Abstract
Native hardwood regeneration in the southeast United States is hindered by repeat disturbance events and the presence of invasive species. Our study aimed to determine the ability of native species in an unmanaged urban forest fragment to persist following high winds from hurricane Gustav in 2008 and subsequent salvage logging. In 2009, researchers estimated the density and composition of the regeneration and overstory trees as well as percent crown cover of invasive Chinese privet. Percent Chinese privet cover was visibly high, leading them to believe it may be inhibiting native hardwood establishment. Ten years later in 2019, we returned to the plots to take repeat measurements. Forest composition remains the same and privet crown cover remains high. There has been no increase in regenerating individuals, and overstory trees per hectare and basal area remains low. These results confirm that the heavy Chinese privet presence is persistent long term and will require management to promote reproduction of native overstory tree species.
Highlights
Disturbances can facilitate invasion of aggressive, alien species, disrupting the normal regeneration cycle of the forest community
Individuals of 16 genera were found in the advance regeneration (Table 3)
Aside from the Chinese privet, populations of other woody invasive species were observed in regeneration and in the overstory: paper mulberry [Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L’er. ex Vent.] and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera), which comprised 38% of the total advance regeneration
Summary
Disturbances can facilitate invasion of aggressive, alien species, disrupting the normal regeneration cycle of the forest community Whether this disruption is permanent or temporary informs managers if patience or intervention is required to replace the lost overstory composition. Each landscape level disturbance contains a suite of disturbances; for example, hurricanes include increased precipitation, and storm surge that can result in minor to severe flooding in addition to wind. These can result in tree mortality, altered regeneration patterns, canopy damage, and severe property and infrastructural damage (Dale et al, 2001; Stanturf et al, 2007). Natural regions are often adapted to their common disturbance regime, but human influences are expected to increase disturbance intensity with unprecedented results to ecosystems (Millar and Stephenson, 2015)
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