Response of pin cherry to fire, canopy disturbance, and deer herbivory on the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest

Abstract

We studied the impact of fire, canopy disturbance, and deer herbivory on the germination and development of pin cherry in four Appalachian hardwood stands located on the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest in Randolph County, West Virginia. Plots with simulated gaps and woven-wire fences were used to evaluate impacts of light and deer on regeneration. All four stands were burned in spring 1999. One month following prescribed fire, average initial pin cherry densities ranged from 23,500 seedlings ha^-1 on plots that had gaps but no fences to 63,000 seedlings ha^-1 on plots without either fences or gaps. By the end of the second growing season, seedling densities ranged from a low of 12,750 seedlings ha^-1 in plots with gaps but no fences to 28,500 seedlings ha^-1 on plots with gaps and fences. Maximum heights in fenced plots exceeded 2 m. We found that characteristic attributes of understory pin cherry communities in our study area are principally a function of deer herbivory.

Parent Publication

• 13th Central Hardwoods Forest Conference

Citation

McGill, David W.; Collins, Rachel J.; Carson, Walter P. 2003. Response of pin cherry to fire, canopy disturbance, and deer herbivory on the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest. 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: 282-290