Silviculture alters the genetic structure of an eastern hemlock forest in Maine, USA

Abstract

We evaluated the influence of long-term silvicultural selection on the genetic structure of an eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) forest at the Penobscot Experimental Forest, in Maine, USA. Plots in this forest received one of the following three treatments: (1) selection cuts in which small and poorly formed trees were preferentially removed in 1957 and 1977; (2) diameter-limit cuts in which trees at least 24 cm in diameter were removed in 1952, 1973, and 1994; or (3) no harvesting (an unmanaged control). Because of an association between the occurrence of rare alleles and tree phenotypes, phenotypically based tree removals were associated with a shift in allelic frequency. Where smaller trees with inferior phenotypes were preferentially removed (selection cut), the number of rare alleles and estimates of future genetic potential were lower than in the control group. Because of the theoretical long-term evolutionary benefit of unique gene forms, the loss of rare alleles could diminish the potential of populations to adapt to and survive ongoing environmental change. In contrast, alleles that were rare in the control group existed at a higher frequency in the diameter-limit cut. However, productivity was low in this stand, where the frequency of characteristically rare alleles was artificially amplified.