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Reestablishing appropriate tree species is an important step in converting off‐site monocultures into woodlands. Species conversion is often necessary, as off‐site exotic species rarely function like woodland species. However, when off‐site tree species are native, and functionally redundant to woodland species, conversion may be unnecessary. To explore this possibility in the southeastern United States, we reviewed the literature on trait differences among the primary southern pines and qualitatively assessed the effect of their identity at the species and stand‐levels. In this region, woodland restoration focuses on removing loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash pine (P. elliottii) to reestablish longleaf (P. palustris) or shortleaf pine (P. echinata). Our review found minimal variation among species in understory flammability, fire resistance at maturity, and Red‐cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) habitat at the stand‐level. Longleaf and shortleaf pine were generally more resistant to abiotic and pest disturbance at the tree‐level; however, stand‐level differences in wind, drought, and boring insect resistance among southern pines growing in open forests were considered minimal. Retaining loblolly and slash pine will improve stand‐level productivity in the short term, but creates regeneration problems due to low juvenile fire resistance and resilience. Ice resistance and long‐term carbon sequestration will also likely be reduced by retaining loblolly and slash pine. Collectively, these results suggest that southern pine species are generally interchangeable at the stand‐level in woodlands; although woodlands featuring loblolly and slash pine may be less stable in the face of disturbance than those dominated by shortleaf and longleaf pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Many trees exhibit masting – where reproduction is temporally variable and synchronous over large areas. Several dominant masting species occur in tropical cyclone (TC)‐prone regions, but it is unknown whether TCs correlate with mast seeding.We analyzed long‐term data (1958–2022) to test the hypothesis that TCs influence cone production in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). We integrate field observations, weather data, satellite imagery, and hurricane models to test whether TCs influence cone production via: increased precipitation; canopy density reduction; and/or mechanical stress from wind.Cone production was 31% higher 1 yr after hurricanes and 71% higher after 2 yr, before returning to baseline levels. Cyclone‐associated precipitation was correlated with increased cone production in wet years and cone production increased after low‐intensity winds (≤ 25 m s−1) but not with high‐intensity winds (> 25 m s−1).Tropical cyclones may stimulate cone production via precipitation addition, but high‐intensity winds may offset any gains. Our study is the first to support the direct influence of TCs on reproduction, suggesting a previously unknown environmental correlate of masting, which may occur in hurricane‐prone forests world‐wide. See also the Commentary on this article by Pearse & Wion, 242: 8–9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation of cutover stands is often a management objective of landowners who desire improved stand conditions and increased value from future harvest revenues. We evaluated crop tree growth response and quality following precommercial rehabilitation treatments in mixedwood stands degraded through repeated exploitive cutting in Maine, USA. Treatments included control (no rehabilitation), moderate rehabilitation (crop tree release), and intensive rehabilitation (crop tree release plus timber stand improvement). Paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) crop tree diameter increments 0 to 9 years after treatment were greater following rehabilitation than in the control. Diameter increment did not differ between intensities of rehabilitation for any species. For conifers in the lower strata, crop tree height growth and change in crown length were negatively correlated with basal area in larger trees. The occurrence of epicormic branches on paper birches was greater in the rehabilitation treatments than the control. However, most epicormic branches occurred above the height corresponding to the first sawlog. These findings indicate that rehabilitation of mixedwood stands with similar characteristics can result in improved growth of crop trees without jeopardizing the quality of the lower bole in paper birches. Key words: crop tree release, timber stand improvement, commercial clearcut, epicormic branches, mixedwood. La rehabilitation des parterres de coupe est souvent un objectif d'amenagement des proprietaires forestiers qui souhaitent ameliorer les conditions du peuplement et augmenter les revenus de la recolte future. Nous avons evalue la reaction de croissance et la qualite des arbres d'avenir a la suite de traitements precommerciaux de rehabilitation dans des peuplements mixtes degrades par des coupes abusives repetees dans le Maine, aux Etats-Unis. Les traitements comprenaient un temoin (pas de rehabilitation), une rehabilitation moderee (degagement des arbres d'avenir) et une rehabilitation intensive (degagement des arbres d'avenir et amelioration du peuplement). L'accroissement en diametre des tiges d'avenir de bouleau a papier (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), d'epinette rouge (Picea rubens Sarg.) et de pruche du Canada (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) de0a9 ans etait plus grand apres la rehabilitation que dans le temoin. L'accroissement en diametre n'etait pas different selon l'intensite de rehabilitation chez toutes les especes. Dans le cas des coniferes de la strate inferieure, la croissance en hauteur et le changement dans la longueur de la cime des arbres d'avenir etaient negativement correles a la surface terriere chez les plus gros arbres. Des gourmands etaient davantage presents sur les bouleaux a papier ayant profite d'un traitement de rehabilitation que dans le temoin. Toutefois, la plupart des gourmands sont apparus au-dessus de la hauteur delimitant l'extremite de la premiere bille de sciage. Ces resultats indiquent que les traitements de rehabilitation peuvent ameliorer la croissance des arbres d'avenir sans compromettre la qualite de la partie inferieure du tronc des bouleaux a papier dans les peuplements mixtes ayant des caracteristiques similaires. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : degagement des arbres d'avenir, amelioration du peuplement, coupe a blanc commerciale, gourmands, peuplement mixte., Introduction In the forests of northeastern North America, removal of the most commercially desirable species and trees began during colonial times with the harvesting of large eastern white pine (Pinus [...]

