Forest Composition, Regeneration, and Tree Quality in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Virginia: Selective Cutting vs. Shelterwood

This study compared the effects of selective cutting (SC) and the first shelterwood (SW) cut in oak (Quercus)-dominated forests of western Virginia. The specific attributes compared were: (1) tree species composition; (2) seedling, sapling, and overstory tree density; (3) overstory tree quality and size; (4) sapling crown class; and (5) canopy closure. Seedlings, saplings, and overstory trees were sampled at 22 SC and 28 SW sites. Significant differences identified between the two harvest types included: biodiversity of overstory and seedling layers; species densities for seedlings, saplings, and overstory trees; species composition across forest layers; and average canopy closure. Regeneration was poorer on SC than on SW, especially among oak species where SC oak seedling density averaged 5,651 stems ha-1 and SW oak seedling density averaged 9,843 stems ha-1. Selective cutting and SW may both contribute to mesophication of oak-dominated forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains; however, SC resulted in a higher percentage of mesic species post-harvest, and the SW tended to have more oak regeneration.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry

Department dc:contributor.department

Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Ryan, Suzanne Michelle

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Copenheaver, Carolyn A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Lorber, Jean Herault
• Carter, David Robert James

• oak regeneration
• selective cutting
• shelterwood
• high-grading
• diameter-limit cut

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:37029

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/115183