PLANT ID notes

tools of affecting ecological succession

primary waves to manipulate light availability in forests

Ax, Plow, Cow, Fire, Gun, Herbicide

Single-tree selection

benefits: wood for heat, modify composition of forest to maintain forest structure (physiognomy) white either removing high-quality sawtimber

A forest management method where individual mature or selected trees are harvested throughout a forest canopy, allowing younger trees to grow and regenerate in the openings while maintaining continuous forest cover. It creates a multi-aged forest and can provide diverse wildlife habitat.

cab be cumbersome for managing a stand of tress

stand of trees

A group of trees growing together in a forest that are similar in characteristics, such as species composition, age, size, or structure.

for wildlife management single-tree selection

opening small pockets of the canopy in hopes of perpetuating sun-loving understory plants or encouraging midstory and sub-dominate overstory trees to fulfill the open space

can also be of a species whose regrowth is favorable to game species of interest such as white-tailed deer “salt” licks from chopping down red maples (Acer rubrum) near bow stands.

clear cuts

A harvesting method where most or all trees in a designated area are removed at once. This allows sun-loving vegetation and new trees to regenerate.

cutting cycle

The planned interval between successive harvests in a forest managed for repeated timber production. It helps managers determine when to return to an area to harvest more trees.

even-aged management

A forest management system in which trees within a stand are approximately the same age. Clear-cutting is one common method used to regenerate even-aged stands.

group selection cut

A harvesting method where small groups of trees are removed to create openings in the canopy. These openings allow new trees to regenerate while maintaining continuous forest cover.

hack-and-squirt

A vegetation-control method in which a hatchet is used to make cuts in a tree's trunk and herbicide is applied into the cuts. It is often used to kill unwanted trees or invasive woody plants while leaving surrounding vegetation standing.

juxtaposition

The arrangement of different habitat types close to one another. For wildlife, nearby food, water, nesting cover, and escape cover can improve habitat use

single-tree selection cut

A harvesting method in which individual trees are selectively removed throughout a forest stand. This maintains continuous canopy cover and supports regeneration of trees of different ages

rotation

the period between establishing or regenerating a forest stand and harvesting it at the end of its planned growing period. Rotation length depends on tree species, management goals, and desired timber products

thinning - commercial and pre-commercial thinning

commercial and pre-commercial thinning: Thinning removes selected trees to reduce competition and give the remaining trees more growing space, light, water, and nutrients. Commercial thinning produces timber that can be sold, while pre-commercial thinning removes smaller trees that generally have no immediate commercial value

uneven-aged management

A forest management system that maintains trees of several different age classes within the same stand. Selective harvesting methods, such as single-tree and group selection, help maintain this structure over time

Landscape ecology

studies the distributions of living organisms in the environment

How and why are living organisms distributed the way they are

investigates the ecological effects of natural and human factors on such distribution patterns

for the Ax, we need to consider the 3 main elements of landscape ecology

patches, corridors, and matrix.

Patch origins, size, and succession can all affect what we "see" when evaluating a plant community. Corridors and landscape matrices can effect what plant species could be in the area based on the juxtaposition of vegetation types, seed dispersal, and disturbance impacts

1. Patches: Distinct areas of habitat that differ from the surrounding landscape, such as a forest surrounded by agricultural fields.

2. Corridors: Strips of habitat that connect patches and allow wildlife to move between them, such as wooded strips along streams.

3. Matrix: The dominant surrounding land cover in which patches and corridors are embedded, such as farmland surrounding small forest patches.

fire is

dynamic

not a homogeneous disturbance across a patch

variation in heat, length of burn or residence time, height of fire, and other fire characteristics cause a unique patchwork mosaic of effects across the burned site

Pan the Burn and Burn the Plan

this is an example map associated with a burn plan regarding smoke management concerns as well as prescribed burn conditions such as fire lanes and fire breaks. 

shift from season to season

observe different plant compositions, growth stages, weather patterns, proportions of dormant-dead-live plants, animal behavior

We can consider many of these changes when developing a prescribed fire regime

Plants respond to

fire frequency and intensity

Often, our prescribed fire goals involve

woody plant and fuel reduction

Common culprits are winged elm (Ulmus alata), red maple (Acer rubrum), and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Ambient temperature and tree physiology

two key factors they mention as differentiating growing season and dormant season burns.

Why do most fire practitioners burn during dormant season?

Most practitioners burn during the dormant season because weather and fuel conditions are generally more favorable and predictable, making prescribed fires easier to manage and control. During this period, many plants are dormant, and managers can conduct burns with less risk of damaging actively growing vegetation. However, dormant-season burns may be less effective at controlling woody plants because many can resprout after being top-killed.

What were the three mechanisms of fire season effects on midstory plants presented by Resop et al. (2023)?

