The Effect of Land Use Changes on Blue Oak Regeneration and Recruitment

Abstract

Lack of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) saplings and seedlings throughout much of its range has prompted research into the regeneration status of the species. Our ability to assess whether the current lack of regeneration is a natural pattern or a response to human induced environmental change is limited by lack of data on the history of blue oak establishment. This study presents data on blue oak age stand structure collected from three sites on the Tejon Ranch, in the Tehachapi Mountains. Over half of the trees aged became established during the 1850s, whereas almost no new trees have come in during the last 120 years. The evidence suggests that blue oak regeneration and recruitment has been strongly influenced by changes in fire frequency and human land use.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the symposium on oak woodlands and hardwood rangeland management; October 31 - November 2, 1990; Davis, California

Citation

Mensing, Scott. 1991. The Effect of Land Use Changes on Blue Oak Regeneration and Recruitment. In: Standiford, Richard B., tech. coord. 1991. Proceedings of the symposium on oak woodlands and hardwood rangeland management; October 31 - November 2, 1990; Davis, California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-126. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 230-232