Study

Impacts of postfire salvage logging on understory plant communities of the boreal mixedwood forest 2 and 34 years after disturbance

  • Published source details Kurulok S.E. & Macdonald S.E. (2007) Impacts of postfire salvage logging on understory plant communities of the boreal mixedwood forest 2 and 34 years after disturbance. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 37, 2637-2651.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Log/remove trees within forests: effects on understory plants

Action Link
Forest Conservation
  1. Log/remove trees within forests: effects on understory plants

    A replicated, controlled study in 1968-2002 in temperate mixed wood forest in Alberta, Canada (Kurulok & Macdonald 2007) found that salvage logging increased the number of shrub species in early successional forest. In early successional forest, shrub species richness/100 m2 was higher in logged plots (logged: 11; unlogged: 9). There was no difference between treatments for herbaceous species richness (logged: 22; unlogged: 18) or all plants (logged: 33; unlogged: 27), or understory plant cover (logged: 94%; unlogged: 108%). In mid-successional forest, species richness/100 m2 of shrubs (logged: 20; unlogged: 18), herbs (logged: 26; unlogged: 23) and of all plants (logged: 22; unlogged: 41), and understory plant cover (logged: 88%; unlogged: 99%) were similar between treatments. Data were collected in 2002 in five logged (common operational salvage-logging) and five unlogged forest units. Two logged and two unlogged plots were established in mid-successional forests (burned by wildfire in 1968) and the other six in early successional forests (burned by wildfire in 1999). Understory plant cover was evaluated in two plots (1 m2) and species richness was determined in one plot (100 m2) in each of 13-20 sites within each forest unit.

     

Output references
What Works 2021 cover

What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

More about What Works in Conservation

Download free PDF or purchase
The Conservation Evidence Journal

The Conservation Evidence Journal

An online, free to publish in, open-access journal publishing results from research and projects that test the effectiveness of conservation actions.

Read the latest volume: Volume 21

Go to the CE Journal

Discover more on our blog

Our blog contains the latest news and updates from the Conservation Evidence team, the Conservation Evidence Journal, and our global partners in evidence-based conservation.


Who uses Conservation Evidence?

Meet some of the evidence champions

Endangered Landscape ProgrammeRed List Champion - Arc Kent Wildlife Trust The Rufford Foundation Save the Frogs - Ghana Mauritian Wildlife Supporting Conservation Leaders
Sustainability Dashboard National Biodiversity Network Frog Life The international journey of Conservation - Oryx Cool Farm Alliance UNEP AWFA Bat Conservation InternationalPeople trust for endangered species Vincet Wildlife Trust