• Seasonal carbohydrate location: Plants move stored carbohydrates between their roots and aboveground tissues throughout the growing season, which can affect their ability to recover after a fire.

• Ambient temperature: Higher environmental temperatures during growing-season burns may increase plant tissue damage and mortality.

• Fire intensity: Differences in fire intensity and heat exposure can affect how much damage plants experience during a burn.

Find the study objectives at the end of the introduction. What were they and what predictions did the authors make?

The authors had two main objectives: first, to determine how fire season and fire temperature affected the stem density of common midstory tree species; and second, to examine how dormant- and growing-season burns affected midstory and understory plant communities.

They predicted that growing-season burns, which were expected to have the highest temperatures, would reduce midstory stem density more than other treatments. They also predicted that dormant-season burns would produce stem densities similar to unburned control sites. Finally, they predicted that midstory species would respond differently to fire season, that dormant-season burns would increase understory grass and woody plant coverage more than growing-season burns, and that growing-season burns would increase forb coverage more than dormant-season burns.

Based on the discussion, which prediction(s) were supported by the data?

The prediction that growing-season burns would reduce overall midstory stem density more than dormant-season burns was supported. Growing-season burns reduced midstory stem density by approximately 47% compared with unburned controls, while dormant-season burns produced stem densities similar to the controls. The prediction that the hottest fires would cause the greatest reductions was not supported because measured fire temperature did not predict stem density. The predictions about understory vegetation were supported: growing-season burns increased forb coverage by 76%, while dormant-season burns increased grass coverage by 18% and woody coverage by 34%. The authors also found that individual plant species responded differently to fire season.

Did either treatment promote exotic species or other species of concern?

The study found that non-native species were associated with dormant-season burns and unburned control sites, but not with growing-season burns. This suggests that growing-season burns may help reduce the dominance or association of exotic species in these plant communities. However, this does not mean that every exotic species was eliminated or that growing-season fire will control all invasive plants.

What main plant species were controlled by Growing versus Dormant treatment (i.e., if I did a Growing treatment, which midstory plants would likely be reduced)?

The main finding is that growing-season burns were more effective at reducing overall midstory woody stem density, but the response depended on the species.

• Growing-season treatment: More effective for overall midstory control, reducing total stem density by 47% relative to unburned controls.

• Dormant-season treatment: Less effective at reducing overall midstory density. For example, American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) increased in stem density by 135% following dormant-season burns, while common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) decreased by 32%.

• Species with little response: Mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) was unaffected by fire season.

The study found seven different response patterns among the midstory species examined, so it is important not to assume that every woody plant will be reduced by a growing-season burn.

Does temperature alone dictate whether a plant is top-killed or totally killed? If not, what else should be considered?

No. Temperature alone does not determine whether a plant is top-killed (the aboveground portion dies but the plant survives) or completely killed. Other factors include the duration of heat exposure, fire intensity, bark thickness, stem size, the location of protected buds, root condition, and the plant's stored carbohydrate reserves. A plant may survive a fire even if its aboveground stem is killed because it can resprout from protected buds or underground structures. The Resop et al. study also found no significant relationship between measured fire temperature and midstory stem density.

What are some limiting factors, besides season of burn, to consider when developing expectations of prescribed fire outcomes?

important factors include plant species composition, stem size and age, bark thickness, fuel load and moisture, weather conditions, soil moisture, fire intensity and duration, the time of year relative to plant growth, previous fire history, and the time between repeated burns. Site characteristics and the presence of invasive species also matter. These factors influence how much vegetation is damaged, which plants survive and resprout, and how the plant community changes after burning. Therefore, managers should tailor their prescribed-fire plans to their specific habitat and management objectives rather than relying on season alone.

nutritional carrying capacity is and how it slightly differs from biological carrying capacity

Nutritional carrying capacity is the number of animals a habitat can support while providing enough nutritious food for them to maintain good health, growth, and reproduction.

Biological carrying capacity is the maximum number of animals an environment can support over time based on all available resources and limiting factors, including food, water, space, shelter, and disease.

The difference: Nutritional carrying capacity focuses specifically on the quantity and quality of food available to animals, while biological carrying capacity considers the overall ability of the habitat to support a population.

A forest might have enough food to support 100 deer, but the food quality may only allow 60 deer to maintain good body condition and reproduce successfully. In that case, nutritional carrying capacity could be lower than biological carrying capacity.

differentiate the nutritional carrying capacity differences between dormant and growing season fire

Growing-season fire: Usually promotes more nutritious, fresh plant growth by stimulating new shoots and forbs, increasing the quality and digestibility of forage available to wildlife. This can improve the habitat’s nutritional carrying capacity.

Dormant-season fire: Often removes old, dead vegetation and encourages new growth in spring, but the nutritional benefits may be less immediate. It can improve forage availability without necessarily producing the same increase in high-quality forage as a growing-season burn.

