PARENT SESSION
Contributed Oral Session 4: Forest Management
Monday, August 8, 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Meeting Room 514 A, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Forest dynamics in mesic northern hardwoods following windthrow and salvage logging.

Derr, Katharyn^*,1, Schulte, Lisa², Guntenspergen, Glenn³, ¹ Iowa State University, Ames, IA² Iowa State University, Ames, IA³ U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, MD

ABSTRACT- Forest recovery after severe wind disturbance is difficult to forecast, and becomes even more challenging when compounded with human management in the form of salvage logging. We use long term data from the Flambeau River Hemlock-Hardwood Scientific Area in Wisconsin, USA to compare changes in overstory and understory conditions following a severe wind disturbance event in 1977; a portion of the sites were salvaged logged while others were not. We also compare understory microtopography and soil characteristics between disturbance types. Preliminary results show strong differences in forest structure between salvaged and unsalvaged sites, though tree species composition remains similar. American basswood (Tilia americana), American elm (Ulmus americana), and sugar maple (Acer saccharinum) are dominant under both disturbance scenarios. Unsalvaged sites have double the amount of tree biomass, but have less developed sapling and herb layers. Herb species more associated with old-growth forest conditions are more common in areas of higher canopy cover, regardless of disturbance type. The microtopography is more pronounced in the unsalvaged sites while soil tends to be more acidic for the salvaged sites. This work can guide management decisions after severe wind disturbance in terms of setting goals for retaining and/or encouraging desired tree species, understory biodiversity, and soil resources.

Key words: old-growth, wind disturbance, microtopography, forest management