Early development of mixed-species studs on the Wayne Nation Forest

Abstract

The species compositions of many upland hardwood forests in southeastern Ohio appear to be changing. Since the arrival of settlers, most of the mixed mesophytic forest has been cleared at least once as a result of timber cutting, burning, and agriculture. The compositions of the second- and third-growth forests are shifting toward a smaller component of oaks (Quercus spp.) and larger proportions of other species such as red maple (Acer rubrum). This study examines the development of existing young stands after clearcutttng on the Wayne National Forest. A chronosequence of 5- to 30-year old mixed species stands on upper, south-facing slopes is being examined. The soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from siltstone, sandstone and shale. Thus far, data has been collected on three sample plots in each of five stands. Total number of stems has generally decreased with age, from 24,255 stems/ha at age 6 to 5162 stems/ha at age 20. The oak proportion of the stems decreased from 25.4 to 7.7 percent over time, and the proportion of dominant/codominant oaks as a proportion of all upper crown stratum stems decreased from 51.6 percent at age 6 to 11.9 percent at age 20. Red maple and mixed commercial hardwoods accounted for 55 percent of all dominant/codominant stems at age 20. Hickories (Carya spp.), as a group, were a minor component of the sampled stands throughout the entire chronosequence.

Citation

Norland, Eric R.; Hix, Dr. David M. 1993. Early development of mixed-species studs on the Wayne Nation Forest. In: Gillespie, Andrew R.; Parker, George R.; Pope, Phillip E.; Rink, George: eds. Proceedings of the 9th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-161. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station: 502-510