Species Composition Of Stands Research Articles

Conversion of natural forests to managed forest plantations decreases tree resistance to prolonged droughts

Throughout the southern US, past forest management practices have replaced large areas of native forests with loblolly pine plantations and have resulted in changes in forest response to extreme weather conditions. However, uncertainty remains about the response of planted versus natural species to drought across the geographical range of these forests. Taking advantage of a cluster of unmanaged stands (85–130year-old hardwoods) and managed plantations (17–20year-old loblolly pine) in coastal and Piedmont areas of North Carolina, tree water use, cavitation resistance, whole-tree hydraulic (Ktree) and stomatal (Gs) conductances were measured in four sites covering representative forests growing in the region. We also used a hydraulic model to predict the resilience of those sites to extreme soil drying. Our objectives were to determine: (1) if Ktree and stomatal regulation in response to atmospheric and soil droughts differ between species and sites; (2) how ecosystem type, through tree water use, resistance to cavitation and rooting profiles, affects the water uptake limit that can be reached under drought; and (3) the influence of stand species composition on critical transpiration that sets a functional water uptake limit under drought conditions. The results show that across sites, water stress affected the coordination between Ktree and Gs. As soil water content dropped below 20% relative extractable water, Ktree declined faster and thus explained the decrease in Gs and in its sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit. Compared to branches, the capability of roots to resist high xylem tension has a great impact on tree-level water use and ultimately had important implications for pine plantations resistance to future summer droughts. Model simulations revealed that the decline in Ktree due to xylem cavitation aggravated the effects of soil drying on tree transpiration. The critical transpiration rate (Ecrit), which corresponds to the maximum rate at which transpiration begins to level off to prevent irreversible hydraulic failure, was higher in managed forest plantations than in their unmanaged counterparts. However, even with this higher Ecrit, the pine plantations operated very close to their critical leaf water potentials (i.e. to their permissible water potentials without total hydraulic failure), suggesting that intensively managed plantations are more drought-sensitive and can withstand less severe drought than natural forests.

Rate and direction of changes in tree species composition of natural stands in selected forest associations in the Białowieża Forest

Abstract The main aim of the study was to determine changes in the species composition and structure of natural tree stands in the Białowieża Forest (BF), which occurred in the years 1975-2012, as well as to evaluate their trends, directions and rate. The study was carried out on 121 permanent research plots (50 × 50 m), which represented the most important forest phytocenoses in BF, i.e. fresh pine-whortleberry forest Vaccinio vitisidaeae- Pinetum Sokoł. 1980, fresh mixed spruce-reed grass forest Calamagrostio-Piceetum Sokoł. 1968, oligotrophic form of hornbeam - bastard balm forest Melitti-Carpinetum Sokoł. 1976, different forms of lindenhornbeam forest: Tilio-Carpinetum Tracz. 1962, alder-ash forest Fraxino-Alnetum W. Mat. 1952 and sub-boreal spruce forest on bog moss Sphagno girgenshonii-Piceetum Polak. 1962. On the plots selected, there was measured the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all trees, as well as every tree and shrub up to 1.3 m high was counted and described with reference to species. The measurements and observations were regularly repeated every 10-15 years. The results showed that over the last period of nearly 40 years, there has increased a share of common hornbeam Carpinus betulus L. in the structure of forest stands in numerous BF associations. This tree species has expanded into different forest habitats including poor, medium fertile and wetland sites. The results obtained indicate a trend towards formation of linden-hornbeam forests in BF phytocenoses. The most evident changes were recorded in hornbeam - bastard balm forest. In natural conditions of the majority of forest associations analysed, there prevailed hornbeam trees in forest regeneration, except for the stands in fresh mixed pine forest and spruce forest on bog moss. In the latter two cases, hornbeam showed signs of its presence in the last observation period. Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) retreated into oligotrophic forest associations. In the recent decades, spruce populations have been dramatically reduced in the stands in mixed coniferous and different kinds of broadleaved forests. There have also decreased a share of light-demanding tree species, such as Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula L.) in BF tree stands, including their regeneration-layer. Especially, Scots pine regeneration has not been successful. In the short period of time (about 15 years) there has been observed rapid and outsized reduction of ash Fraxinus excelsior L. populations in natural conditions of alder-ash forests. All through the last 10-15 years, there has been also observed increased rate of change in stand species composition. The trend and rate of change in stand species composition point out to a possibility of human intervention towards stimulation of natural regeneration so as to preserve valuable populations of threatened tree species in the Białowieża Forest.

