Study

The effects of forest management on plant species diversity in a Sierran conifer forest

  • Published source details Battles J.J., Shlisky A.J., Barrett R.H., Heald R.C. & Allen-Diaz B.H. (2001) The effects of forest management on plant species diversity in a Sierran conifer forest. Forest ecology and management, 146, 211-222.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use group-selection harvesting

Action Link
Forest Conservation

Use shelterwood harvesting

Action Link
Forest Conservation
  1. Use group-selection harvesting

    A replicated, controlled study in 1977-1997 in temperate mixed coniferous forest in California USA (Battles et al. 2013) found no effect of group- or single-selection harvesting on understory plant species richness. Numbers of species/1.13 ha in group (58) and single-tree selection harvest (52) was similar to unharvested plots (48). The study area was divided in sections of 8–80 ha that were assigned to the following treatments: group and single tree selection (approximately 11% of the section was harvested every 10 years in groups smaller than 0.6 ha and smaller than 0.1 ha respectively) and unharvested (since early 1990s). Understory vegetation was monitored in 30 m radius plots within each treatment annually from 1977.

     

  2. Use shelterwood harvesting

    A replicated, controlled study in 1977-1997 in temperate mixed coniferous forest in California USA (Battles et al. 2001) found that shelterwood harvest increased understory species richness. Numbers of species/1.13 ha was higher in shelterwood (80) than in unharvested plots (48). The study area was divided in sections of 8–80 ha that were assigned to shelterwood harvest (approximately 40 seed-trees/ha were left) and unharvested (since early 1990s) treatments. Understory vegetation was monitored in 30 m radius plots within the section treated annually since 1977.

     

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