Arboreal vegetation, coarse woody debris, and disturbance history of mature and old-growth stands in a coniferous forested wetland1

Abstract

Abstract Forrester, J. A. (SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210-2778), T. E. Yorks (Environmental Studies Program, Cazenovia College, 22 Sullivan Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035) and D. J. Leopold (SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210-2778). Arboreal vegetation, coarse woody debris, and disturbance history of mature and old-growth stands in a coniferous forested wetland. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 252–261. 2005.—We quantified the forest age and tree size structure of an old-growth and mature stand in a coniferous forested wetland in central New York, USA. We also determined the volume and decay class distribution of standing and downed coarse woody debris. The old-growth stand contains eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) > 400 years old and other species > 200 years old. Live tree basal area in the old-growth area (36 m2·ha−1) was dominated by approximately equal amounts of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.)...