Main difference: Growing-season burns can promote more nutritious forage during the growing season, potentially increasing nutritional carrying capacity, while dormant-season burns often prepare the habitat for new growth later in the year. The actual effect depends on plant species, burn intensity, soil conditions, and timing.

What time of year is the most nutritionally-stressed season for white-tailed deer in Mississippi?

Late summer is the most nutritionally stressful period for white-tailed deer because forage quality often declines as plants mature, while deer nutritional demands increase. Does need additional nutrients for lactation, and bucks need nutrients for antler growth.

What data do you need to determine nutritional carrying capacity (i.e., what data do you need to collect to determine nutritional carrying capacity)?

You need to measure the quantity and nutritional quality of available forage, including forage biomass, crude protein, and phosphorus concentrations. You also need to know how much forage is available per unit of land and the nutritional requirements of deer. These data help estimate how many deer the habitat can support nutritionally, often expressed as deer-days per unit area.

Based on Nichols et al. (2021), would you want to prescribe a single season of burn for an entire property when managing for white-tailed deer? Why or why not?

No. I would diversify the timing of prescribed burns across the property because dormant-season and growing-season burns provide different nutritional benefits. Using both seasons can improve the timing and availability of nutrients throughout summer, helping meet deer nutritional demands more effectively.

What are the benefits and costs of each fire season regarding nutritional carrying capacity one to two years post fire

- Dormant-season burns (March): Increased protein- and phosphorus-based nutritional carrying capacity during both growing seasons after burning, providing a relatively immediate nutritional benefit. However, dormant-season burns did not provide the same increase in forage quality during the first growing season as growing-season burns.

- Growing-season burns (June): Increased forage nutrient concentrations during the burn year, helping provide higher-quality forage during summer nutritional stress. However, forage biomass declined during the first year, delaying improvement in nutritional carrying capacity until the second growing season. The nutrient-quality benefits persisted into the second growing season.

Overall: Dormant-season burns can improve nutritional carrying capacity sooner, while growing-season burns can better align high-quality forage with summer nutritional demands. Using both seasons across a property can balance forage quantity and quality over time.

If fire doesn't kill an undesirable plant, then what?

BPR buds resources protection *two good figures to look at in canvas

Differentiate aerial buds, basal buds, and underground buds.

• Aerial buds: Buds located above the ground on stems or branches that can produce new shoots after damage from fire or browsing.

• Basal buds: Buds located at or near the base of the stem, at or just above the soil surface, that can produce new growth after the aboveground stem is damaged.

• Underground buds: Buds located below the soil surface on structures such as roots, rhizomes, or underground stems; they are protected from fire heat and can produce new shoots after the aboveground plant is killed.

Explain resprouters (R+) and non-sprouters (R−)

• Resprouters (R+): Plants capable of producing new shoots after their aboveground portions are damaged or killed by disturbances such as fire, often using surviving buds and stored energy in roots or other protected structures.

• Non-sprouters (R−): Plants that generally do not resprout after their aboveground portions are killed and instead rely on seed germination or establishment of new individuals to recover after disturbance.

Pyrophytes, Mesophytes, and Avoiders

- Pyrophytes: Plants adapted to survive or benefit from fire, often through thick bark, protected buds, underground structures, or fire-stimulated seed germination.

- Mesophytes: Plants adapted to environments with moderate moisture availability; they generally lack specialized adaptations to frequent fire and may be harmed by repeated burning.

- Avoiders: Plants that persist in fire-prone environments by avoiding fire exposure, such as growing in moist areas, protected microsites, or locations where fires occur less frequently.

Main difference: Pyrophytes are adapted to tolerate or benefit from fire, mesophytes prefer moderate moisture conditions and may be fire-sensitive, and avoiders persist by occupying areas or microsites where fire exposure is limited.

oaks

They have Pyrophytes (fire lovers) such as turkey oak (Quescus laevis), southern red oak (Quercus falcata), bluejack/sandjack oak (Quercus icana), and sand post oak (Quercus margaretta).   Then, they list the Mesophytes (fire is okay) such as black oak (Quercus nigra) and laurel oak (Quercus hemisphaerica). Last, they describe the Avoiders (I hate fire) such as live oak (Quercus virginiana) and sand live oak (Quercus geminata).

fire trait characteristics

- Thick bark: Increases fire tolerance by insulating the living tissues beneath the bark from heat, reducing damage to the vascular cambium and helping the tree survive fire.

- Wound closure rates: Faster wound closure can increase fire tolerance by allowing a tree to seal damaged tissue more quickly, reducing infection and decay and helping it recover after fire injury.

- Growth rates: Faster-growing plants may recover more quickly after fire by replacing damaged tissues and producing new shoots. However, rapid growth does not always mean greater fire tolerance; some fast-growing species have thin bark and are easily damaged by fire.

the cow