Regeneration response to shelterwood-burn treatments in a dry oak-dominated forest

Sarah J. Rademacher; Daniel C. C. Dey; John M. Kabrick; Robert W. E. Quackenbush; Michael R. Saunders; J. Travis Swaim; Christopher D. Thornton; Michael A. Jenkins

doi:10.1007/s44391-025-00022-y

Treesearch

Regeneration response to shelterwood-burn treatments in a dry oak-dominated forest

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Sarah J. Rademacher, Daniel C. C. Dey, John M. Kabrick, Robert W. E. Quackenbush, Michael R. Saunders, J. Travis Swaim, Christopher D. Thornton, Michael A. Jenkins

Year:

2025

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44391-025-00022-y

Source:

Forest Science

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Download (PDF 1.58 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69091.pdf

Abstract

Alterations to the fire regime have contributed to widespread regeneration failure in oak (Quercus) forests of the eastern United States. Our long-term study was initiated in 2010 in southern Indiana to examine how oak reproduction in a dry oak forest responded to shelterwood and midstory treatments followed by a spring prescribed burn. We tracked the survival, height, and resprout response of individual seedlings through time, and tallied overall seedling density pre- and post-treatments. Mixed-effects models and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination were used to evaluate post-treatment response in 2020 and 2021. Following the burn, monitored oak seedlings had greater survival (> 94%) and resprouting (> 92%) than most competing species, including maple species (Acer spp. ~ 59% survival and resprouting) and white ash (Fraxinus americana; 72% survival and resprouting). White oak (Q. alba) doubled in seedling density after burning and was one of the most abundant species (9,864 stems ha⁻¹) in the regeneration stratum. NMDS ordination indicated that the burn promoted a shift away from mesophytic species towards greater importance of oak species. A shelterwood treatment, followed by single prescribed burn, at our study site has likely produced adequate density of oak reproduction to ensure future dominance by the genus, particularly on less-productive south-facing slopes.

Keywords

prescribed fire, oak reproduction, seedling survival, long-term study, species composition

Citation

Rademacher, Sarah J.; Dey, Daniel C.; Kabrick, John M.; Quackenbush, Robert W. E.; Saunders, Michael R.; Swaim, J. Travis; Thornton, Christopher D.; Jenkins, Michael A. 2025. Regeneration response to shelterwood-burn treatments in a dry oak-dominated forest. Forest Science. 26 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44391-025-00022-y.