Dynamics of planted cherrybark oak seedlings and yellow-poplar from seed following a regeneration clearcut

Abstract

A bottomland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stand originating from an early 1940s planting on a minor stream bottom of the Coastal Plain in west Tennessee was harvested in 1992 and allowed to regenerate to hardwoods. Although the pines had been planted, a few naturally regenerated yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styriciflua) were present in the overstory at harvest. Cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) seedlings were planted the spring after the harvest to supplement a non-existent oak component in the regenerating stand. Advance reproduction of any species was not present in the closed canopy stand (stem exclusion stage) prior to harvest. This study follows the growth and development of the planted cherrybark oaks with the natural reproduction present on a productive site for 17 years following the harvest. Most of the planted oaks are in intermediate or suppressed crown positions compared to yellow-poplar after 17 years. Although competing yellow-poplars adjacent to planted oaks were cut within a 3-foot radius after 7 growing seasons, yellow-poplars continue to outgrow the oaks, affecting oak growth from increasing distances. This study suggests that on better sites, yellow-poplar from seed grows faster than planted cherrybark oak such that supplemental plantings of cherrybark oak are not successful. Either intensive site preparation is required to control the establishment and growth of yellow-poplar from seed or intermediate operations are necessary on a 3- to 5-year interval to ensure oaks are not overshadowed by faster growing yellow-poplar. Competition control is essential if oaks are to become an overstory component of the new stand.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings, 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference

Citation

Clatterbuck, Wayne K. 2011. Dynamics of planted cherrybark oak seedlings and yellow-poplar from seed following a regeneration clearcut. In: Fei, Songlin; Lhotka, John M.; Stringer, Jeffrey W.; Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Miller, Gary W., eds. Proceedings, 17th central hardwood forest conference; 2010 April 5-7; Lexington, KY; Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-78. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 287-293.