The effect of stand species composition on water storage capacity of the organic layers of forest soils

The dynamics of litterfall and its quantitative differentiation in stands with different species composition suggest that the origin of the organic matter accumulated in the organic horizons of forest soils affects their physical properties, and thus, their ability to retain rainwater. The main aim of the study was to determine the physical properties, the degree of decomposition and capillary capacity of individual ectohumus sublevels of mountain forest soils, formed under fir stands (Abies alba Mill.) and beech stands (Fagus sylvatica L.), and to compare them with the physical and retention properties of the organic horizons of spruce stands [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst], as determined by Kucza (2007). The study was conducted on soil monoliths, sampled in a way that allowed preserving their natural structure. For individual ectohumus sublevels contained in the monoliths, the content and degree of decomposition of organic matter, bulk density, total porosity and capillary capacity were determined. It has been shown that the capillary capacity of the litter layer (Ol) differed significantly between beech, fir and spruce stands, assuming average values equal to 1.60 (±0.10), 2.76 (±0.11) and 4.44 (±0.10) mm H2O in the layer of 1 cm, respectively. In the case of detritus (Ofh) horizons, the smallest water storage capacity characterized beech stands, wherein the capillary capacity was approximately 1.39 mm lower than in fir stands and over twice lower as compared to spruce stands.

Effects of timber harvest on structural diversity and species composition in hardwood forests

Tavankar F, Bonyad AE. 2015. Effects of timber harvest on structural diversity and species composition in hardwood forests. Biodiversitas 16: 1-9. Forest management leads to changes in structure and species composition of stands. In this research vertical and horizontal structure and species composition were compared in two harvested and protected stands in the Caspian forest of Iran. The results indicated the tree and seedling density, total basal area and stand volume was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the protected stand. The Fagus orientalis L. had the most density and basal area in the both stands. Species importance value (SIV) of Fagus orientalis in the protected stand (92.5) was higher than in the harvested stand (88.5). While, the SIV of shade-intolerant tree species such as Acer insigne, Acer cappadocicum and Alnus subcordata was higher in the harvested stand. The density of trees and seedling of raretree species, such as Ulmus glabra, Tilia begonifolia, Zelkova carpinifolia and Fraxinus coriarifolia, was also higher in the protected  stand. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index in the protected stand (0.84) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in the harvested stand (0.72). The highest diversity value in the harvested stand was observed in DBH of 10-40 cm class, while DBH of 40-70 cm had the highest diversity value in the protected stand.

Condition of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) overstory and regeneration at three stages of the emerald ash borer invasion wave

Assessing emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) impacts in North American forests is essential for projecting future species composition of stands invaded by this phloem-feeding pest. We surveyed all species of overstory trees and regeneration in 2010 and 2011 in 24 forested sites with a major component of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), representing the Core, Crest, and Cusp of the A. planipennis invasion wave across southern Michigan. By 2011, an average of 78.6% ± 0.10%, 44.8% ± 0.11%, and 19.8% ± 0.07% of overstory ash trees representing 87%, 57%, and 14% of the total ash basal area had been killed in Core, Crest, and Cusp sites, respectively. Green ash seedlings, saplings, and recruits were abundant in all sites, but newly germinated ash seedlings were absent in Core sites and scarce in Crest sites. Canopy gaps resulting from current ash decline and mortality increased available photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and sapling growth in Crest sites, but PAR was low in Core and Cusp sites. Lateral ingrowth of non-ash overstory trees has largely filled canopy gaps in Core sites, and there was little evidence of green ash recruitment into the overstory. Green ash appears unlikely to persist as a dominant species in forests invaded by A. planipennis.

