R. R. Reynolds
Location
The R.R. Reynolds RNA is a closed-canopy, mature loblolly pine-hardwood forest that has had little human intervention for 65 years. One of the most distinctive features of the RNA is its large trees. Some of the loblolly pines approach 40 inches (101 cm) in diameter at breast height (DBH) and are nearly 140 feet (43 m) tall. In the 1993 inventory, the largest diameter tree in the RNA was a white oak (Quercus alba) that measured 44 inches (112 cm) in diameter. Shelton and Cain (1999) reported that the oldest trees in the RNA approach 150 years for both pines and oaks. Such trees are living representatives of the virgin forest.
County: Ashley
Forest: Crossett Experimental Forest, Ouachita National Forest
View a searchable map for the R.R. Reynolds RNA.
SAF Cover Types (list acres):
- Loblolly pine–hardwood–82
- Loblolly pine–81
- Loblolly–shortleaf pine–80
Kuchler Types (list acres):
- Oak–hickory–pine, 51 ac (20.6 ha)
- Oak–hickory–pine, 15 ac (6.1 ha)
- Oak–hickory–pine, 14 ac (5.7 ha)
Ecological and Physical Description
Closed canopy mature loblolly pine hardwood forest that has had little human interventIon. Area established to provide baseline contrast to typical managed cutover stand. Entirely within Crossett Experimental Forest.
55.49 in, (140.9 ha)
A weather station is maintained at the Crossett Experimental Forest headquarters located 1.0 mile (1.7 km) to the west of the RNA.
The RNA is located in the West Gulf Coastal Plain, with elevations ranging from 125 to 134 feet (38 to 41 m) above sea level. Typical sedimentary deposits consist of unconsolidated clay, sand, and gravel of Quaternary age. Along broad upland flats, there is a significant deposit of loess of up to a foot (25 cm) thick that was deposited during the Quaternary. The youngest rocks that underlie the RNA belong to the Claiborne Group, which is of Tertiary age. The Claiborne Group is chiefly non-marine in origin, but does contain some marine intervals (Howard et al. 1997). The Claiborne Group, which may be up to 1,500 feet (457 m) thick, has been subdivided into the Carrizo Sand, Cane River Formations, Sparta Sand, Cook Mountain Formation, and Cockfield Formation. Fossils include fish and reptile bones and teeth, leaf impressions, and trace fossils.
The area is dissected by several intermittent drainages.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loblolly pine | Overstory Trees | |||
| Pinus echinata | Shortleaf pine | Overstory Trees | ||
| Quercus alba | White oak | Overstory Trees | ||
| Q. falcata | Southern red oak | Overstory Trees | ||
| Q. stellata | Post oak | Overstory Trees | ||
| Q. falcata var pagodifolia | Cherrybark oak | Overstory Trees | ||
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum | Overstory Trees | ||
| Ilex opaca | American holly | Midstory Trees | ||
| Acer rubrum | Red maple | Midstory Trees | ||
| Cornus florida | Flowering dogwood | Midstory Trees | ||
| Callicarpa americana | American beautyberry | Common Shrub Species | ||
| I. decidua | Deciduous holly | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Crataegus spp. | Hawthorne | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Vaccinium spp. | Huckleberry | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Symplocos tinctoria | Sweetleaf | Common Shrub Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Bird Species | The closed-canopy, vertical structure, mixed-species composition, and forest gaps of the RNA support a variety of avifauna. A recent survey of the RNA revealed 40 species of birds (Table 3). Breeding residents of the RNA include 15 species of neotropical migrants and 17 species that are year-round residents. Acadian flycatcher, Great-crested flycatcher, and Red-eyed vireo are the most common neotropical migratory species, whereas Carolina wren, Pine warbler, and Northern cardinal are some of the more common year-round residents. The RNA also supports some transient species including Veery, Tennessee warbler, and Black-throated green warbler that use the RNA as a stopover point during their flight north. The large overstory trees support a pair of Red-shouldered hawks. The RNA also has some very large snags that attract Pileated and other woodpeckers and a pair of Wood ducks. |
Publications
- Don C. Bragg, Mike Shelton. 2011. Lessons from 72 years of monitoring a once-cut pine-hardwood stand on the Crossett Experimental Forest, Arkansas, U.S.A
- Don C. Bragg, Michael G. Shelton, Jim M. Guldin. 2008. Restoring old-growth southern pine ecosystems: strategic lessons from long-term silvicultural research
- Michael G. Shelton, Michael D. Cain. 1999. Structure and short-term dynamics of the tree component of a mature pine-oak forest in southeastern Arkansas
- Michael D. Cain, Michael G. Shelton. 1996. The R. R. Reynolds Research Natural Area in Southeastern Arkansas: A 56-Year Case Study in Pine-Hardwood Overstory Sustainability
- Don C. Bragg. 2002. Reference conditions for old-growth pine forests in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain
- Don C. Bragg. 2004. Composition, structure, and dynamics of a pine-hardwood old-growth remnant in southern Arkansas
- Don C. Bragg, Eric Heitzman. 2009. Composition, structure, and dynamics of a mature, unmanaged, pine-dominated old-field stand in southeastern Arkansas
- Don C. Bragg. 2004. Composition and Structure of a l930s-Era Pine-Hardwood Stand in Arkansas
- Don C. Bragg. 2013. Composition, biomass, and overstory spatial patterns in a mature pine-hardwood stand in southeastern Arkansas