FNR 225 Exam 2

What does it mean to have a mesic forest? What forest type is considered mesic?

not too wet and not too dry; Northern Hardwood

Where are Northern Hardwood forests located?

S.E. and S.C. Canada, N. New England and Lake States, higher elevation Appalachian mountains

What is the climate like in the Northern Hardwood forests?

cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers

What is the topography of the Northern Hardwood forests?

most has been glaciated, resulting in a variety of soil types

What is the fire risk of the Northern Hardwood forests?

not common, but can occur in droughty locations

What is the land use history of the Northern Hardwood forests?

centuries of commercial timber harvest and clearing for agriculture

During what time period were forests in New England, New York, and Canada cleared for agriculture? What happened in the 1800s?

1600s and 1700s; forests were subsequently abandoned in 1800s when farming interests migrated to Midwest USA and Central Canada

What species dominate the Northern Hardwood forests?

deciduous species (with a few key conifers)

True or false: The Northern Hardwood forests are not a diverse mix of species.

False

As a mesic regions, climax species are _____.

very shade tolerant

What is the key pioneer species of the Northern Hardwood forests?

quaking aspen and red pine

quaking aspen (Populas tremuloides Michx.)

what species is this?

red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.)

what species is this?

What is unique about quaking aspen?

most widely distributed native tree species of North America (Northern Hardwood and Boreal Mountains; western mountains)

quaking aspen prefers what types of sites?

upland, especially fire prone sites

How does quaking aspen reproduce?

reproduces by seed (Boreal or eastern forests) or root suckers

True or False: quaking aspen is shade tolerant, slow growing, and long-lived.

False. quaking aspen is shade intolerant, fast growing, and short-lived (60 yrs east or 150 yrs west)

Why is quaking aspen easily killed by fire? How do they respond to this?

thin bark; re-sprouts vigorously following cutting or burn

quaking aspen is a ______ in Lake States

pulpwood species

What is the wildlife value of quaking aspen?

favorite browse for deer, moose, elk, and beaver (also preferred species for beaver dams)

What tree species is unique to Northern Hardwood forests?

red pine

What types of soils does the red pine grow in?

Sandy or gravelly soils

True or False: red pine is a shade intolerant, early successional species

True

How often does red pine produce good seed crops?

3-7 years

red pine is ___ lived and can reach ___ in height

short-lived (less than 150yrs); 70 ft

What factor of red pine makes them favorable for telephone poles, log homes, and timber/pulp?

they have excellent tree form

What is the wildlife value of red pine?

seeds eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, and birds

True or false: red pine is the most planted and commercially important species of tree in the Northern Hardwood forests.

True

What serial species is important for the Northern Hardwood Forests?

eastern white pine

What sites does eastern white pine grow best on?

mesic sites

eastern white pine is a ____ species and ____ in shade tolerance.

mid-successional; intermediate

eastern white pine is ____ growing and _____ for eastern species.

moderately fast; great longevity (greater than 500 years)

At the time of European settlement, eastern white pine was _____ in North America

among the largest trees; 200+ ft in height and 10 ft diameter

Which tree was the most important to the early settlement of the NE area. Why?

eastern white pine; crucial for ship masts and lumber (trees marked with an arrow to avoid illegal harvest)

What helps maintain eastern white pine species composition?

natural regeneration

What threatens the eastern white pine?

white pine blister rust from Asia and white pine weevil

eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.)

what species is this?

What are the most important climax species in the Northern Hardwood forests?

sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, eastern hemlock, and American basswood

sugar maple are _____ and responds _____ following _____.

very shade tolerant; well to release; long periods of suppression

sugar maples are _____ with good seed in the fall every 2-5 years that require _____ unlike ____

prolific seeders; stratification; red/silver maples

True or false: sugar maples grow extremely fast and can reach only 50 feet in height

False; growth is slow but they reach 100+ ft height and 5ft dbh

Timber for sugar maples is valuable and ____ for what things?

increasing; furniture and bowley alleys

What is the wildlife value for sugar maple?

twigs browsed by deer and seeds and food source for smaller mammals

sugar maple

what species is this?