A simplified methodology for the correction of Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements obtained by ceptometer with reference to Pinus Portuguese forests

Forest leaf area index (LAI) is an important structural parameter controlling many biological and physiological processes associated with vegetation. A wide array of methods for its estimation has been proposed, including those based on the sunfleck ceptometer, a ground-based easy-to-use device taking non-destructive LAI measures. However, use of ceptometer in pine stands leads to the underestimation of LAI due to foliage clumping of this species. Previous studies have proposed a correction of biased LAI estimates based on the multiplication by a constant factor. In this study, a new method for obtaining a correction factor is proposed by considering the bias (the difference between the ceptometer measure and the reference LAI) as a function of the stand structural variables, namely the basal area. LAI data were collected from 102 sampling plots (age range: 14-74) established in Pinus pinaster forests all across nor­thern Portugal. Data from 82 sampling plots were used for the adjustment of the LAI ceptometer correction model, while the remaining 20 plots were used for the model validation. The observed LAI ranged from 0.34 to 6.4 as expected from the large heterogeneity of the sampled pine stands. Significant diffe­rences were detected between LAI values estimated by ceptometers and LAI reference values. Different correction methods have been compared for their accuracy in predicting LAI reference values. Based on the results of the stati­stical analysis carried out, the new proposed LAI correction outperformed all the other methods proposed so far. The new approach for bias reduction proposed here has the advantage of being easily applied since the basal area is almost always available from forest inventory or can be inferred from remote sensing surveys. However, the bias correction model obtained is site-specific, being dependent on stand species composition, soil fertility, site aspect, etc. and should therefore be applied only in the study area. Nonetheless, the development of a correction methodology based on an allometric approach has proved to greatly improve LAI ceptometer estimations.

Herbaceous species composition and richness of mesophytic cove forests in the southern Appalachians: synthesis and knowledge gaps

Abstract We synthesized the current information on mesophytic cove forests in the southern Appalachians, assessed the range of variation in herb species composition and diversity in stands with different disturbance histories and environmental conditions, identified key knowledge gaps, and suggested approaches to fill these knowledge gaps. The purpose of this synthesis was to provide information to forest managers to help make decisions about conservation assessments and strategies for rich cove forests in the southern Appalachians. An important finding is that no single study or data set can provide conclusive evidence or clear management strategies. However, an overriding conclusion is that the magnitude of impact and the management actions necessary to restore herbaceous communities are directly proportional to the severity of disturbance, current condition (e.g., presence of Rhododendron), site heterogeneity, and historical land use (e.g., agricultural activity). These factors plus a host of other str...

Regeneration and Recruitment Correlate with Stand Density and Composition in Long-Unburned Aspen Stands Undergoing Succession to Conifer in the Sierra Nevada, USA

Succession of aspen stands to conifer in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and Nevada, USA, is being interrupted by forest managers thinning conifers to sustain aspen stands in situ. However, patterns of stand density, species composition, and regeneration prior to management intervention have scarcely been described. We established a grid of sample plots throughout nine aspen stands encircling Lake Tahoe in the central Sierra Nevada. The degree of succession to conifer throughout each aspen stand was spatially heterogeneous. Patches of pure aspen were rare. Stand density index (SDI) reached an upper limit of 1700 in pure aspen. As composition shifted in favor of conifer, SDI approached or attained a maximum of 2500 in some plots. Stand density and species composition data were tested as predictors of conifer and aspen regeneration densities in each plot. Conifer seedlings had an average density of 3261 ha-1; they were most abundant in aspen-dominated areas of any density, and in conifer-dominated areas of higher density. Aspen regeneration had an average density of 3211 ha-1 and was one order of magnitude less frequent in areas of pure conifer versus areas of pure aspen, but remained relatively abundant in most areas. Aspen saplings were rare (average density of 42 ha-1 for saplings 10-15 cm DBH), especially at high stand densities or in areas where conifers dominated. Our findings suggest that forest managers interested in sustaining aspen stands in situ will need to control stand density to promote recruitment of younger aspen to the overstory.