Developing strategies for reducing atmospheric C[O.sub.2] is one of the foremost challenges facing natural resource professionals today. The goal of this study was to evaluate total ecosystem and harvested wood product carbon (C) stocks among alternative forest management treatments (selection cutting, shelterwood cutting, commercial clearcutting, and no management) in mixed-species stands in central Maine, USA. These treatments were initiated in the 1950s and have been maintained since, and ecosystem C pools were measured in 2012. When compared across managed treatments, the commercial clearcut had the lowest total ecosystem C stocks by 21%, on average (P < 0.05), while the selection and shelterwood treatments had similar total ecosystem C stocks. Including the C stored in harvested wood products did not influence observed differences in C storage among treatments. Total ecosystem C stocks in the reference stand were 247.0 ± 17.7 Mg x [ha.sup.-1] (mean ± SD) compared with 161.7 ± 31.3 Mg x [ha.sup.-1] in the managed stands (171.2 ± 31.7 Mg*[ha.sup.-1] with products C). This study highlights the impacts of long-term forest management treatments on C storage and indicates that the timing of harvests and the species and sizes of trees removed influence C stored in harvested wood products. Key words: carbon stocks, forest products, forest soils, coarse fragments, site quality. Le developpement de strategies visant a reduire le C[O.sub.2] atmospherique est un des principaux defis que doivent relever aujourd'hui les professionnels des ressources naturelles. Le but de cette etude consistait a estimer les stocks totaux de carbone (C) emmagasines dans l'ecosysteme et les produits forestiers recoltes dans des peuplements mixtes soumis a differents traitements d'amenagement forestier (coupe de jardinage, coupe progressive, coupe a blanc commerciale et aucun traitement) dans le centre du Maine, aux Etats-Unis. Ces traitements ont debute dans les annees 1950 et ont ete maintenus depuis. Les reservoirs de C dans l'ecosysteme ont ete mesures en 2012. Parmi les traitements d'amenagement, les stocks de C les plus faibles, de 21 % en moyenne (P < 0,05), etaient associes a la coupe a blanc commerciale tandis que les stocks totaux de C dans l'ecosysteme etaient similaires pour la coupe de jardinage et la coupe progressive. Inclure le C emmagasine dans les produits forestiers recoltes n'a pas influence les differences observees entre les traitements dans le stockage du C. Les stocks totaux de C dans l'ecosysteme atteignaient 247,0 ± 17,7 Mg x [ha.sup.-1] (moyenne ± ecart-type) dans le peuplement temoin comparativement a 161,7 [+ or -] 31,3 Mg x [ha.sup.-1] dans les peuplements amenages (171,2 ± 31,7 Mg x [ha.sup.-1] incluant le C dans les produits forestiers). Cette etude met en evidence les impacts a long terme des traitements d'amenagement forestier sur le stockage du C et indique que le moment de la recolte ainsi que l'espece et la taille des arbres recoltes influencent le C emmagasine dans les produits forestiers recoltes. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : stocks de carbone, produits forestiers, sols forestiers, fragments grossiers, qualite de station., Introduction Concerns about climate change have increased interest in developing forest management strategies to produce a net reduction in atmospheric C[O.sub.2] and to make forests more resilient to future climatic [...]

