Effect of removing understory on growth of upland oak

Abstract

The amount of additional growth attributed to complete eradication of all woody understory vegetation varied for several widely scattered upland oak stands in the region. Based on paired-plot comparisons of 10 or more years' results, basal-area and cubic-volume growth usually increased slightly when the understory was eradicated. The amount of increase was related to (1) geographical stand location, (2) stand age, and (3) residual stocking of overstory trees. The greatest response to understory removal - an additional 0.75 square feet of basal area or abut 12 cubic feet per acre per year - was found in very young stands located in the western part of the oak range where residual density of stocking after thinning was about 50 percent. However, results of this study indicate that for most upland oak stands in the region, understory-removal treatments would not greatly increase stand growth.

Citation

Dale, Martin E. 1975. Effect of removing understory on growth of upland oak. Res. Pap. NE-321. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 10p.