Diet preference of Eurasian Beaver (Castor Fiber L., 1758) in the environment of Oderské vrchy and its influence on the tree species composition of river bank stands

This paper deals with the dietary behaviour and the tree species preference in the river bank stands in the diet of established population Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber L., 1758) in the environment of Oderské vrchy; the objective is to assess the suitability of this environment for future development of the Eurasian Beaver and to asses the influence of the beaver’s dietary behaviour on the river bank stands. In the monitored area, the total of 5 tree species with the following preference were recorded: willow (Salix) 42.2%, aspen (Populus) 28%, dogwood (Comus) 15.5%, birch (Betula) 7.4% and alder (Alnus) 6.9%. The most damaged diameter interval recorded within the all damaged tree species ranges from 2.6 to 6 cm, followed by the interval 6.1–12 cm. Over 61% of the trees felled by the beaver had a bigger diameter. The most sensitive reaction to beaver’s dietary behaviour was shown by aspen (reduction of numbers by 27.6%) and by willow (reduction of numbers by 16.6%) on the monitored area.

Dynamika obnovy a vývoja lesných porastov na Slovensku počas ostatných piatich desaťročí

Abstract General information on forest growth and development as well as different approaches of forest management are presented in the introduction of the paper. Furthermore, it shows an analysis of the development of tree species composition in the Slovak forests during the last 50 years. Historical data base for the analysis originated from the forestry records (especially Permanent Forest Inventory). Our attention was focused on reforestation with respect to tree species, tree species composition in young forest stands by age classes and relations between these forest characteristics. The next section of the paper describes new proposals for regulation of forest regeneration and reforestation with the aim to achieve desired tree species composition in all age classes, not only in accordance with natural conditions but also respecting human demands in the future.

Wildlife-mitigated precommercial thinning maintains the abundance of fruit shrubs in a boreal forest

In boreal forests, fruits are an abundant resource in late summer and benefit many wildlife species. Fruits are mainly found in early successional stands, which are often subject to precommercial thinning designed to increase diameter growth of residual trees and manage stand species composition. Concerns about the consequences of precommercial thinning on wildlife have led to various methods of precommercial thinning with mitigation for wildlife. In summers 2007 and 2008, we examined the impact of wildlife-mitigated thinning on fruit shrub abundance and distribution at the Forêt Montmorency, Quebec. The abundance of fruit shrubs of all species except Amelanchier was similar in thinned and control stands but was highly variable among individual stands. Amelanchier shrubs appeared to benefit from thinning, especially 10 to 20 years after clearcutting. Fruit shrubs were highly clustered within early successional stands, but less so after thinning. We conclude that wildlife-mitigated precommercial thinning does not reduce access to fruits for birds and other frugivores and may even facilitate it in eastern Canadian boreal forests.

Parameterization of rockfall source areas and magnitudes with ecological recorders: When disturbances in trees serve the calibration and validation of simulation runs

On forested talus slopes which have been build up by rockfall, a strong interaction exists between the trees and the falling rocks. While the presence and density of vegetation have a profound influence on rockfall activity, the occurrence of the latter will also exert control on the presence, vitality, species composition, and age distribution of forest stands. This paper exploits the interactions between biotic (tree growth) and abiotic (rockfall) processes in a mountain forest to gather and obtain reliable input data on rockfall for the 3D process based simulation model RockyFor3D. We demonstrate that differences between the simulated and observed numbers of tree impacts can be minimized through (i) a careful definition of active source areas and (ii) a weighted distribution of block sizes as observed in the field. As a result of this field-based, optimized configuration, highly significant values can be obtained with RockyFor3D for the number of impacts per tree, so that results of the model runs can be converted with a high degree of certainty into real frequencies. The combination of the field-based dendrogeomorphic with the modeling approaches is seen as a significant advance for hazard mapping as it allows a reliable and highly-resolved spatial characterization of rockfall frequencies and a realistic representation of (past) rockfall dynamics at the slope scale.

