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Harvard Forest REU Symposium Abstract 2022
- Title: Site Conditions Indicative of Successful and Unsuccessful Oak Regeneration
- Author: Matt D Pena (Michigan State University)
- Abstract:
Oaks are one of the most important overstory trees in southern New England, but a recent spongy moth outbreak resulted in widespread oak mortality. The resulting openings in the canopy may allow oaks to regenerate, but viable (>0.5m) oak seedlings are often scarce, and heavy ground cover inhibits oak regeneration. Therefore, to assess regeneration success following the outbreak, I tested the role of canopy openness and ground vegetation on oak regeneration in sites that experienced varying levels of spongy moth damage. Data were collected at the Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts, and 204 plots were randomly selected from a pool of 486 plots originally sampled in 2017. Data collection included tree diameter, oak seedling presence, and estimated percentage of ground cover, along with major species covering the ground. Analysis of the collected data showed that nearly 95% of plots included seedlings in the smallest size class (1.3m). It was also discovered that there is no correlation between oak regeneration and basal area. In regards to groundcover, we found that oaks in the middle size class were more prominent in recent timber harvest sites than anywhere else, regardless of harvest or invasion status. These results provide insight about what oak prominence in the region might look like in the future, and what we can do to manage for it.
- Research Category: Physiological Ecology, Population Dynamics, and Species Interactions; Invasive Plants, Pests & Pathogens; Conservation and Management
