Sign in to use this feature.

Years

Between: -

Subjects

remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline

Journals

Article Types

Countries / Regions

Search Results (13)

Search Parameters:
Keywords = coast redwood forest

Order results
Result details
Results per page
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
15 pages, 2316 KiB  
Article
Fuels Treatments and Tending Reduce Simulated Wildfire Impacts in Sequoia sempervirens Under Single-Tree and Group Selection
by Jade D. Wilder, Keith A. Shuttle, Jeffrey M. Kane and John-Pascal Berrill
Forests 2025, 16(6), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16061000 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 470
Abstract
Selection forestry sustains timber production and stand structural complexity via partial harvesting. However, regeneration initiated by harvesting may function as fuel ladders, providing pathways for fire to reach the forest canopy. We sought potential mitigation approaches by simulating stand growth and potential wildfire [...] Read more.
Selection forestry sustains timber production and stand structural complexity via partial harvesting. However, regeneration initiated by harvesting may function as fuel ladders, providing pathways for fire to reach the forest canopy. We sought potential mitigation approaches by simulating stand growth and potential wildfire behavior over a century in stands dominated by coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex. D. Don) Endl.) on California’s north coast. We used the fire and fuels extension to the forest vegetation simulator (FFE-FVS) to compare group selection (GS) to single-tree selection silviculture with either low-density (LD) or high-density (HD) retention on a 20-year harvest return interval. These three approaches were paired with six options involving vegetation management (i.e., hardwood control or pre-commercial thinning (PCT)) with and without fuels treatments (i.e., prescribed fire or pile burning), or no subsequent vegetation or fuel treatment applied after GS, HD, or LD silviculture. Fuel treatment involving prescribed fire reduced hazardous fuel loading but lowered stand density and hence productivity. Hardwood control followed by prescribed fire mitigated potential wildfire behavior and promoted dominance of merchantable conifers. PCT of small young trees regenerating after selection harvests, followed by piling and burning of these cut trees, sustained timber production while reducing potential wildfire behavior by approximately 40% relative to selection silviculture without vegetation/fuel management, which exhibited the worst potential wildfire behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Natural Hazards and Risk Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2373 KiB  
Article
Financial Comparison of Continuous-Cover Forestry, Rotational Forest Management and Permanent Carbon Forest Regimes for Redwood within New Zealand
by Horacio E. Bown and Michael S. Watt
Forests 2024, 15(2), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020344 - 9 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Continuous-cover forestry (CCF), which maintains a relatively intact forest cover through selective harvesting, has emerged over the last few decades as a popular alternative to rotational forest management (RFM). Coast redwood, which is native to the western United States, grows rapidly in New [...] Read more.
Continuous-cover forestry (CCF), which maintains a relatively intact forest cover through selective harvesting, has emerged over the last few decades as a popular alternative to rotational forest management (RFM). Coast redwood, which is native to the western United States, grows rapidly in New Zealand and is well suited to CCF as it has high shade tolerance, an ability to coppice from the cut stem, and resistance to pests, diseases, wind and fire. A forest estate model was used to compare the carbon sequestration, timber production and profitability of redwood CCF, RFM and permanent carbon forestry (PCF) regimes at a regional level within New Zealand. Through linear programming, this model optimised carbon accumulation and harvesting decisions across a large forest to meet a series of constraints associated with each regime. All three regimes represented good investment decisions, but CCF had the highest soil expectation value (SEV) within most North Island regions while PCF had a slightly higher SEV within the South Island regions. Under the transitional CCF (CCFt), revenue from carbon initially increased before levelling out at 40 years, after which time a sustainable harvest of high-value timber commenced in perpetuity without additional revenue from carbon. The CCFt regime transitioned to a steady-state condition, with a uniform age class distribution from year 150 onwards (CCFs), after which time a very high SEV was attained that exceeded that of CCFt by four-fold in the North Island (NZD 136,126/ha vs. NZD 34,430/ha) and seven-fold (NZD 44,714 vs. NZD 6267/ha) in the South Island. This study highlights the profitability of managing redwood under CCF and how initial carbon revenue can be used to finance the transition of the forest to a steady-state condition that produces a stream of valuable timber with a very high rate of return. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Ecology and Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 2809 KiB  
Brief Report
The Response of Botrytis cinerea to Fire in a Coast Redwood Forest
by Damiana S. Rojas and Gregory S. Gilbert
Int. J. Plant Biol. 2024, 15(1), 94-101; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb15010008 - 24 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2659
Abstract
Coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are long-lived trees that create deep shade and litter layers, and have limited recruitment from seedlings. Botrytis cinerea is an airborne fungal pathogen that attacks redwood seedlings. B. cinerea lives as a saprotroph in dead plant matter [...] Read more.
Coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are long-lived trees that create deep shade and litter layers, and have limited recruitment from seedlings. Botrytis cinerea is an airborne fungal pathogen that attacks redwood seedlings. B. cinerea lives as a saprotroph in dead plant matter or as a necrotroph in live tissue. In the coast redwood forest, accumulated leaf litter may provide inoculum for subsequent infections, limiting redwood seedling recruitment. Here, we examine the response of B. cinerea to fire in the coast redwood forest. We measured the abundance of airborne B. cinerea spores in paired burned and unburned plots using a selective and diagnostic medium. In a greenhouse experiment, we grew seedlings in four different treatments: (1) burned soil with no leaf litter, (2) unburned soil with no leaf litter, (3) burned soil with leaf litter collected from the burn plot, (4) unburned soil with leaf litter collected from the unburned plot. Spore trapping showed no difference in the abundance of airborne spores in the paired plots. The seedling experiment showed that disease was greatest and survival lowest when grown in burned soil; leaf litter collected from burned plots reduced survival while leaf litter from not-burned plots increased survival. These results indicate that fire did not affect airborne B. cinerea and post-fire conditions did not provide favorable growth conditions for coast redwood seedlings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant–Microorganisms Interactions)
Show Figures

