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Title:
Effects of Harvesting Intensity and Herbivory by White-tailed Deer on Vegetation and Nutrient Uptake in a Northern Hardwood Forest
Authors:
Yorks, T. E.; Leopold, D. J.; Raynal, D. J.; Murdoch, P. S.; Burns, D. A.
Affiliation:
AA(Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, California University of Pennsylvania, 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419 United States; ), AB(Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 United States; ), AC(Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 United States; ), AD(United States Geological Survey, Watersheds Research Section, 425 Jordan Road, Troy, NY 12180 United States; ), AE(United States Geological Survey, Watersheds Research Section, 425 Jordan Road, Troy, NY 12180 United States; )
Publication:
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #B32C-02
Publication Date:
12/2003
Origin:
AGU
AGU Keywords:
0330 Geochemical cycles, 0400 Biogeosciences, 1851 Plant ecology
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2003: American Geophysical Union
Bibliographic Code:
2003AGUFM.B32C..02Y

Abstract

We quantified the response of vegetation and nutrient uptake in a northern hardwood forest in southeastern New York for three to four years after three intensities of harvesting: clearcutting, heavy timber stand improvement (TSI), light TSI (97, 29, and 10% basal area reductions, respectively). We also quantified effects of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on nutrient retention by vegetation. Total biomass and nutrient accumulation in vegetation was higher after TSI than clearcutting in the first two years but was highest in the fenced clearcut in subsequent years, indicating that TSI or partial harvesting is a viable management tool for harvesting timber while consistently maintaining high rates of nutrient retention. After clearcutting, biomass and nutrient retention were initially dominated by woody stems <1.4 m tall and herbaceous vegetation, but saplings 0.1-5.0 cm DBH became the most important contributors to biomass and nutrient accumulation within four years. However, after both intensities of TSI, trees >5.0 cm DBH continued to account for most biomass and nutrient accumulation whereas understory vegetation accumulated little biomass or nutrients. Heavy TSI resulted in increased regeneration of only two tree species (Acer pensylvanicum, Fagus grandifolia), but clearcutting allowed these two species, mature forest species (A. saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis), and the early successional Prunus pensylvanica to regenerate. Several early successional shrub and herbaceous species were also important to nutrient retention after clearcutting, including Polygonum cilinode, Rubus spp., and Sambucus racemosa. Herbivory by white-tailed deer dramatically reduced biomass and nutrient accumulation by woody stems <5 cm DBH after clearcutting (5.5 vs. 0.7 Mg biomass/ha and 30.4 vs. 6.3 kg N/ha on fenced and unfenced clearcut sites, respectively, after four years), indicating the important influence this herbivore can have on nutrient retention in recently disturbed forests.
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