Date of Award
Spring 5-2-2018
Semester of Degree
May
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. in Environmental and Forest Biology
Department
Environmental and Forest Biology
Major Professor
Gregory McGee
Steering Committee Member
Christopher Nowak
Steering Committee Member
Ralph Nyland
Steering Committee Member
Mariann Johnston
Steering Committee Member
Shijie Liu
Abstract
This thesis reports the effect of cutting understory trees at three sites in the central Adirondacks of New York. Felling treatments were applied in 2000 to understory trees (< 5.5 in. dbh) using a brushsaw, from May through October. Observations from 2017 indicate that understory American beech densities and heights did not differ between treatment and control plots. However, densities of beech saplings (1.0 – 5.4 in. dbh) indicate that cutting may have reduced beech by 3-fold, while, the cohort directly below (≥ 6 ft. but < 1.0 in.) the sapling layer increased 4-fold. Further, treatments did not improve the densities and heights of non-beech regeneration. The treatment also showed no effect on richness and the cover of the herbaceous layer. Results indicate that mechanical site preparation is not effective for long-term control of American beech or for promoting diversity of non-beech species and ground layer vegetation in northern hardwood forests.
Recommended Citation
Mettey, Colin, "Long-Term Response of Herbaceous and Sapling Strata to Mechanical Understory Removal in Northern Hardwoods" (2018). Dissertations and Theses. 41.
https://digitalcommons.esf.edu/etds/41