Figure 1

57 pages, 18765 KiB  
Article
Three Censuses of a Mapped Plot in Coastal California Mixed-Evergreen and Redwood Forest
by Gregory S. Gilbert, Sarah G. Carvill, Alexander R. Krohn and Alexander S. Jones
Forests 2024, 15(1), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010164 - 12 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2519
Abstract
Large, mapped forest research plots are important sources of data to understand spatial and temporal changes in forest communities in the context of global change. Here, we describe the data from the first three censuses of the 16-ha UC Santa Cruz Forest Ecology [...] Read more.
Large, mapped forest research plots are important sources of data to understand spatial and temporal changes in forest communities in the context of global change. Here, we describe the data from the first three censuses of the 16-ha UC Santa Cruz Forest Ecology Research Plot, located in the Mediterranean-climate forest on the central coast of California, USA. The forest includes both mixed-evergreen forest and redwood-dominated forest and is recovering from significant logging disturbances in the early 20th century. Each woody stem with a diameter ≥ 1 cm at 1.3 m was mapped, tagged, identified, and measured, with censuses performed at ~5-year intervals. The first census included just 6 ha (previously described), and the area was then expanded to 16 ha in the second census. We describe the temporal dynamics of the forest in the original 6 ha, as well as the structure and temporal dynamics of the full 16 ha. The community includes 34 woody species, including 4 gymnosperm and 9 angiosperm tree species, 18 species of shrubs, and 3 species of lianas. The community includes eight non-native species, representing less than 0.5% of the stems. More than half the species show greater rates of mortality than recruitments, reflective of a dynamic forest community. Over a decade, the number of living woody stems has declined, but the basal area has increased, reflecting a self-thinning process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Ecology and Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1884 KiB  
Article
Residual Stand Structure and Topography Predict Initial Survival and Animal Browsing of Redwood and Douglas-Fir Seedlings Planted in Coastal Forests of Northern California
by Kurt A. Schneider, John-Pascal Berrill, Christa M. Dagley, Lynn A. Webb and Aaron Hohl
Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16409; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316409 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1173
Abstract
Successful regeneration of commercial species is central to the long-term sustainability of forests managed for wood production. We studied two species of tree seedlings planted after group selection and single-tree selection harvesting in a 20 ha replicated silviculture experiment in stands dominated by [...] Read more.
Successful regeneration of commercial species is central to the long-term sustainability of forests managed for wood production. We studied two species of tree seedlings planted after group selection and single-tree selection harvesting in a 20 ha replicated silviculture experiment in stands dominated by coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don) Endl.). Treatments consisted of complete harvest in 1 ha group selection opening (GS), low-density dispersed retention (LD), aggregated high-density retention (HA), and dispersed high-density retention (HD). One year after planting, seedlings planted on a southwest aspect had the lowest survival rate, while northeast aspects had nearly complete survival rates. As expected, redwood had a higher survival rate than coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var menziesii (Mirb.) Franco). Survival rates exhibited a rise-peak-fall pattern with stand density, most notably on southwest-facing slopes, ranking LD > HA ≈ HD > GS treatments. Deer browsing of planted seedlings was a pervasive problem where Douglas-fir were preferentially browsed over redwood. In treatments with higher retention densities, browsing was less likely, ranking GS > LD > HA > HD treatments. Further from watercourses at higher elevation, the probability of browsing diminished. Overall, dispersed treatments outperformed aggregated and GS treatments by simultaneously maximizing survival and minimizing browsing of planted seedlings. We did not perform site preparation or herbicide treatment of re-sprouting hardwoods following harvest, and therefore recommend testing the effectiveness of understory vegetation management to enhance seedling survival. Consideration could also be given to planting more seedlings in anticipation of lower survival rates, and/or implementing seedling protection measures when and where heavy browsing is expected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Forestry)
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 3308 KiB  
Article
Financial Comparison of Afforestation Using Redwood and Radiata Pine within New Zealand for Regimes That Derive Value from Timber and Carbon
