Regeneration and Understory Conditions William H. McWilliams, Randall S. Morin, Tonya W. Lister, and James A. Westfall USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis Methods Results of Regeneration Study Result of Exotics Study Review Basic Hypotheses

Hypothesis 1 : advance regeneration is bleak Hypothesis 2 : understory vegetation is extensive? Hypothesis 3 : native invasive species are everywhere Hypothesis 4 : non-native invasive species are everywhere and expanding Hypotheses

Jim Finley, Peter Gould, Kim Steiner Dan Devlin, Matt Keefer, Stephen L. Sterner Robert White, Lois DeMarco NE RWU 4152: Pat Brose, Steve Horsley, Susan Stout NE RWU 4557: Kurt Gottschalk, Gary Miller NE RWU 4801: William H. McWilliams, Tonya W. Lister, and James A. Westfall Regeneration Study

Year One Year Three Year Four Year Five Five-Year Panel Year Two Study Design: Regeneration Study Samples Interpenetrating Sub-Panel of FIA Sample Locations Regeneration Sample

Sampling Protocols: Three Levels Sample Location Level Deer Impact: Record on of five Deer Impact classes: (after Marquis et al. 1994) Very Low Low Medium High Very High Subplot Level Condition Class Site Limitations Associated Understory Vegetation: Assign Percent cover classes to Species/Life Form. Species/Life Form Shrubs (detailed code) Vines (detailed code) Fern (Bracken, Hay-Scented, and New York) Other fern Grass Other herbaceous Percent Cover Class (after Marquis et al 1994) Microplot Level Condition class Site limitations Dominant Tree: If present, record the species of the most dominant tree at least 5.0 inches in diameter. Seedling Tally: Count all established seedlings at least 2” tall by: Species Seedling Source (stump sprout and other) Stump Sprout Other Seedling Competitive oak, hickory, walnut, or butternut seedling Height Class 2 inches to 6 inches3 feet to 5 feet 6 inches to 1 foot5 feet to 10 feet 1 foot to 3 feetGreater than 10 feet Numbers of seedlings The Subplot is also where Exotic Invasives Are Tallied

Degree of Establishment Tally Requirements: All seedlings (trees less than 1.0-inches DBH) rooted within the microplot, and At least 2-inches tall with at least two normal-sized leaves that do not still bear cotyledons, and Tug Test – the standard “tug test” is used to determine whether seedlings have been established in the previous year’s growing season. Seedlings that slip out of the ground with a “slight” tug should not be tallied. Examination of roots systems will reveal that seedlings that don’t slip out have more developed root systems than first-year seedlings.

Degree of Establishment for Large-Seeded Species Based on Root-Collar Diameter (Brose unpublished) Established = 0.20 in. Competitive = 0.75 in. Root Length = 8 ft. (not shown) Root Length = 3 ft. (not shown) 1-inch

Desirable Black cherry Oak Sugar maple Red maple Conifer Hickory Yellow-Poplar Ash Basswood Cucumbertree Walnut Butternut Commercial Black cherry Oak Sugar maple Red maple Conifer Hickory Yellow-Poplar Ash Basswood Cucumbertree Walnut Butternut Birch Beech Blackgum Elm Black locust Hackberry Aspen All Woody Black cherry Honey Locust Oak Sassafras Sugar maple Ironwood Red maple Ailanthius Conifer Mountain ash Hickory Blue beech Yellow-Poplar Hawthorn Ash Dogwood Basswood Redbud Cucumbertree Pin cherry Walnut Striped maple Butternut Hercules club Birch Scrub oak Beech Chokecherry Blackgum Shadbush Elm Black locust Hackberry Aspen Species Composition Group (Timber Management)

Species Composition Group (Canopy Replacement) 1 Dominants: includes species that account for at least 2 percent of total live-tree biomass within the state and typically form high canopy. Dominant Black cherry Oak Sugar maple Red maple White pine Eastern hemlock Hickory Yellow-Poplar Ash Black birch Beech Other Dominants Black cherry Oak Sugar maple Red maple White pine Eastern hemlock Hickory Yellow-Poplar Ash Black birch Beech Other High Canopy Species 2 Other Dominants: All other native species that typically exhibit the ability to form high canopy. All Woody Black cherry Oak Sugar maple Red maple White pine Hickory Eastern hemlock Hickory Basswood Yellow-Poplar Ash Black birch Beech Other High Canopy Species All Other Woody Species 3 All Woody: all other woody tree species, such as striped maple, hawthorn, hornbeam, pin cherry, etc..

