Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Light transmittance following midstory removal in a riparian hardwood forest

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Midstory cover may negatively affect the growth of desirable oak reproduction. Where such cover exists, midstory control may be warranted prior to a regeneration harvest so that species that rely on large advance reproduction for regeneration can become established and grow into a more competitive position before overstory removal. Unfortunately, how midstory removals alter the light environment under a riparian hardwood canopy has not been quantified. To understand how midstory removal affects the light regime below the canopy, we measured light intensity following four levels of midstory control. The treatments consisted of the removal of none, 33 percent, 50 percent, or 100 percent of the midstory stems on 50 0.05-ha plots located within a riparian forest. The resulting light characteristics were then compared to published data on light requirements for particular species to determine whether midstory control alone is adequate to allow for the establishment and growth of a new cohort.

Parent Publication

Citation

Ostrom, Bradford J.; Loewenstein, Edward F. 2006. Light transmittance following midstory removal in a riparian hardwood forest. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-92. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp. 265-268
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/23392