by Michael S. Watt and Mark O. Kimberley
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2262; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112262 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2031
Abstract
Carbon sequestration has become an important source of supplementary revenue from forest plantations. Although there are many financial comparisons of species based on timber revenue, there have been few regional comparisons that integrate revenue from carbon. Within New Zealand, radiata pine is the [...] Read more.
Carbon sequestration has become an important source of supplementary revenue from forest plantations. Although there are many financial comparisons of species based on timber revenue, there have been few regional comparisons that integrate revenue from carbon. Within New Zealand, radiata pine is the most widely planted species, but there has been a recent upsurge in planting rates for coast redwood. Under New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme, areas that are newly afforested under clear-fell rotational forestry receive carbon payments up to a set age, intended to represent the long-term average under successive rotations. Using growth models for both species, the objectives of this research were to regionally quantify (i) how the rotation length and the carbon averaging age influenced the profitability of growing redwood and (ii) compare carbon, timber yields, and profitability between radiata pine and redwood. The results showed the legislated carbon averaging age of 22 years for redwood underestimated the actual mid-points of carbon accumulation, which averaged 26, 28, and 31 years across rotation lengths of 40, 45, and 50 years, respectively. The optimal rotation length for redwood varied markedly by region and carbon price but was most often 40 years, increasing to 50 years at higher carbon prices, particularly for southern regions. Under regimes where revenue was only derived from timber, the redwood internal rate of return (IRR) exceeded that of radiata pine for eight of the nine New Zealand regions. When revenue was received from carbon and timber, redwood had a higher IRR than radiata pine up to carbon prices ranging from 29 to 50 NZD/tonne CO2 for the North Island and 23 to 34 NZD/tonne CO2 in all South Island regions apart from Otago. The IRR of radiata pine exceeded that of redwood at carbon prices above these values for the eight regions and at all carbon prices within the cold, dry Otago region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economic Valuation of Forest Resources)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2681 KiB  
Article
Bat Use of Hollows in California’s Old-Growth Redwood Forests: From DNA to Ecology
by Amon J. Armstrong, Faith M. Walker, Colin J. Sobek, Cheri J. Sanville, Stephanie L. Martin and Joseph M. Szewczak
Animals 2022, 12(21), 2950; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12212950 - 27 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4198
Abstract
The loss of roosting resources, either through disturbance or removal, negatively affects bats. Identifying sensitive species and determining roost requirements are critical components in conserving their habitat. Cavity-roosting bats on the North Coast of California are known to use hollows in large redwood [...] Read more.
The loss of roosting resources, either through disturbance or removal, negatively affects bats. Identifying sensitive species and determining roost requirements are critical components in conserving their habitat. Cavity-roosting bats on the North Coast of California are known to use hollows in large redwood trees. In this study, we examined the factors determining the use of basal tree hollows by different bat species at eight redwood forest sites in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties, California. Bat guano was collected from 179 basal hollow roosts from 2017 to 2018, and guano mass was used as an index of roosting activity. Nine bat species and one species group were identified by analysis of DNA in guano. We made a total of 253 identifications from 83 hollows into the 10 species categories. The most prevalent species were Myotis californicus (California myotis; 28.5% of all identifications), the Myotis evotis-Myotis thysanodes group (17.4%), Corynorhinus townsendii (17.0%), and Myotis volans (15.0%). We evaluated the extent to which habitat variables at the scales of the hollow, vicinity, and site influenced the level of roost use. The correlations between guano mass and habitat variables were examined using generalized additive mixed models. At the hollow scale, guano mass increased with ceiling height above the opening. At the vicinity scale, guano mass increased with less cover of small trees. At the site scale, there was no association between guano mass and distance to foraging areas, elevation, or the number of nearby hollows. These tree hollow roost preferences can inform land managers when planning the management and conservation of redwood forests. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2628 KiB  
