Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This year completed the fifth and final year of activity for this project. A termination report was completed. The expanding-gap harvests in the AFERP experiment created diverse canopy conditions that allowed us to quantify the resulting ecological effects in an Acadian forest ecosystem. During this period, we examined the effects of expanding-gap harvests on: 1) spatial patterns of natural regeneration, 2) bryophyte, lichen, and arthropod associations, and 3) click beetles. We also investigated the spatial patterns of natural regeneration in an adjacent long-term silviculture study and also in beech-dominated stands that have been shelterwood harvested. In addition, we established a new long-term experiment to investigate the effects on silvicultural intensity and compositional objectives on early stand productivity and dynamics. During the past year, scheduled measurements of 180 permanent plots were completed on two-thirds of plots, with the balance to be measured during summer 2011. Most efforts this year focused on publishing the results of M. Olson's PhD dissertation - with two manuscripts being published and one in review at leading journals describing forest stand dynamics following various methods of harvesting in the Acadian forest. One additional paper on the nutrient dynamics of course woody material on the AFERP study was submitted to an international journal. Four graduate students (3 PhD and 3 MS) completed research projects using the AFERP experimental plots during this 5-year project. PARTICIPANTS: Matthew Olson completed a two-year post-doc on this project this year. A new PhD student (Ben Rice) completed his first year on the project and has completed the first year of a pilot study on a dissertation project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest researchers, forest managers, policy makers, and the general public are the target audiences for this project. They all have been reached through a variety of field tours, conference presentations, and publications. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
AFERP is the first long-term experiment in the Northeastern US to develop and test a practical silvicultural system that is designed based on an understanding of the pattern of natural disturbance in the region's forest. The Acadian Forest is a gap-dynamic forest that was naturally regenerated with a 1 to 2% annual disturbance rate based on natural gaps created in the forest when one or more large trees die. The expanding-gap silvicultural system being tested in AFERP is examining two different rates of gap expansion with retention of biological legacies (permanent retention trees) on long-term regeneration and stand development. Field tours and publications over the past decade have made forest researchers, forest managers, and the public aware of this new approach to designing silvicultural methods based on patterns of natural disturbance. Other studies have recently documented that gap-harvest approaches are more successful than single-tree approaches for managing this forest type, increasing the value of and interest in the AFERP study. A "change in knowledge" has occurred because forest researchers and managers are now aware of this natural disturbance-inspired silvicultural approach in the Acadian Forest, which has been described in several national and international publications in recent years. A "change in actions" has also begun to occur as an increasing number of forest managers in the region are beginning to use more gap-based silvicultural approaches for forest regeneration.
Publications
- Olson, M.G.and R.G. Wagner. 2010. Long-term compositional dynamics of Acadian mixedwood stands under different silvicultural regimes. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 40: 1993-2002.
- Wagner, R.G. 2009. Forest Ecosystem Research Program (FERP): Gap expansion and spatial hypotheses. Termination Report ME09645-06, Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, University of Maine, Orono. 11p.
- Nelson, A.S. and R.G. Wagner. 2010. Spatial patterns of coexisting shade-tolerant northern hardwood regeneration in understories dominated by Fagus grandifolia in Maine. pp. 44 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Nelson, A.S., R.G. Wagner, and M.R. Saunders. 2010. Influence of Silvicultural Intensity and Compositional Objectives on the Productivity of Regenerating Acadian Forest Stands. pp. 45 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Olson, M.G. and R.G. Wagner. 2010. 40-Year Compositional Dynamics of a Long-Term Silviculture Experiment in Northern Maine: The Austin Pond Study. pp. 46 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Clune, P., R.G. Wagner, A. Weiskittel, R.S. Seymour, and S. Meyer. 2010. New site additions and plans for future analysis of commercial thinning responses in Maine spruce-fir stands. pp. 81 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Pekol, J., A. Weiskittel, R.Wagner, and R. Seymour. 2010. The effects of precommerical and commercial thinning on individual-tree mortality in red spruce - balsam fir stands across Maine. pp. 92 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Rice B. and R.G. Wagner. 2010. Effects of nonselective partial harvesting in Maine's working forests. pp. 95 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference, October 14-16, Universite de Moncton, Edmundston, NB, Canada.
