Regeneration and Modeling

Our predictive understanding of structural and compositional dynamics of Southern Appalachian vegetation in response to changes in forest structure caused by natural and/or managed disturbances within stands and on the landscape is inadequate for the current demands of forest management.

Current Studies Involve:

Regeneration

• Shelterwoods to control species composition on good sites.
• Preharvest control of vegetation to improve stand stocking after regeneration cutting.
• Prediction and control of species composition of regeneration.

Rice Pinnacle Road 1971. When overstory trees are removed from a high-quality site in a conventional shelterwood, the forest floor becomes flooded with light.

Rice Pinnacle Road 1973. "Opening to light" creates a condition in which seedlings and stump sprouts of fast-growing species can easily overtop species that rely on advance reproduction.

Modeling Stand Development

• Development of mixed species stands
• Compositional and structural changes of forests through time.
• Intermediate stand management.
• Climatic effects on tree growth.

These visitors see the effects of clearcutting at the Buell Plot, one of Bent Creek's oldest research areas.

To see active studies please view: Problem 2

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