Article
A Novel Approach to Modelling Stand-Level Growth of an Even-Aged Forest Using a Volume Productivity Index with Application to New Zealand-Grown Coast Redwood
by Mark O. Kimberley and Michael S. Watt
Forests 2021, 12(9), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12091155 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5662
Abstract
Empirical growth models are widely used to predict the growth and yield of plantation tree species, and the precise estimation of site quality is an important component of these models. The most commonly used proxy for site quality in growth models is Site [...] Read more.
Empirical growth models are widely used to predict the growth and yield of plantation tree species, and the precise estimation of site quality is an important component of these models. The most commonly used proxy for site quality in growth models is Site Index (SI), which describes the mean height of dominant trees at a specified base age. Although SI is widely used, considerable research shows significant site-dependent variation in height for a given volume, with this latter variable more closely reflecting actual site productivity. Using a national dataset, this study develops and describes a stand-level growth and yield model for even-aged New Zealand-grown coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). We used a novel modelling approach that quantifies site quality using SI and a volume-based index termed the 300 Index, defined as the volume mean annual increment at age 30 years for a reference regime of 300 stems ha−1. The growth model includes a number of interrelated components. Mean top height is modelled from age and SI using a polymorphic Korf function. A modified anamorphic Korf function is used to describe tree quadratic mean diameter (Dq) as a function of age, stand density, SI and a diameter site index. As the Dq model includes stand density in its formulation, it can predict tree growth for different stand densities and thinning regimes. The mortality model is based on a simple attritional equation improved through incorporation of the Reineke stand density index to account for competition-induced mortality. Using these components, the model precisely estimates stand-level volume. The developed model will be of considerable value to growers for yield projection and regime evaluation. By more robustly describing the site effect, the growth model provides researchers with an improved framework for quantifying and understanding the causes of spatial and temporal variation in plantation productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Simulation Models of the Dynamics of Forest Ecosystems)
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 3843 KiB  
Article
Initial Floristic Response to High Severity Wildfire in an Old-Growth Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) Forest
by Mojgan Mahdizadeh and Will Russell
Forests 2021, 12(8), 1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12081135 - 23 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4632
Abstract
Climate driven increases in fire frequency and severity are predicted for Mediterranean climatic zones, including the Pacific coast of California. A recent high severity wildfire that burned in the Santa Cruz Mountains affected a variety of vegetation types, including ancient coast redwood ( [...] Read more.
Climate driven increases in fire frequency and severity are predicted for Mediterranean climatic zones, including the Pacific coast of California. A recent high severity wildfire that burned in the Santa Cruz Mountains affected a variety of vegetation types, including ancient coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) stands. The purpose of this study was to characterize the survival and initial recovery of vegetation approximately six months after the fire. We sampled thirty randomly selected points in an old-growth coast redwood forest to examine and compare survival, crown retention, and post fire regeneration of trees by species, and the recovery of associated understory plant species. Sequoia sempervirens exhibited the highest post-fire survival (95%), with lower survival rates for subcanopy hardwood associates including tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) Manos) (88%), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia Nee.) (93%), Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica (Cham. & Schltdl.) Wilbur) (75%), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii Pursh) (71%), and the lowest survival recorded for the canopy codominant Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) (15%). Canopy retention and post fire regeneration were also highest for S. sempervirens and lowest for P. menziesii, indicating that S. sempervirens had a competitive advantage over P. menziesii following high severity crown fire. Both canopy survival and regeneration were greater for larger height and diameter trees; and basal sprouting was positively associated with tree height and diameter for S. sempervirens and N. densiflorus. Observed recovery of understory species was modest but included the reemergence of coast redwood associated herbaceous species. The robust nature of survival and recovery of S. sempervirens following this extreme fire event suggest that the removal of scorched, and the seeding or planting of trees, following this type of fire is contraindicated. The decline of P. menziesii is of concern, however, and suggests that repeated high severity fires driven by climate change could eventually lead to vegetation type conversion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Ecology and Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1594 KiB  