Seedling Regeneration Stocking Requirements Two levels of acceptable seedling density per acre were used to account for the range of regeneration guidelines found in the literature (Leak 1980, Sander and others 1976, Marquis and Bjorkbom 1982). These two levels of regeneration stocking are referred to as “moderate- deer” and “high-deer,” respectively. The moderate-deer level requires at least 25 seedlings per microplot. The high-deer level requires at least 100 seedlings per microplot. The moderate-deer level is representative of guidelines developed for central hardwood stands. The high-deer level is reflective of higher levels required in regions with relatively high levels of deer impact. Weighted Counts: 2 to 6 inches 1 6 inches to 1 foot 1 1 to 3 feet 2 3 to 5 feet 20 5 to 10 feet 50 Greater than 10 feet 50

Analyzing the Results Applied the regeneration guidelines and evaluated the results for the two species groupings and deer population levels after screening for samples where the forest floor would receive enough light for seedling development, or from 40 to 75 percent stocking based on relative stocking. Plateau Central Appalachians Broadleaf Glacial Limit Eco-Regions Use the Game Commission Wildlife Management Units for spatial analysis

Desirable Commercial Woody 34 % 47 % 54 % Interpretation: Desirable: about two-thirds would likely fail to regenerate. Commercial: about half would likely fail. Woody: about half would likely fail. Percent of Samples Meeting Regeneration Criteria, Timber Management (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer)

Percent of Samples Meeting Regeneration Criteria, Timber Management (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) 0 – 33% 34-66%67+% Wildlife Management Units No Data 16%

Dominant Other High Canopy Woody 44 % 48 % 54 % Interpretation: Dominant: over half would likely fail to regenerate. Other High Canopy: about half would likely fail. Woody: about half would likely fail. Percent of Samples Meeting Regeneration Criteria, Canopy Replacement (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer)

0 – 33% 34-66%67+% Percent of Samples Meeting Regeneration Criteria, Canopy Replacement (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) No Data Wildlife Management Units 26%

Percent of Samples with 30% or More Other Vegetation Cover (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) % %67+% No Data Wildlife Management Units 95%

Percent of Samples with 70% or More Other Vegetation Cover (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) % %67+% No Data Wildlife Management Units 71%

Percent of Samples with 30% or More Rhizomous Fern Cover (Samples from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) % %21+% No Data Wildlife Management Units 35%

Exotic Invasive Plants Study Vines (8) Fiveleaf akebia Porcelain-berry Oriental bittersweet English ivy Japanese honeysuckle Mile-a-minute vine Kudzu Common periwinkle Shrubs (19) Japanese barberry European barberry Russian olive Autumn olive Winged Euonymous Border privet Common privet Bell’s honeysuckle Amur honeysuckle Morrow’s honeysuckle Standish honeysuckle Tartarian honeysuckle Common buckthorn Glossy buckthorn Multiflora rose Wineberry Japanese spiraea Linden viburnam Guelder rose Forbes and Grasses (12) Garlic mustard Spotted knapweed Canada thistle Bull thistle Crown-vetch Giant hogweed Purple loosestrife Japanese stilt grass Reed canary grass Common reed Japanese knotweed Giant knotweed

Percent of Samples with Species Present Multiflora Rose

Percent of Samples with Species Present Ailanthus

Percent of Samples with Species Present European/Japanese Barberry

Percent of Samples with Species Present Honeysuckles

Percent of Samples with Species Present Japanese Honeysuckle

Percent of Samples with Species Present Oriental Bittersweet

Percent of Samples with Species Present Autumn/Russian Olive

Percent of Samples with Species Present Garlic Mustard

Percent of Samples with Species Present Japanese Stilt Grass

Percent of Samples with Species Present Reed Canary Grass

Percent of Samples with Species Present Japanese/Giant Knotweed

Percent of Samples with Species Present Giant Hogweed

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The End