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Chapter 3: Status and trends of vegetation

Informally Refereed

Abstract

This chapter provides information about the vegetation cover of the Assessment area. The types and areal extent of vegetation in the Highlands are of interest for many reasons. Vegetation cover largely determines the availability of habitat for terrestrial animals, plants, and other organisms. Vegetation cover strongly influences what uses {e.g., timber, forage, recreation) people can make of natural biological resources. Vegetation cover plays a major role in maintaining desired riparian and aquatic conditions (see USDA FS 1999a). Many people care (for aesthetic and other personal, largely noneconomic reasons) about the extent and types of vegetation cover in the Highlands and the changes it may be undergoing. Finally, information about vegetation cover enhances the ability of scientists to study the availability of plant and animal habitats over large areas and gives all interested parties a clearer picture of the changing representation of various cover types (e.g., conifer-dominated vs. hardwood-dominated forest or forests vs pasture land) over time.

Keywords

vegetation cover, Highlands, age-class distribution, species composition, fragementation

Citation

Guldin, James M.; Thompson, Frank R.; Richards, Lynda L.; Harper, Kyra C. 1999. Chapter 3: Status and trends of vegetation. In: Ozark-Ouachita Highlands assessment: terrestrial vegetation and wildlife. Gen. Tech. Rep. 21-72. (1999)
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/12260