Review
Regeneration Dynamics of Coast Redwood, a Sprouting Conifer Species: A Review with Implications for Management and Restoration
by Kevin L. O’Hara, Lauren E. Cox, Sasha Nikolaeva, Julian J. Bauer and Rachelle Hedges
Forests 2017, 8(5), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/f8050144 - 27 Apr 2017
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 14667
Abstract
Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex. D. Don) Endl.) is unique among conifer species because of its longevity, the great sizes of individual trees, and its propensity to reproduce through sprouts. Timber harvesting in the native redwood range along the coast of [...] Read more.
Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex. D. Don) Endl.) is unique among conifer species because of its longevity, the great sizes of individual trees, and its propensity to reproduce through sprouts. Timber harvesting in the native redwood range along the coast of the western United States has necessitated restoration aimed to promote old forest structures to increase the total amount of old forest, the connectivity between old forests, and to enhance the resiliency of these ecosystems. After disturbance or harvest, healthy redwood stumps sprout vigorously, often producing dozens of sprouts within two years of disturbance. These sprouts form highly aggregated spatial patterns because they are clustered around stumps that may number less than 50 ha−1. Thinning of sprouts can accelerate individual tree growth, providing an effective restoration strategy to accelerate formation of large trees and old forest structures or increase stand growth for timber production. However, management, including restoration activities, is a contentious issue throughout the native range of redwood because of the history of overexploitation of this resource and perceptions that overexploitation is continuing. This paper reviews the science of early stand dynamics in coast redwood and their implications for restoration and other silvicultural strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Disturbance Forest Management and Regeneration Dynamics)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1124 KiB  
Article
Classification of Plot-Level Fire-Caused Tree Mortality in a Redwood Forest Using Digital Orthophotography and LiDAR
by Brian D. Bishop, Brian C. Dietterick, Russell A. White and Tom B. Mastin
Remote Sens. 2014, 6(3), 1954-1972; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6031954 - 4 Mar 2014
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7802
Abstract
Aerial and satellite imagery are widely used to assess the severity and impact of wildfires. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is a newer remote sensing technology that has demonstrated utility in measuring vegetation structure. Combined use of imagery and LiDAR may improve the [...] Read more.
Aerial and satellite imagery are widely used to assess the severity and impact of wildfires. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is a newer remote sensing technology that has demonstrated utility in measuring vegetation structure. Combined use of imagery and LiDAR may improve the assessment of wildfire impacts compared to imagery alone. Estimation of tree mortality at the plot scale could serve for more rapid, broad-scale, and lower cost post-fire assessments than feasible through field assessment. We assessed the accuracy of classifying color-infrared imagery in combination with post-fire LiDAR, and with differenced (pre- and post-fire) LiDAR, in estimating plot percent mortality in a second-growth coast redwood forest near Santa Cruz, CA. Percent mortality of trees greater than 25.4 cm DBH in 47 permanent 0.08 ha plots was categorized as low (<25%), moderate (25%–50%), or high (>50%). The model using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) was 74% accurate; the model using NDVI and post-fire LiDAR was 85% accurate, while the model using NDVI and differenced LiDAR was 83% accurate. The addition of post-fire LiDAR data provided a modest increase in accuracy compared to imagery alone, which may not justify the substantial cost of data acquisition. The method demonstrated could be applied to rapidly estimate tree mortality resulting from wildfires at fine to moderate scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantifying the Environmental Impact of Forest Fires)
Show Figures

