Forests

Forests: a community of interacting species organized by structural elements and species composition that preform specific functions

Structure= physical aspects (i.e trees)

Tiaga Boreal

  • northeren hemisphere

  • cold temp

  • cold tolerant confierous species

    • Ex: spruce, fir

Temperate

  • high amounts of precipitation

  • temp ranges—> seasons

Suptropical

  • Between tropics

Forest Components

  • Canopy cover

  • Ground vegetation

  • Vertical structure

  • Basal area

Succession

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Long Leaf Pine Forests

  • Slow growing

  • Looks like a park

  • 40 species in 1m²

  • Up to 170 species in 0.25 acres

  • Dependent upon fire

  • Key stone species: gopher tortoises

What Happens in Clearcuts

  1. Direct mortality

  2. Desiccation

  3. Leave: -41% of salamanders migrated from clearcut edges

  4. Wait

  5. Predation

  6. Decreased food resources

Other Harvesting Methods

  • understory removal— herbicide

  • Group selection

  • Leave-tree

  • Shelterwood