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Matt Reilly
Matt Reilly 

Employee Information
Name: Matt Reilly 
Title: Botanist
Unit: Center for Forest Disturbance Science (4156)
Phone: 706-559-4335
Fax: 706-559-4317 - Unit Fax
706-559-4287 - Location Fax
E-Mail: mreilly@fs.fed.us

Location Information
Mailing
Address:		 USDA-Forest Service
Forestry Sciences Laboratory
320 Green Street
Athens, GA 30602-2044
Shipping
Address:		 Same
   
Location
Phone:

Research Information

Education:
Ph.D., Mississippi State University, Plant Ecology, 1973

Current Research:
I am involved with research that addresses the ecology of disturbance,especially human manipulation for production of timber, wildlife, and other natural resources.The main objective is to evaluate a broad array of ecologically-sound pine silvicultural practices that can be utilized by forest managers to incorporate sustainability into forest management planning and decision-making.Long-term studies are in place that focus on the influence of pine regeneration an vegetation management techniques on the total pine ecosystem and how these techniques can be used to ensure the sustainability in southern pine forests.The majority of these studies are located on Piedmont sites in Georgia.

Research activities are also in progress to restore longleaf pine stands to near presettlement condition by reintroducing associate4d understory plants (woody and herbaceous).In a prior study with young longleaf pine stands, understory vegetation responses to hardwood removal and pine thinning was evaluated.In general, the silvicultural implication of the research is that density manipulation of longleaf pine plantations can be used to increase availability of light and soil water to the understory, resulting in considerable changes in abundance and diversity of species that reside there.Changes in stand structure that have resulted from these density manipulations include increases in volume growth and crown size of individual pines and increases in diameter growth of hardwoods following pine thinning.

Collaborative Research:
Collaborative research involving vegetation responses and ecological processes in relation to silvicultural practices is welcomed.

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Matt Reilly

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