- Burke, A.M., I.J.Fernandez, A. Weiskittel, and R.Wagner. 2009. Modeling balsam fir nutrient uptake to address sustainability concerns in an age of bioenergy opportunity. Carbon in Northern Forests meeting. Traverse City, MI. June 9-12.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This past field season occurred during a scheduled pause in the periodic measurements of the AFERP permanent plots. Interim gap-expansion measurements are scheduled to start again next year (summer 2010). This year focused on the completion of a PhD thesis by Matthew Olson that focused on spatial and temporal patterns of tree regeneration in the AFERP experiment and an adjacent USFS long-term silviculture study. The AFERP experimental plots were used to test the hypothesis that gap harvesting increased the grain of spatial patterning in understory tree regeneration and canopy openness in mixedwood stands of central Maine. Semivarigram estimation and spatial autocorrelation were used to describe spatial patterns in eight stands containing harvest gaps of various sizes (0.01 to 0.22 ha) and over a range of spatial scales from 3 to189 m. Multiple lines of evidence supported our hypothesis that gap harvesting created a coarse-grained spatial pattern in both understory tree density and canopy openness. Global pattern (i.e., pattern over the full spatial extent) interpreted from spatial correlograms suggested patchiness in understory regeneration and canopy openness among small (0.01-0.13 ha) and large (0.03-0.22 ha) harvest gap treatments, and an unharvested control. Although there were no differences in global spatial pattern among harvest gap treatments, the mean range of spatial dependence (both correlogram and semivariogram ranges) for tree regeneration and canopy openness increased along a gradient of harvest gap diameters that were created by the experiment, suggesting that gap harvesting influenced spatial patterning at smaller scales (< 50 m). Correlograms revealed a higher frequency of autocorrelation at larger scales (> 50 m) for stands with gap harvests compared to unharvested controls. Partial Mantel tests revealed positive associations between tree regeneration density and canopy openness for the small-gap treatment only. Positive associations between tree regeneration and space in the large-gap treatment suggested that tree regeneration exhibited a spatial pattern that was independent of patterning in canopy openness. Results from partial Mantel tests and other analyses indicated that the spatial responses of tree regeneration and canopy openness among treatments was related to a pre-existing spatial pattern, as well as the creation of a new understory spatial pattern initiated by the harvest gap treatments. Using spatial analysis methods that can estimate patterns across multiple scales not only provided a better means to assess within-stand heterogeneity, but increased the range of spatial patterns that were detectable in this long-term experiment. A description of the AFERP experiment and accomplishments can be found at: http://www.forest.umaine.edu/facstaff/facstaff_pages/wagner/FERP/defa ult.html PARTICIPANTS: Matthew Olson was a PhD student assigned to this project over the past 4 years. He completed his degree this year. A new PhD student (Ben Rice) started this year to begin a new research project using AFERP. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest researchers, forest managers, policy makers, and the general public are the target audiences for this project. They all have been reached through a variety of field tours, conference presentations, and publications. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
AFERP is the first long-term experiment in the Northeastern US to develop and test a practical silvicultural system that is designed based on an understanding of the pattern of natural disturbance in the region's forest. The Acadian Forest is a gap-dynamic forest that was naturally regenerated with a 1 to 2% annual disturbance rate based on natural gaps created in the forest when one or more large trees die. The expanding-gap silvicultural system being tested in AFERP is examining two different rates of gap expansion with retention of biological legacies (permanent retention trees) on long-term regeneration and stand development. Field tours and publications over the past decade have made forest researchers, forest managers, and the public aware of this new approach to designing silvicultural methods based on patterns of natural disturbance. Other studies have recently documented that gap-harvest approaches are more successful than single-tree approaches for managing this forest type, increasing the value of and interest in the AFERP study. A "change in knowledge" has occurred because forest researchers and managers are now aware of this natural disturbance-inspired silvicultural approach in the Acadian Forest, which has been described in several national and international publications in recent years. A "change in actions" has also begun to occur as an increasing number of forest managers in the region are beginning to use more gap-based silvicultural approaches for forest regeneration.
