Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options Study

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Research

Vegetation

Vegetation studies were designed to address two fundamental objectives:

• To elucidate the effects of level and pattern of overstory retention on key elements of forest structure and composition (and to suggest possible mechanisms for these effects).
  
• To quantify changes in vegetation to aid in interpreting the responses of associated organisms and processes.

An overview of our goals and approaches can be found in Halpern, C.B.; Evans, S.A.; Nelson, C.R., et al. 1999. Response of forest vegetation to varying levels and patterns of green-tree retention: an overview of a long-term experiment. Northwest Science. 73(Special Issue): 27-44.

Our research encompasses a diversity of interests: patterns and amounts of ground disturbance; overstory stem damage, growth, and mortality; dynamics of snags and coarse woody debris; growth, mortality, and recruitment of understory trees (including planted and natural regeneration); and changes in the abundance and diversity of vascular plants and ground-layer bryophytes. Initial responses to harvest treatments are summarized in the reports below. Data collected during 2003 and 2004 will be used to assess longer term (6- and 7-year) changes.

US Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Research Station, Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options
Last Modified: Thursday,27March2008 at12:39:25EDT