yaussy, Daniel A.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.1642

Cited by 51 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Fires have been shown to control midcanopy mesophytes (Brose et al, 2013), which could allow oak capture of natural canopy gaps. Our results also support the recommendation that fire is only recommended for certain oak sites (Iverson et al, 2017). We found oak recruitment is greatly reduced with proximity to canopy mesophytes, but Arthur et al (2011) note that large red maples survive prescribed burns.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…However, they caution that single fire treatments were generally not enough, and multiple burns were needed to benefit oaks in the long term. Iverson et al (2017) further suggest that an initial partial harvest was needed before the first burn to promote oak regrowth. They also found that even with thinning and three burns over 13 years, mesophyte recruitment is favored over oaks in mesic sites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scale and strength of oak–mesophyte interactions in a transitional oak–hickory forest

et al. 2018

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Forests in eastern North America are undergoing rapid compositional changes as they experience novel climate, disturbance, and pest conditions. One striking pattern is the replacement of canopy oaks (Quercus spp.) by mesic, fire-sensitive, shade-tolerant species like red maple (Acer rubrum). To gain insight into the successional patterns driving stand-level canopy oak replacement we ask two questions: (i) What is the spatial association of oak and mesophyte recruitment compared to oak and mesophyte overstory individuals, and (ii) How do oaks and mesophytes differentially respond to canopy openings. We analyzed census data from a 23 ha forest plot surveyed in 2003, 2008 and 2014. We show that oak recruits are negatively associated with overstory red maples and black cherries (Prunus serotina), while mesophytic recruits were positively associated with overstory oaks. Second, we found that proximity to a dead overstory tree increased growth and survival for black cherries, increased growth for red maples, but had no effect on oaks. Black cherries and red maples are therefore better suited than oaks to take advantage of canopy openings and the moderate light available under adult oaks. These same fine scale competitive processes are contributing to canopy oak replacement across eastern North America.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scale and strength of oak–mesophyte interactions in a transitional oak–hickory forest

et al. 2018

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“…In contrast, oak saplings were generally rare in our study (Table S7), never associated with unmanaged controls (Table S6.3), and ordinated among savanna treatments burned three times ( Figure 5). This demonstrates the important role disturbance plays in promoting oak sapling recruitment (Brose et al 2013, Iverson et al 2017. Oak competitors, however, resprouted even after multiple fires (Blankenship and Arthur 2006), and this warrants research into fire seasons that will further favor oak dominance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Shade-tolerant, mesophytic species were associated with unmanaged forests (control). Paradoxically, red maple was often an exception, and perhaps limited the response of oaks and other xerophytic species in managed stands (Arthur et al 2015, Iverson et al 2017. Fire-season effects were not observed univariately, but multivariate results suggested fall burning was associated with less woody species and a reduced understory density relative to spring burning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Red maple has been described as a supergeneralist, capable of adequately performing in a wide variety of ecological conditions (Abrams 1998), and often sprouts persistently after multiple fires (Albrecht and McCarthy 2006, Arthur et al 2015, Keyser et al 2017. Yellow poplar can be similarly described where light is not limiting (Iverson et al 2017). Blackgum and sourwood are shadetolerant and intermediately fire-tolerant, and this pairing makes a xero-or meso-phytic designation difficult (Abrams 2007, Keyser et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reversing Mesophication Effects on Understory Woody Vegetation in Mid-Southern Oak Forests

et al. 2018

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Mesophication has reduced fuel-bed flammability in the Mid-Southern US, limiting the effectiveness of fire alone in promoting disturbance-adapted woody species. We applied combinations of thinning (none, 7, and 14 m 2 ha -1 residual basal area) and seasonal fire (none, October, and March) at three sites and monitored understory woody response from 2008 to 2016. In combination, thinning and burning had strong negative effects on some mesophytic species (Pinus strobus, Ostrya virginiana, and Fagus grandifolia) and positively affected many shade-intolerant and fire-tolerant species formerly suppressed under closed canopies. Such compositional shifts were greatest at our most xeric site, and were related to treatment effects on overstory and midstory density. Seedling density of Quercus spp. nearly doubled (+2,256 stems ha -1 ) from pre-to postmanagement. Sapling response was less dramatic; however, indicator and ordination analyses often associated mesophytic and disturbance-dependent saplings with unmanaged and managed treatments, respectively. Fire-season effects were subtle, but more species and greater understory densities were associated with March relative to October burning. Although some mesophytic species (Acer rubrum and Liriodendron tulipifera) responded positively to thinning and resprouted aggressively after fire, our results demonstrate how thinning and burning can initiate the reversal of mesophication's effects on understory woody vegetation.

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Sustaining eastern oak forests: Synergistic effects of fire and topography on vegetation and fuels

Hutchinson,

Adams,

Dickinson

et al. 2024

Ecological Applications

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Across much of the eastern United States, oak forests are undergoing mesophication as shade‐tolerant competitors become more abundant and suppress oak regeneration. Given the historical role of anthropogenic surface fires in promoting oak dominance, prescribed fire has become important in efforts to reverse mesophication and sustain oaks. In 2000 we established the Ohio Hills Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) study to examine whether repeated prescribed fire (Fire), mechanical partial harvest (Mech), and their combined application (Mech + Fire) reduced the dominance of subcanopy mesophytic competitors, increased the abundance of large oak–hickory advance regeneration, created a more diverse and productive ground‐layer flora, and produced fuel beds more conducive to prescribed fire, reducing the risk of high‐severity wildfire. Here we report on the ~20‐year effects of treatments on vegetation and fuels and examine the support for interactive effects across a topographic‐moisture and energy gradient. In general, we found that Fire and Mech + Fire treatments tended to reverse mesophication while the Mech‐only treatment did not. The moderate and occasionally high‐intensity fires resulted in effects that were ultimately very similar between the two fire treatments but were modulated by topography with increasing fire severity on drier sites. In particular, we found support for an interaction effect between treatment and topography on forest structure and tree regeneration responses. Fire generally reduced mesophytic tree density in the midstory and sapling strata across all site conditions, while leading to substantial gains in the abundance of large oak–hickory advance regeneration on dry and intermediate landscape positions. Fire also promoted ground‐layer diversity and created compositionally distinct communities across all site conditions, primarily through the increased richness of native perennial herbs. However, the fire had limited effects on fine surface fuel loading and increased the loading of large woody fuels, potentially increasing the risk of high‐severity wildfire during drought conditions. We conclude that two decades of repeated fires, with and without mechanical density reduction, significantly shifted the trajectory of mesophication across most of the landscape, particularly on dry and intermediate sites, highlighting the capacity of a periodic fire regime to sustain eastern oak forests and promote plant diversity but modulated by topography.

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Long‐term response of oak‐hickory regeneration to partial harvest and repeated fires: influence of light and moisture

Cited by 51 publications

References 70 publications

Scale and strength of oak–mesophyte interactions in a transitional oak–hickory forest

Scale and strength of oak–mesophyte interactions in a transitional oak–hickory forest

Reversing Mesophication Effects on Understory Woody Vegetation in Mid-Southern Oak Forests

Sustaining eastern oak forests: Synergistic effects of fire and topography on vegetation and fuels

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