Publications
- Thomas, S.L., R.G. Wagner, and W.A. Halteman. 2009. Influence of harvest gaps and coarse woody material on click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in Maine's Acadian forest. Biodiversity and Conservation 18(9): 2405-2420.
- Olson, M.G. 2009. Spatial and temporal patterns of tree regeneration in the Acadian forest of central Maine. Ph.D. thesis, University of Maine, Orono.
- Saunders, M.R., R.G. Wagner, R.S. Seymour. 2008. Thinning Regimes for Spruce-Fir Stands in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. Final Report Submitted to the USFS Agenda 2020 Program. Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, University of Maine, Orono, ME.
- Perry, T.E., R.S. Seymour, and R.G. Wagner. 2008. Assessment of Harvest Characteristics and Silvicultural Outcomes Survey: A Component of the Maine Forest Service Multi-Resource Harvest Assessment Protocol. Final Report submitted to the Maine Forest Service. University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, Orono, ME.
- Wagner, R.G., R.S. Seymour, M.R. Saunders, D. McConville, and S.R. Meyer. 2009. Thinning responses of natural spruce-fir stands in the Acadian Forest of Maine, USA. Spruce in the context of global change: Ecology, silviculture, forest products, management risks and conservation practices, 31 Aug - 3 Sep 2009, Halmstad, Sweden (Invited keynote paper)
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This year completed the third and final cycle of expanding-gap harvest treatments scheduled for this decade. This harvest marked the first stage of expansion for all gap treatments in the study. Management of the long-term database, website updates, and completion of graduate research projects were the primary AFERP research activities. Since completing our sample inventories of the third and final replicate in summer 2007, AFERP was between scheduled sampling periods this year. Spatial patterns of tree regeneration continued to be analyzed from spatial data collected from AFERP research areas as part of a Matt Olson's PhD dissertation research. Several manuscripts from completed AFERP research by Miller and Thomas were published in leading journals this year. AFERP scientists also led two field tours of AFERP plots: 1) Project Learning Tree teachers tour during August 2008 and 2) Eastern Canada-USA (ECANUSA) Forest Science conference for forest scientists from across eastern Canada and the Northeastern states held in October 2008. The recently updated and redesigned AFERP web page describing all aspects of the project can be found at: http://www.forest.umaine.edu/facstaff/facstaff_pages/wagner/FERP/defa ult.html PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest scientists, forest managers, members of public interested in long-term forest research on ecologically based harvesting systems PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
FERP is providing long-term data about the feasibility and ecological effects of an expanding-gap silvicultural system that is based on natural disturbance regimes in the Acadian forest. Research efforts during this period will seek to collect and analyze data that can be used to develop spatially explicit models of key ecological attributes that influence sub-stand patterns of regeneration, stand growth and composition, and wildlife habitat. In addition, FERP's nearly 100 hectares of research plots are providing a laboratory for exploring a wide array of interdisciplinary investigations about key ecological issues facing forests of the Northeastern U.S.
Publications
- Saunders, M.R. and R.G. Wagner. 2008. Long-term spatial and structural dynamics in Acadian mixedwood stands managed under various silvicultural systems. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38: 498-517.
- Greenwood, M.S., C.L. O'Brien, J.D. Schatz, C.A. Diggins, M.E. Day, G.L. Jacobson, A.S. White and R.G. Wagner. 2008. Is early life cycle success a determinant of the abundance of red spruce and balsam fir. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 38: 2295-2305.
- Miller, K.M., R.G. Wagner, and S.A. Woods. 2008. Arboreal arthropod associations with epiphytes following gap harvesting in the Acadian forest of Maine. The Bryologist 111(3): 424-434.