Dead wood pools are strongly influenced by natural disturbance events, stand development processes, and forest management activities. However, the relative importance of these influences can vary over time. In this study, we evaluate the role of these factors on dead wood biomass pools across several forest management alternatives after 60 years of treatment on the Penobscot Experimental Forest in central Maine, USA. After accounting for variation in site quality, we found significant differences in observed downed coarse woody material (CWM; ≥ 7.6 cm small-end diameter) and standing dead wood biomass among selection, shelterwood, and commercial clear-cut treatments. Overall, total dead wood biomass was positively correlated with live tree biomass and was negatively correlated with the average wood density of nonharvest mortality. We also developed an index of cumulative harvest severity, which can be used to evaluate forest attributes when multiple harvests have occurred within the same stand over time. Findings of this study highlight the dynamic roles of forest management, stand development, and site quality in influencing dead wood biomass pools at the stand level and underscore the potential for various outcomes from the same forest management treatment applied at different times in contrasting stands. Key words: silviculture, tree mortality, spruce budworm, harvest severity index, woody debris. Les reservoirs de bois mort sont fortement influences par les perturbations, les processus de developpement des peuplements et les activites d'amenagement forestier. Cependant, l'importance relative de ces facteurs peut varier dans le temps. Dans cette etude, nous evaluons le role de ces facteurs sur les reservoirs de biomasse de bois mort en fonction de plusieurs options d'amenagement forestier apres 60 annees de traitement a la foret experimentale de Penobscot, dans le centre du Maine, aux Etats-Unis. Apres avoir tenu compte de la variation dans la qualite de station, nous avons observe des differences significatives dans les debris ligneux grossiers au sol (DLG; diametre au fin bout [greater than or equal to] 7,6 cm) et la biomasse de bois mort sur pied entre la coupe de jardinage, la coupe progressive et la coupe rase commerciale. Globalement, la biomasse totale de bois mort etait correlee positivement avec la biomasse des arbres vivants et negativement avec la densite moyenne du bois mort non recolte. Nous avons aussi developpe un indice d'intensite cumulative de recolte, qui peut etre utilise pour evaluer les attributs de la foret lorsque de multiples recoltes sont survenues avec le temps dans le meme peuplement. Les resultats de cette etude mettent en evidence les roles dynamiques de l'amenagement forestier, du developpement des peuplements et de la qualite de station quant a leur influence sur les reservoirs de biomasse de bois mort a l'echelle du peuplement et souligne la possibilite que le meme traitement d'amenagement forestier applique a differents moments dans differents peuplements produise differents resultats. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : sylviculture, mortalite des arbres, tordeuse des bourgeons de l'epinette, indice d'intensite de recolte, debris ligneux., Introduction Dead wood is an important component of ecosystem structure and function (Harmon et al. 1986; McComb and Lindenmayer 1999; Siitonen 2001). Specifically, dead wood plays a key role in [...]

Quantifying changes in soil carbon (C) and nutrient stocks after timber harvesting is needed to inform C management and to ensure that forest productivity is sustained over time. Our objective was to assess changes in soil C, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) 1 year after timber harvesting in temperate northern hardwood forests. We established permanent plots in forest stands for measuring forest attributes before and after harvesting. We collected soils from quantitative soil pits, which were associated with permanent plots, to determine total C, total N, and extractable P stocks and concentrations. Mean post‐harvest fine fraction organic (O) horizon C was less than the pre‐harvest stock, but we did not detect a statistically significant change in total O horizon or mineral soil C stocks. For the fine fractions of the O horizon and mineral soil from the 0–5 and 5–30 cm depth increments of the B horizon, total N and extractable P stocks were positively correlated with total C stocks. For all of these soil components, extractable P stocks and concentrations declined over time, which could be related to post‐harvest stand conditions that favored microbial activity and immobilization of available P. These findings indicate that P availability could be a concern in these forests and that long‐term monitoring is needed to consider potential management actions for ensuring that forest productivity is sustained. Core Ideas: We quantified changes in soils after harvesting in old forests to inform C and forest productivity objectives.For most of our operationally defined soil