Thinning impacts on the resilience of wildlife habitat quality under climate change in coniferous forests of western Oregon

Abstract

To understand the impacts of overstory density reductions on resilience of forest ecosystems (i.e., the capacity of an ecosystem to maintain desired ecosystem functions in a fl uctuating environment), we examined overstory basal area and understory vegetation cover and richness collected 6 years after thinning in seven 40- to 60-year-old forests dominated by Douglas-fi r (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in the Oregon Coast Range and Cascade Range of western Oregon. Each site contained an unthinned control (240–1,540 trees∙ha-1 [tph]) and three thinning treatment units (high-density = 300 tph; moderate-density = 200 tph; and variable-density with a combination of 300 tph, 200 tph, and 100 tph).

Parent Publication

• Density management in the 21st century: west side story

Citation

Neill, Andrew R.; Puettmann, Klaus J.; Ares, Adrian. 2013. Thinning impacts on the resilience of wildlife habitat quality under climate change in coniferous forests of western Oregon. In: Anderson, P.D.; Ronnenberg, K.L., eds. Density management in the 21st century: west side story. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-880. Portland, OR: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 240-240.