A comparative analysis of the diversity of woody vegetation in old-growth and secondary southern Appalachian cove forests

Abstract

Characteristics of woody vegetation were compared across six different southern Appalachian cove forests. Trees greater than 6.35 cm dbh were point sampled and regeneration was tallied on 25 m² subplots at all study sites. Overstory composition and structure differed between secondary and old-growth sites, which were dominated by yellow-poplar and eastern hemlock, respectively. Mean species richness and density-based diversity indices were higher in the secondary sites for both the overstory and regeneration strata. Shade tolerant species were favored in the regeneration strata at all sites, and yellow-poplar regeneration was rare throughout the study.

Parent Publication

• 13th Central Hardwoods Forest Conference

Citation

Guyon, Lyle J.; Rolfe, Gary L.; Edgington, John M.; Mendoza, Guillermo A. 2003. A comparative analysis of the diversity of woody vegetation in old-growth and secondary southern Appalachian cove forests. In: Van Sambeek, J. W.; Dawson, Jeffery O.; Ponder Jr., Felix; Loewenstein, Edward F.; Fralish, James S., eds. Proceedings of the 13th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-234. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station: 75-87