Long-term changes in vegetation dynamics following partial harvest in the southern Appalachians (2015)

Undergraduate: Andrea Stewart

Faculty Advisor: Karen Kandl
Department: Environmental Science

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Prior to the 1950s, common partial harvesting operations in the southern Appalachians involved the removal of logs by ground-skidding and the construction of steep roads and skid trails along stream channels. Little is known about how these historical practices have affected long-term vegetation changes. An experimental watershed in Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory was partially harvested in 1942 to 1956 according to these practices. Using long-term vegetation surveys, I analyzed patterns in composition, abundance, and diversity of the woody species in this watershed 62 years after treatment. I calculated Shannon¿¿¿s index of diversity based on species biomass (H¿¿biomass) and species richness for each survey and grouped species into xylem anatomy categories. I also compared the partially harvested watershed to a watershed that was clearcut in 1977 and to an untreated watershed (mature forest). The partially harvested forest was not different from the mature forest in terms of species composition, total aboveground biomass, basal area, density, and the distribution of xylem anatomy groups. The partially harvested forest had lower H¿¿biomass than the mature forest in the last survey period (2010s). However, the partial harvest did not alter long-term vegetation dynamics as significantly as clear cutting. These results could help forest managers, conservationists, and hydrologists make informed decisions when designing a forest management strategy.