16 pages, 775 KiB  
Article
Modeling Young Stand Development towards the Old-Growth Reference Condition in Evergreen Mixed-Conifer Stands at Headwaters Forest Reserve, California
by John-Pascal Berrill, Christopher B. Beal, David H. LaFever and Christa M. Dagley
Forests 2013, 4(2), 455-470; https://doi.org/10.3390/f4020455 - 20 Jun 2013
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 9490
Abstract
We sought to answer the question: How do we restore characteristics of old-growth evergreen mixed-conifer forests in young even-aged stands on upland terrain at Headwaters Forest Reserve (HFR)? We described the old-growth reference condition for three stands at HFR. In each old-growth stand, [...] Read more.
We sought to answer the question: How do we restore characteristics of old-growth evergreen mixed-conifer forests in young even-aged stands on upland terrain at Headwaters Forest Reserve (HFR)? We described the old-growth reference condition for three stands at HFR. In each old-growth stand, trees within a 1-ha plot were inventoried. We found coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) well represented while coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) dominated in terms of size. Numbers of understory and overstory trees ha−1 and average tree sizes were similar among sites, suggesting these were useful goals for restoration. Adjacent to each old-growth stand, we measured recent growth rates of second-growth trees and remnant old trees across a range of tree sizes, stand structures, and densities. The resultant growth models of redwood and Douglas-fir enabled us to project the development of precommercially thinned young stands at HFR forward in time under two silvicultural prescriptions: (i) no further management; and (ii) partial harvesting simulated before trees attained 30 cm dbh. The partial-harvesting prescription reduced stand density and set the young stand on a more rapid trajectory towards the reference condition found at HFR. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 937 KiB  
Article
Sudden Oak Death-Induced Tanoak Mortality in Coast Redwood Forests: Current and Predicted Impacts to Stand Structure
by Benjamin S. Ramage and Kevin L. O’Hara
Forests 2010, 1(3), 114-130; https://doi.org/10.3390/f1030114 - 27 Aug 2010
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 9241
Abstract
Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus syn. Lithocarpus densiflorus) is one of the most widespread and abundant associates of coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), but little is known about the structural relationships between these two species. Knowledge of such relationships is essential for [...] Read more.
Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus syn. Lithocarpus densiflorus) is one of the most widespread and abundant associates of coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), but little is known about the structural relationships between these two species. Knowledge of such relationships is essential for a thorough understanding of the impacts of sudden oak death (caused by the exotic pathogen Phytophthora ramorum), which is currently decimating tanoak populations throughout the redwood range. In this study, we utilized a stratified plot design and a stand reconstruction technique to assess structural impacts, at present and in the future, of this emerging disease. We found that residual trees in diseased plots were more aggregated than trees in unaffected plots, and we predicted that the loss of tanoak will lead to the following short-term changes: greater average diameter, height, height-to-live-crown, and crown length, as well as an increase in average nearest neighbor differences for diameter, height, and crown length. In addition, plots lacking tanoak (living or dead)—as compared to plots with tanoak—exhibited greater average diameter and increased nearest neighbor differences with regard to diameter, height, and crown length. We also conducted a preliminary exploration of how sudden oak death-induced structural changes compare with typical old-growth characteristics, and how this disease may affect the structure of old-growth forests. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop