public read Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

705 Spear StreetSouth BurlingtonVermont05403United States of America

(802) 656-0683femc@uvm.eduwww.uvm.edu/femcHarvard University Harvard ForestleadDuke Forest partnerUngulates are attracted to forest openings created by natural disturbance and timber harvesting which results in the abundance of high quality browse in these openings. Despite the increased activity and browsing of ungulates in forest openings, the importance of browsing relative to abiotic factors such as light on forest regeneration is often unclear. In southern New England, medium-intensity harvesting is the predominant forest disturbance attracting white-tailed deer and moose. Oaks, which are in decline, are the foundation hardwood taxon and predominant timber tree in the region. Hence, the effects of ungulate browsing on oak forests are of great interest to ecologists, conservationists and forest and wildlife managers. We sampled tree regeneration and ungulate foraging activity across a range of canopy disturbances (35-90% basal area removed) in 34 stands of the Quabbin and Ware River Watershed Forests. Browsing was very high across the plots with about 80% of red maple and oak stems browsed. Taller stems were generally browsed more frequently than shorter stems. Oak regeneration in the smaller size classes was generally lower in stands with higher percent cover of hay-scented fern. The proportion of browsed red maples and oaks generally increased with increasing density of these taxa. Despite intensive herbivory, oaks appear to be regenerating well with increased light in these partially harvested stands.Forest Ecosystem Monitoring CooperativeEmeryBooseprincipalInvestigatorSince 1907, the Harvard Forest has served as a center for research and education in forest biology and conservation. The Forest's Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, established in 1988 and funded by the National Science Foundation, provides a framework for much of this activity.Ungulate-Forest Interactions in Partially Harvested Oak-Pine Stands in Central Massachusetts 2009Ungulates are attracted to forest openings created by natural disturbance and timber harvesting which results in the abundance of high quality browse in these openings. Despite the increased activity and browsing of ungulates in forest openings, the importance of browsing relative to abiotic factors such as light on forest regeneration is often unclear. In southern New England, medium-intensity harvesting is the predominant forest disturbance attracting white-tailed deer and moose. Oaks, which are in decline, are the foundation hardwood taxon and predominant timber tree in the region. Hence, the effects of ungulate browsing on oak forests are of great interest to ecologists, conservationists and forest and wildlife managers. We sampled tree regeneration and ungulate foraging activity across a range of canopy disturbances (35-90% basal area removed) in 34 stands of the Quabbin and Ware River Watershed Forests. Browsing was very high across the plots with about 80% of red maple and oak stems browsed. Taller stems were generally browsed more frequently than shorter stems. Oak regeneration in the smaller size classes was generally lower in stands with higher percent cover of hay-scented fern. The proportion of browsed red maples and oaks generally increased with increasing density of these taxa. Despite intensive herbivory, oaks appear to be regenerating well with increased light in these partially harvested stands.VMC.1387.2831mySQL/femc/data/archive/project/Harvard_Forest_Research/dataset/ungulate-forest-interactions-partially-harvested-oak2009-01-012009-12-31species_treesSpecies field in the HF Ungulate-Forest Interactions Overstory Trees dataset Species field in the Harvard Forest Ungulate-Forest Interactions in Partially Harvested Oak-Pine Stands Overstory Trees dataset (hf201-04)textAcer rubrumITIS #28728, red maple (Acer rubrum)Acer saccharumITIS #28731, sugar maple (Acer saccharum)Fraxinus americanaITIS #32931, white ash (Fraxinus americana)Pinus strobusITIS #183385, eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)Quercus rubraITIS #19408, northern red oak (Quercus rubra)Quercus albaITIS #19290, white oak (Quercus alba)Quercus velutinaITIS #19447, black oak (Quercus velutina)Carya glabraITIS #19231, pignut hickory; sweet pignut (Carya glabra)Betula lentaITIS #19487, sweet birch (Betula lenta)Tsuga canadensisITIS #183397, Canada hemlock; hemlock spruce (Tsuga canadensis)Carya glabraITIS #19231, pignut hickory; sweet pignut (Carya glabra)Pinus resinosaITIS #183375, red pine (Pinus resinosa)Betula alleghaniensisITIS #19481, yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)Prunus serotinaITIS #24764, black cherry (Prunus serotina)American ChestnutITIS #19454, American chestnut (Castanea dentata)Carpinus caroliniensisITIS #19504, American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)Carya ovataITIS #19242, shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)species_seedlingsSpecies field in the HF Ungulate-Forest Interactions Seedlings dataset Species field in the Harvard Forest Ungulate-Forest Interactions in Partially Harvested Oak-Pine Stands Seedlings dataset (hf201-02)textCorylus americanaITIS #19506, noisetier d'Amérique (Corylus americana)Prunus serotinaITIS #24764, black cherry (Prunus serotina)Vaccinium corymbosumITIS #23573, highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)Gaylussacia spp.ITIS #23659, huckleberry (Gaylussacia sp.)Lyonia ligustrinaITIS #23559, seedy-buckberry (Lyonia Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina)Acer rubrumITIS #28728, red maple (Acer rubrum)Quercus rubraITIS #19408, northern red oak (Quercus rubra)Amelanchier spp.ITIS #25108, serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.)Corylus cornutaITIS #19507, beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta)Quercus velutinaITIS #19447, black oak (Quercus velutina)Caorylus americanaITIS #19506, noisetier d'Amérique (Corylus americana)Crataegus spp.ITIS #24539, hawthorn (Crataegus )Pinus strobusITIS #183385, eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)Betula lenta/alleghaniensisITIS #19481, yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)Betula papyriferaITIS #19489, paper birch (Betula papyrifera)Acer pennsylvanicumITIS #28754, striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum)Comptonia peregrinaITIS #501619, sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina)Hamamelis virginianaITIS #19033, witch-hazel; witchhazel; American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)Betula lentaITIS #19487, sweet birch (Betula lenta)Tsuga canadensisITIS #183397, Canada hemlock; hemlock spruce (Tsuga canadensis)Quercus albaITIS #19290, white oak (Quercus alba)Carpinus caroliniensisITIS #19504, American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)Populus tremuloidesITIS #195773, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)Carya spp.ITIS #19223, hickory spp (Carya sp.)Castanea dentataITIS #19454, American chestnut (Castanea dentata)Fagus grandifoliaITIS #19462, American beech (Fagus grandifolia)Fraxinus americanaITIS #32931, white ash (Fraxinus americana)Prunus virginianaITIS #24806, chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)Pinus resinosaITIS #183375, red pine (Pinus resinosa)Corylus spp.ITIS #19505, hazelnut (Corylus sp.)Viburnum acerifoliumITIS #35255, mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)Acer saccharumITIS #28731, sugar maple (Acer saccharum)Carya ovataITIS #19242, shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)Spirea spp.ITIS #25340, spirea (Spiraea X subcanescens)Rhamnus catharticaITIS #28573, Carolina buckthorn; European buckthorn; European waythorn; Hart's thorn; nerprun cathartique; common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)Rhododendron spp.ITIS #23700, azaleas (Rhododendron sp.)Kalmia latifoliaITIS #23677, mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)Viburnum dentatumITIS #35251, arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)UNKNOWNITIS #827, (Entophysalis sp.)Liriodendron tulipiferaITIS #18086, yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)Ilex verticillataITIS #27985, common winterberry (Ilex verticillata)Cornus alternifoliaITIS #27813, alternate-leaf dogwood; alternateleaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)Quercus prinusITIS #195058, chestnut oak ( Quercus prinus)Cornus spp.ITIS #27798, dogwood (Cornus sp.)Aronia arbutifoliaITIS #25126, red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)