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Abstract
Current threats to North American forests increasingly include exotic tree pathogens that cause extensive mortality. In California, tanoak (
Lithocarpus densiflorus) mortality has increased rapidly since 1995, due to
Phytophthora ramorum, believed to be an introduced pathogen. Tanoak frequently grows as a major component of redwood forests along the northern California coast. This research examined the response of residual trees (primarily neighboring tanoak and redwood) to the decline of tanoak clumps. Redwood/tanoak forests currently infected with the pathogen and utilized in this study were located within the Marin Municipal Watershed District, Marin County, while uninfected sites with comparable forest age and species composition were located within Jackson State Demonstration Forest, Mendocino County. Stand reconstruction methodology was utilized to detect baseline growth patterns and changes related to the tanoak decline. Similar patterns of stand development appeared on both study sites, with codominant tanoak and suppressed redwoods occupying a middle canopy stratum below codominant redwoods. The lower strata, suppressed redwood may benefit the most from tanoak decline as they gain access to increased growing space.
Parent Publication
Citation
Waring, Kristen M.; O''Hara, Kevin L. 2007. Stand Dynamics of Coast Redwood/Tanoak Forests Following Tanoak Decline. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Giusti, Gregory A.; Valachovic, Yana; Zielinski, William J.; Furniss, Michael J., technical editors. 2007. Proceedings of the redwood region forest science symposium: What does the future hold? Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-194. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 475-480