components, we did not detect a reduction in total C stocks.For all soil components, total N and extractable P stocks were positively correlated with total C stocks.We detected a reduction in soil extractable P stocks and concentrations 1 year after harvesting.Monitoring soils over time will be needed to determine future recovery or continued declines in extractable P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the amount of standing deadwood in forests is crucial for assessing wildlife habitat and determining carbon stocks. In this analysis, snags (standing dead trees) in various stages of decay were inventoried across eight silvicultural treatments in eastern spruce-fir forests in central Maine nearly 60 years after treatments were initiated. Several modeling strategies were developed to estimate number of snags per hectare in various stages of decay. An unmanaged reference area displayed the highest basal area and volume of snags (5.4 [+ or -] 3.1 [m.sup.2] * [ha.sup.-1] and 29.4 [+ or -] 23.6 [m.sup.3] * [ha.sup.-1], respectively, (mean [+ or -] standard deviation)), while the lowest basal area and volume (0.9 [+ or -] 1.0 [m.sup.2] * [ha.sup.-1] and 3.1 [+ or -] 5.2 [m.sup.3] * [ha.sup.-1]) were observed in selection system with a 5-year cutting cycle. Models indicated that snag abundance was related to stand density, depth to water table, and the average harvest interval of the treatment. At a fixed stand density, approximately 140% more snags were predicted to occur in treatments with an average harvest interval of 55 compared with 5 years. An index of error reflecting the number of snags found in certain decay classes was reduced by 40% when predictions from count regression models fit with a mixed modeling strategy were used over ordinal regression. Results from these analyses can help to reduce the disparities between observed and modeled snag stocking levels and further our understanding of the relationships between live and standing dead trees inherent to eastern spruce-fir forests. Resume: Il est essentiel d'estimer la quantite de bois mort debout dans les forets pour evaluer l'habitat faunique et determiner les stocks de carbone. Dans cette etude, les chicots (arbres morts debout) a differents stades de decomposition ont ete inventories dans huit traitements sylvicoles dans des peuplements melanges d'epicea et de sapin situes dans le centre du Maine, presque 60 ans apres le debut des traitements. Plusieurs strategies de modelisation ont ete developpees pour estimer le nombre de chicots a l'hectare rendus a differents stades de decomposition. Une zone temoin non amenagee avait la surface terriere et le volume les plus eleves de chicots, soit respectivement (moyenne [+ or -] ecart type) 5,4 [+ or -] 3,1 [m.sup.2]*[ha.sup.-1] et 29,4 [+ or -] 23,6 [m.sup.3]*[ha.sup.-1], tandis que la surface terriere et le volume les plus faibles (0,9 [+ or -] 1,0 [m.sup.2]*[ha.sup.-1] et 3,1 [+ or -] 5,2 [m.sup.3]*[ha.sup.-1]) ont ete observes dans la coupe de jardinage avec une rotation de cinq ans. Les modeles indiquaient que l'abondance de chicots etait reliee a la densite du peuplement, a la profondeur de la nappe phreatique et a la l'intervalle moyen entre les recoltes. Avec une densite de peuplement fixe, les modeles predisaient approximativement 140% plus de chicots dans les traitements dont l'intervalle entre les recoltes etait de 55 ans comparativement a cinq ans. Un indice d'erreur refletant le nombre de chicots observes dans certaines classes de decomposition a ete reduit de 40% lorsqu'on utilisait les predictions des modeles de regression de variables explicatives de denombrement ajustes avec une strategie de modelisation mixte plutot que la regression ordinale. Les resultats de ces analyses peuvent contribuer a reduire les ecarts entre les niveaux observes de densite relative des chicots et ceux qui sont predits par les modeles et ameliorer notre comprehension des relations entre les arbres vivants et les arbres morts sur pied propres aux forets melangees d'epicea et de sapin. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Snags (standing dead trees) play an important role in forest carbon dynamics (Harmon et al. 2011) and are key elements for maintaining forest biodiversity and providing a heterogeneous forest [...]

Two circular plot sizes, 1/300 and 1/100 ac, were compared to determine which plot size was the most efficient for use in ponderosa pine forests on the Coconino National Forest, Arizona. Eighteen harvested stands were selected for sampling, and regeneration plots were installed in each stand. The two plot sizes were overlaid on each plot center and data were recorded separately for each plot size. For each stand the expected total sampling time was calculated and used to determine which plot size required the least sampling effort while providing the same precision of estimated seedling densities. We found that the 1/300-ac plot size was the most efficient plot size for sampling tree regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]