MONITORING SOFT-MAST PRODUCTION IN PINE WOODLAND RESTORATION AREAS ON THE OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST

<p>The use of prescribed fire is integral to the restoration of open woodland habitats in the southeast, including shortleaf pine (<em>Pinus echinata</em>) woodlands in the Ouachita Mountains. Mature pine habitats maintained with recurrent disturbances have an open understory with a rich floristic diversity that provides quality habitat for many wildlife species, including the endemic and endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (<em>Picoides borealis</em>). Fire has many potential benefits for wildlife; however, the effects of fire on several important woody soft-mast producing species are not fully understood. Soft-mast quantity and quality is a key component in determining year-round habitat quality for several wildlife species such as eastern wild turkeys (<em>Meleagris gallopavo silvestris</em>) and black bears (<em>Ursus americanus</em>). A greater diversity of fruit-producing species provides a range of available fruit throughout the year due to variations in fruiting phenology, which is particularly important for soft-mast dependent wildlife. </p> <p>To better understand the implications of prescribed burning within the restored shortleaf pine woodlands, I examined soft-mast production at various time intervals after dormant season prescribed fire. I also determined the influence of different forest structural characteristics on soft-mast production. I inventoried 32 stands, representing four temporal periods after dormant season prescribed fires: 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th growing seasons after a dormant season prescribed burn. I sampled stands by systemically establishing 40, 9 m² semi-permanent plots along randomly selected transects. To capture the majority of soft-mast producing species, I conducted surveys three times each growing season (June, July, and August). In July (during peak growing season), I visually estimated soft-mast vegetation coverage in 1 m² nested subplots (0.004 ha per stand), each placed within the larger soft-mast plots. At all plot locations, I measured forest structure characteristics, such as total basal area, canopy closure, aspect, and the number of previous burns. I quantified the total and individual species of soft-mast production and vegetation cover and compared these results by growing season. Lastly, I identified the plot, stand, and landscape level differences that had the greatest impact on soft-mast production.</p> <p>The number of species producing soft-mast increased with time since burn. Shrub (American beautyberry [<em>Callicarpa americana</em>]) and vine (grapes [<em>Vitis</em> spp.] and bramble [<em>Rubus</em> spp.]) species dominated soft-mast production as these species can establish and produce within 2 to 3 years after disturbance. In total, I detected a total of 14 species producing fruit, of these species 7 produced over 97% of the total production: American beautyberry, blackberry (<em>Rubus</em> spp.), summer grape (<em>V.aestivalis</em>), muscadine grape (<em>V. rotundifolia</em>), dewberry (<em>R.</em><em>flagellaris</em>), greenbrier (<em>Smilax</em> spp.), and sumac (<em>Rhus</em> spp.).I determined similar levels of soft-mast production in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th growing seasons post burn with production trends peaking in the 3^rd season (18.2 kg ha^-1). Basal area and number of growing seasons since burn had the greatest influences and predictive value of individual species soft-mast production. These results indicate that soft-mast production was not inhibited within the 3 to 5-year dormant season fire return interval. Continuing to burn on this rotation will maximize and prolong soft-mast production and promote species diversity.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Forestry

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Wood, Tamara B.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Christopher E. Comer
• Dr. Roger W. Perry
• Dr. Brian P. Oswald

• prescribed fire
• soft-mast production
• shortleaf pine restoration
• Ouachita National Forest
• vegetation cover
• soft-mast production after fire
• Forest Biology
• Forest Management
• Plant Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/132

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1148