- Saunders, M.R. and R.G. Wagner. 2008. Height-diameter models with random coefficients and site variables for tree species of central Maine. Annals of Forest Science 65(2): 203.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
The first expansions of harvest gaps established in 1996-97 in Research Areas (RA) 5 and 6 were completed from winter through summer 2007. Scheduled pre-harvest measurements were made on RAs 7, 8 and 9 during the 2007 field season in preparation for a fall 2007 - winter 2008 harvest of the third and final set of research areas. During late summer 2007, gap expansions for RAs 7 and 9 also were designed, retention trees selected, and cut-trees marked. PhD student (S.L. Thomas) completed a study on the effects of harvesting and downed wood on click beetles in the Penobscot Experimental Forest. One paper from this thesis has been submitted for journal publication. Research results from the work of MS student (K.M. Miller) on arboreal arthropod associations with epiphytes and the effects of gap harvesting was published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research this year. Another manuscript by Miller and two manuscripts by PhD student M.R. Saunders on the spatial dynamics
of forest structure have been accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. PhD student Matt Olson has been leading the effort on the spatial aspects of gap harvesting in AFERP. Summer 2007 was the last field season for data collection for Olson's dissertation research on the spatial patterns of regeneration in the Acadian forest. Nearly 1,000 understory plots (4 m2) and 750 overstory plots (variable-area) were sampled during the 2007 field season. Preliminary results from this worked revealed interesting aspects of understory spatial pattern based on analysis of six common tree species of AFERP RAs (balsam fir, hemlock, white pine, spruce, red maple, & red oak). The primary objective is to evaluate the use of understory spatial pattern as a response variable in silvicultural research. Overall, the analysis found wide variability in understory spatial pattern of regeneration density across treatment units ranging from gradients to dispersed patches. A random global pattern
(i.e., over the 194 m extent of the analysis) was observed more in control units than harvest units, which could be related to differences in the grain of environmental heterogeneity between controls and harvest units. The analysis of understory spatial pattern detected varying degrees of congruity between understory patch size and gap size, both natural (controls only) and harvest gaps. However, there is no consistent trend indicating that understory patch size increases with increasing gap size at this stage of the AFERP study (i.e., large-gap > small-gap > control). It may still too early in the expanding-gap experiment for treatment effects associated with differences in gap size to manifest in patch size differences along the gap-size gradient of this study. Details about AFERP can be found on the web page at: http://www.forest.umaine.edu/facstaff/facstaff_pages/wagner/FERP/defa ult.html
Impacts
FERP is providing long-term data about the feasibility and ecological effects of an expanding-gap silvicultural system that is based on natural disturbance regimes in the Acadian forest. Research efforts during this period will seek to collect and analyze data that can be used to develop spatially explicit models of key ecological attributes that influence sub-stand patterns of regeneration, stand growth and composition, and wildlife habitat. In addition, FERP's nearly 100 hectares of research plots are providing a laboratory for exploring a wide array of interdisciplinary investigations about key ecological issues facing forests of the Northeastern U.S.
Publications
- Wagner, R.G., M.R. Saunders, and K.G. Kanoti. 2006. Silvicultural Intensity and Productivity of Regenerating Stands in Maine. pp. 51 In Proceedings of National Workshop on Forest Productivity and Technology: Cooperative Research to Support a Sustainable & Competitive Future, November 8-9, 2006, Holiday Inn Capitol at Smithsonian, Washington, D.C. (Invited presentation)
- Wagner, R.G., M.R. Saunders, R.S. Seymour, and M.G. Olson. 2006. Long-term research on silvicultural approaches using patterns of natural disturbance in the Acadian Forest: Penobscot Experimental Forest Part II. Society of American Foresters 2006 National Convention, October 25-29, Pittsburgh, PA.
- Kanoti, K.G. and R.G. Wagner. 2006. Factors influencing the germination, emergence, and early survival of boreal, temperate and exotic Acadian forest tree species in central Maine. pp. 54 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference: Forest Science Across the Borders, October 19-21, Quebec City, Quebec.