Which structure is tapped for maple syrup? How many gallons of sap produce 1 gallon of syrup?

xylem; 40 gallons

Which climax species is common throughout all eastern deciduous forests?

American beech

What sites do American beech require?

well-drained mesic sites

American beech are ____ tolerant and keep _____ due to ____.

very shade tolerant; lower limbs; dense shade

During mast years, American beech reproduce by ____ and also ____.

seed; root suckers

American beech is growth is ____ but the species is _____.

slow; long-lived reaching 100ft height and 4 ft dbh

Most large American beech trees have ____. How does this effect its commercial value?

heart rot; not commonly used for lumber

What disease has become a large issue for American beech in the N.E.?

beech bark disease

What is the wildlife value for American beech?

beechnuts favored by wildlife

American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.)

what species is this?

yellow birch is _____ in shade tolerance.

intermediate

Yellow birch are ____ and dispersal occurs via ____.

prolific seeds; wind

What types of soil do yellow birch seeds germinate on?

very sensitive mineral soil and rotting logs/stumps

Growth in yellow birch is ____ and they can reach ___.

slow but faster than maple/beech; 400+ yrs old and 100ft height/6ft dbh

yellow birch is the ______ birch species worldwide.

Largest and longest-lived; produces finest wood

What is the wildlife value for yellow birch?

seed important for overwintering birds

yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton)

what species is this?

eastern hemlock occurs in the ______ of the Northern hardwood and mixed mesophytic regions

cool, moist valleys, coves, and slopes

Which eastern species is the ultimate climax tree and extremely shade tolerant?

eastern hemlock

eastern hemlock growth is ____ but remarkable ability to ____.

slow; respond to release

How long lived is eastern hemlock? How big do they get?

very long lived (900+ yrs) and 160ft x 7ft

True or false: eastern hemlock wood is extremely valuable.

False

What is the wildlife value of eastern hemlock?

important wildlife cover and winter shelter

What seriously threatens eastern hemlock?

hemlock wooly adelgid

eastern hemlock

what species is this?

What regions and sites does American basswood prefer?

Northern Hardwood and Mesophytic regions; mesic, deep loamy soils

American basswood reproduces how?

seeds, but prolific stump sprouter (common to have multiple stems)

American basswood is ____ growing and ____ lived for a climax/shade tolerant.

fast and short lived (200 yrs)

American basswood was ____ to be cut commercially. Why?

one of the first; softer of the hardwoods so its more easily worked with

What is the wildlife value of American basswood?

deer browse shoots; birds and small animals eat fruit

American basswood (Tilia americana L.)

what species is this?

Where are oak-hickory forests located?

large part of eastern deciduous forest; includes much of land south of northern hardwood forest; Indiana

oak-hickory forest climate

- warmer and longer growing seasons than northern hardwood

- greater precipitation

- upland forests drier bcus of warmer temperatures

oak hickory forest topography

gently rolling hills and valleys

fires in oak-hickory forests

occur at low frequency because the region is humid, frequency increased by humans

history of fire management oak-hickory forests

Native Americans did prescribed burns

oaks and hickories are dominant, exact composition varies across sites, large geographic region

oak-hickory forest vegetation

Is Salicaceae mostly monoecious or dioecious?

dioecious

branch rooting

Propagation by cuttings very successful for Salicaceae family because the branches root

Populus traits contributing to increased interest in sequencing of genome/genetic improvement

fast growth, relatively good quality wood

Pulpwood (Populus) rotation age

8 years

Populus small log rotation age

15 years

Populus veneer rotation age

20 years

a 12-year old populus tree height and diameter

>60 feet tall, 1 ft diameter

American sycamore max dimensions

153 ft tall, 11-14 ft in diameter

American sycamore growth rates

pioneer species w/ rapid growth rates, also a climax species (reaches 500+ years)

American sycamore is now primarily used for what?

pulp

American sycamore plantation cycle length

7-10 years

What products are ash trees made into?

furniture, cabinets, tools, baseball bats

emerald ash borer tree kill count in Detroit, MI

over 6 million

How do emerald ash borers kill trees?

eating the vascular tissue that supplies nutrients to the tree

How many ash trees were in Indiana forests prior to the emerald ash borer?

147 million