Assessing Oak Decline Incidence and Distribution in the Southern U.S. Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data

Abstract

Forest Inventory and Analysis data for twelve southern states were used to evaluate regional oak decline status. Total host type, vulnerable host type, and affected areas were determined. The attributes used for classification were forest type, predominant stem size class, oak basal area percent, and dieback damage coding. Host type totaled 104.7 million acres in the most recent inventory cycle (1991-1997), of which 41.6 percent were classified as vulnerable. Oak decline affected over 4.4 million acres, or 10.1 percent of the vulnerable host type. This was a slight incidence increase over the previous inventory cycle (1984-1989). Two-thirds of the decline-affected area was contained in 4 states-Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee in decreasing rank order. Large increases in incidence occurred in Arkansas and North Carolina, while incidence decreased markedly in Tennessee. Oak decline incidence in Virginia remained unchanged between inventory cycles.

Parent Publication

• Upland oak ecology symposium: history, current conditions, and sustainability

Citation

Oak, Steven W.; Steinman, James R.; Starkey, Dale A.; Yockey, Edwin K. 2004. Assessing Oak Decline Incidence and Distribution in the Southern U.S. Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-73. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp. 236-242