- Olson, M.G., R.G. Wagner, M.R. Saunders. 2006. Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program: Studying the effects of expanding gap silviculture. pp. 121 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference: Forest Science Across the Borders, October 19-21, Quebec City, Quebec.
- Saunders, M.R. and R.G. Wagner. 2006. Effect of silvicultural regime and exploitative harvesting on long-term spatial dynamics of an Acadian forest. pp. 89 In Proceedings of Eastern CANUSA Conference: Forest Science Across the Borders, October 19-21, Quebec City, Quebec.
- Seymour, R., M. Saunders, D. Ray, M. Olson, and R. Wagner. 2007. Multi-aged silviculture in the Acadian Forest of northeastern North America - the case for area-based stand structures. In Proceedings of 6th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, June 18-22, 2007, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
- Miller, K.M., R.G. Wagner, and S.A. Woods. 2007. Effect of gap harvesting on epiphytes and bark-dwelling arthropods in the Acadian forest of central Maine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37: 2175-2187.
- Thomas, S.L. 2007. Effects of forest management on click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) assemblages in the Acadian forest of Maine. Ph.D. thesis, University of Maine, Orono.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
This year marked the 10th anniversary of AFERP and the first expansion of harvest gaps established in 1995-96. Scheduled pre-harvest measurements were made on Research Areas (RA) 1-3 during the 2005 field season. During late fall 2005, gap expansions for RAs 1 and 2 were designed, retention trees selected, and cut-trees marked. A logging contract was established and RAs 1 & 2 were harvested during winter 2006. During summer 2006, pre-treatment measurements of overstory, sapling, herbaceous, and deadwood inventories were completed in RAs 4-6. Efforts during late fall 2006 and winter 2007 will focus on gap expansions in RAs 5 & 6. Two graduate students completed theses this year. A PhD student (M.R. Saunders) completed a study on the dynamics of forest structure, and a MS student (K.M. Miller) completed a study on arboreal arthropod associations with epiphytes and the effects of gap harvesting. Five manuscripts from these theses have been submitted for journal
publication. Another PhD student (S.L. Thomas) is nearing completion of a study examining the effects of harvesting and downed wood on click beetles. New efforts this year focused on developing and testing spatially explicit ecological hypotheses about the effects of harvest gaps, downed wood, and other factors at the sub-stand scale. Toward this end, a new PhD student (M.G. Olson) began a research project examining spatial patterns of tree reproduction. A new sampling design was developed to capture explicit spatial patterns of tree seedlings and saplings, overstory attributes, and light environment along the network of transects used to sampling downed wood in RAs 4, 5, & 6. Part of this effort also included developing of depth-to-water-table maps for the Penobscot Experimental Forest as part of a collaborative study with the University of New Brunswick. In addition, a LiDAR flight was made over the RAs to determine the feasibility of using this method to spatially map harvest gaps
and closed canopies. A NSF proposal to pursue the new spatial aspects of this project was developed and submitted.
Impacts
FERP is providing long-term data about the feasibility and ecological effects of an expanding-gap silvicultural system that is based on natural disturbance regimes in the Acadian forest. Research efforts during this period will seek to collect and analyze data that can be used to develop spatially explicit models of key ecological attributes that influence sub-stand patterns of regeneration, stand growth and composition, and wildlife habitat. In addition, FERP's nearly 100 hectares of research plots are providing a laboratory for exploring a wide array of interdisciplinary investigations about key ecological issues facing forests of the Northeastern U.S.
Publications
- Miller, K.M. 2006. Arboreal arthropod associations with epiphytes and the effects of gap harvesting in the Acadian forest of central Maine. M.S. thesis, University of Maine, Orono.
- Saunders, M.R. 2006. Dynamics of forest structure under different silvicultural regimes in the Acadian forest. Ph.D. thesis, University of Maine, Orono.
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