Wildlife Habitat Changes after Intermediate Cutting for Even-Aged Oak Management

Abstract

Intexmediate cuttings in 20and 40-year-old black (Quercus velutiru) and scarlet oak (Q. coccinea) stands in the Missouri Ozarks were made to initiate even-aged management. The effects of stand and site upon understory vegetation were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. The magnitude of each important factor (independent variable) was allowed to vary and its effect upon understory vegetation ( dependent variable ) evaluated in the presence of the effect of all other measured factors. Tnvo to 4 years after cutting, the weight of the dormant-season standing crop of total understory vegetation and vegetation desirable for wildlife was related to the stocking percent remaining in the stand, stocking percent removed, site indexv and the number of stems smaller than 0.S inch dbh. Understory growth response after overstory removal in 20-year-old stands was primarily from oak and hickory ( Carya spp.). Desirable wildlife plants were present, but they could not compete with the oak and hickory sprouts except where black oak site index was near 80. In 40-year-old stands where site index was below 70, oak and hickory sprouts dominated understory response to overstory removal. Desirable wildlife vegetation increased with overstory removal as the site index increased above 70. On poorer sites, oak and hickory sprouts should be controlled so ffiat better food species may grow. Site quality should be included in descriptions of timber stands if wildlife habitat is to be evaluated. Site quality is especially indicative of forest wildlife habitat when used in combination with other stand attributes. EFFECTS OF CUTTING ON OAK STANDS * Crawford 275 MERCHANT, I. A., AND R. A. PACKER. 1956. Veterinary bacteriology and virology. 5th ed. The Iowa State College Press, Ames. 850pp. NE\VSOM, I. E. AND F. CROSS. 1934. Sore mouth in feeder lambs due to a filtrable virus. J. AIn. Vet. Med. Assoc. 84(2):233-247. UDALL, D. H. 1947. The practice of veterinary medicine. 5th ed. Published by the author, Ithaca, New York. 751pp. WISHART, W. 1958. The bighorn sheep of the Sheep River valley. M. S. Thesis. Univ. of Alberta. 66pp. Received for p1lblication August 18, 1970. The upland central hardwood type represents nearly 25 percent of the commercial forest land in the United States. Recent advances in hardwood silviculture have shown that a silvicultural system different from that recoinmended in the past is the best way to grow commercial trees in this hardwood type ( U. S. Forest Service 1962, Gin[g]rich 1967). In short, an even-aged system has been recommended to replace uneven-aged systems in hardwood stands. Two types of cutting are utilized in evenaged Inanagement: (1) regeneration cuttings to initiate a new stand, and (2) intermediate cuttings to improve composition7 spacing and to keep most of the growth going into the main size cIass of potential commercial trees. In initiating this silvicultural system, many areas will be found fully stocked with desirable trees of younger age-classes. The younger stands may be 3roug. ilt to an even-aged condition by intermediate cuts to favor the most predominant age-class. Such stands were considered in this study. The total effect of intermediate cutting upon wildlife habitat in the upland central hardwoods is unknown. The present paper reports on the initial response of understory vegetation to some of the first intermediate cuttings conducted on national forest lands in the Ozark Mountains of Missour;. Advice and assistance in the study svere given by faculty members of the University This content downloaded from 207.46.13.16 on Wed, 25 May 2016 05:30:07 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 276 Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 35) No. 2, April 1971 of Missouri and by my co-workers. G. S. Cox and T. S. Baskett assisted in planning; G. F. Krause gave statistical advice. W. M. Harrison, North Central Forest Experiment Station, provided invaluable field assistance. R. H. Giles and A. E. Sullivan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and J. Stubbs, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, reviewed the manuscript.