A comparison of northern and southern table mountain pine stands
This article is part of a larger document. View the larger document here.Abstract
Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens) stands occur throughout the Appalachian Mountains, but ecological research has concentrated on the southern part of this region. In 2006, research was initiated in northern Table Mountain pine stands growing in PA to compare some basic attributes of those stands with previously described ones in TN. Overall, the northern and southern stands were quite similar. Both contained 13 species, 10 of which they had in common. In the overstory, the PA stands had fewer trees, fewer pines, more oaks (Quercus spp.), and less basal area per acre than the TN stands. The PA stands also had Table Mountain pines with nonserotinous cones while those in TN had sealed cones. In the understory, the TN stands had more shrub cover, taller shrubs, and much less pine regeneration per acre than the PA stands. The presence of pine regeneration in PA and its absence from TN are likely due to the differences in cone type and shrub cover.