Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: Effects of variable-density thinning on understory diversity and heterogeneity in young Douglas-fir forests.

Author: Aukema, Juliann E.; Carey, Andrew B.

Date: 2008

Source: Res. Pap. PNW-RP-575. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p.

Station ID: RP-PNW-575

Description: Nine years after variable-density thinning (VDT) on the Forest Ecosystem Study, we examined low understory vegetation in 60 plots of eight stands (four pairs of VDT and control). We compared native, exotic, ruderal, and nonforest species richness among the stands. We used clustering, ordination, and indicator species analysis to look for distinctive patches of plant associations. Native, exotic, ruderal, and nonforest plant species diversity were higher in VDT stands compared to control stands for both forests. Differentiation of the understory into multiple distinct vegetation patches was not definitive, but there were trends toward greater heterogeneity in VDT stands.

Keywords: Biodiversity, forest management, indicator species, ordination, plant communities.

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Citation

Aukema, Juliann E.; Carey, Andrew B.   2008.  Effects of variable-density thinning on understory diversity and heterogeneity in young Douglas-fir forests..   Res. Pap. PNW-RP-575. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p..