TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of structural and compositional characteristics in old-growth and mature, managed hardwood forests of Minnesota, USA
AU - Hale, C. M.
AU - Pastor, J.
AU - Rusterholz, K. A.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Extended rotation of managed temperate hardwood forests is sometimes presumed to provide the important compositional and structural features of old-growth hardwood forests. However, the features of temperate hardwood old-growth and managed stands of extended rotation age have not been fully quantified and compared. This study compared quantitative parameters (density and volume of logs and Snags, coarse woody debris volume (volume of logs + volume of snags), the proportion of hollow logs, basal area and tree, sapling, large seedling and small seedling densities), distributional patterns (diameter class and rot class of live trees, decay class of logs), and vascular plant species composition and diversity in old-growth and mature, managed sugar maple (Acer saccharum L.) - basswood (Tilia americana L.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) stands. Old-growth forests had higher coarse woody debris volumes and higher proportions of hollow logs, of live trees in large diameter classes, of logs in decay classes 1 and 2, and of live trees in rot classes 3-5 than the mature, managed forests. Old-growth and mature, managed forests did not differ significantly in plant species composition. These results indicate that, while older extended-rotation, managed stands can be very similar compositionally to old-growth forests, they differ quantitatively in structural features.
AB - Extended rotation of managed temperate hardwood forests is sometimes presumed to provide the important compositional and structural features of old-growth hardwood forests. However, the features of temperate hardwood old-growth and managed stands of extended rotation age have not been fully quantified and compared. This study compared quantitative parameters (density and volume of logs and Snags, coarse woody debris volume (volume of logs + volume of snags), the proportion of hollow logs, basal area and tree, sapling, large seedling and small seedling densities), distributional patterns (diameter class and rot class of live trees, decay class of logs), and vascular plant species composition and diversity in old-growth and mature, managed sugar maple (Acer saccharum L.) - basswood (Tilia americana L.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) stands. Old-growth forests had higher coarse woody debris volumes and higher proportions of hollow logs, of live trees in large diameter classes, of logs in decay classes 1 and 2, and of live trees in rot classes 3-5 than the mature, managed forests. Old-growth and mature, managed forests did not differ significantly in plant species composition. These results indicate that, while older extended-rotation, managed stands can be very similar compositionally to old-growth forests, they differ quantitatively in structural features.
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U2 - 10.1139/x99-076
DO - 10.1139/x99-076
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0033306548
SN - 0045-5067
VL - 29
SP - 1479
EP - 1489
JO - Canadian Journal of Forest Research
JF - Canadian Journal of Forest Research
IS - 10
ER -