Publication

Effects of population on within-forest patch size in landscapes of the Southeastern US (Abstract only)

Pye, J. M. and R. M. Sheffield

This study investigates processes underlying changes in the scale of patches (stands) within the highly modified forests of the Southeastern US. Because stand borders reflect the finer-scaled afforestation and disturbance processes by which forests are created and altered, they should be more directly related to processes driving fragmentation and better describe its effects on species with particularly narrow habitat requirements. The study tests the hypothesis that the impact of rising human population on the spatial structure of forests can be adequately described by simple removal of the patches (stands) of which forests are comprised. If stands are removed in their entirety and removed (or created) without bias to their size then forests would be comprised of stands of similar size regardless of forested cover or population. Stand size data from approximately 25,000 forested locations across the Southeastern US and from two points in time (approx. 1980 and 1987) were compared with stand characteristics and ownership and county-level measures of land use, physiographic region and population. The analyses do not support the hypothesis. Higher populations and lower forest cover are associated with smaller stand sizes.

Fiscal Year: fy93 ·  Theme: cctrgnas ·  Source: resunit   <== Explain

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