Effects of tree species richness and composition on moose winter browsing damage and foraging selectivity: an experimental study

The optimal foraging theory, the nutrient balance hypothesis, and the plant association theories predict that foraging decisions and resulting tree damage by large mammalian browsers may be influenced by the species richness and species composition of forest stands. This may lead to either associational susceptibility (increased damage on a focal plant in a mixed stand) or associational resistance (reduced damage in a mixed stand). Better understanding of the mechanisms and the relative importance of tree species richness and composition effects on foraging by mammalian browsers is needed to support sustainable management of forests and mammal populations. However, existing knowledge of forest diversity effects on foraging by large mammalian browsers comes largely from observational studies while experimental evidence is limited. We analysed winter browsing by moose (Alces alces L.) in a long-term, large-scale experiment in Finland, which represents a tree species richness gradient from monocultures to 2-, 3- and 5-species mixtures composed of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and black alder (Alnus glutinosa L.). The intensity of browsing per plot increased with tree species richness while browsing selectivity decreased with tree species being targeted more equally in species-rich mixtures. Tree species composition of a plot was also an important determinant of intensity of browsing. The greatest browsing occurred in plots containing preferred species (pine and birch) while intermediate preference species (larch and alder) experienced associational susceptibility when growing with pine and birch compared with their monocultures or mixtures without pine and birch. In contrast, we found no evidence of associational resistance; the presence of a least preferred species (spruce) in a mixture had no significant effect on moose browsing on other tree species. We demonstrate that the presence of alternative forage species allows moose to spend longer opportunistically foraging in a plot, resulting in increased level of damage in species-rich stands and stands containing preferred tree species. Our results highlight the limitations of the optimal foraging theory in predicting browsing patterns and demonstrate the importance of associational effects within mixed stands.

四国の暖温帯域のスギ人工林皆伐跡地における林分構造と種組成の変化

四国の暖温帯域のスギ人工林皆伐跡地における林分構造と種組成の変化

Predicting Forest Regeneration in the Central Appalachians Using the REGEN Expert System

REGEN is an expert system designed by David Loftis to predict the future species composition of dominant and codominant stems in forest stands at the onset of stem exclusion following a proposed harvest. REGEN predictions are generated using competitive rankings for advance reproduction along with other existing stand conditions. These parameters are contained within modular REGEN knowledge bases (RKBs). To extend REGEN coverage into hardwood stands of the Central Appalachians, RKBs were developed for four site classes (xeric, subxeric, submesic, mesic) based on literature and expert opinion. Data were collected from 48 paired stands in Virginia and West Virginia to calibrate the initial RKBs. Paired stands consisted of one mature uncut hardwood stand adjacent to a regenerating clear-cut stand with similar site characteristics that was harvested within the previous 20 yr. Data from 17 additional paired stands was collected a year later to validate the performance of REGEN. Predicted values were within 4 percentage points of measured values on average, and model error was typically less than 20 percentage points for species groups. These results confirmed the suitability of REGEN to predict the future species composition of stands regenerated using the clear-cut method in the Central Appalachians of Virginia and West Virginia.

Distribution of Letharia Vulpina (Lichenized Ascomycetes) in the Subalpine Larch Stands (Rhodothamno-Laricetum) in the Eastern Julian Alps (Slovenia)

Distribution of Letharia Vulpina (Lichenized Ascomycetes) in the Subalpine Larch Stands (Rhodothamno-Laricetum) in the Eastern Julian Alps (Slovenia)The article provides the list of localities of Letharia vulpina in the eastern Julian Alps (northwestern Slovenia) that were recorded by the authors in 2010. Prior to this year the knowledge on the occurence of this lichenized fungus in Slovenia was insignificant (only one known locality, recorded already in the 19th century). With a phytosociological table we present the species composition and structure of natural subalpine larch stands (Rhodothamno-Laricetum deciduae) in which the species Letharia vulpina grows as an epiphyte on old and thick trees. It can also be expected in other Alpine regions in Slovenia where similar natural larch stands are preserved and the air is not over polluted.

Post-harvest seedling recruitment following mountain pine beetle infestation of Colorado lodgepole pine stands: a comparison using historic survey records

The extent and severity of overstory lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex Wats.) mortality from mountain pine beetle ( Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) has created management concerns associated with forest regeneration, wildfire risk, human safety, and scenic, wildlife, and watershed resources in western North America. Owing to the unprecedented nature of the outbreak and associated management in the southern Rocky Mountains, it is unknown if the forests that regenerate after this current period of extensive change will differ from those that regenerated in the past. Here, we compare the density and species composition of post-harvest seedling recruits in pre-outbreak (1980–1996) and outbreak stands (2002–2007). Lodgepole pine accounted for more than 95% of post-harvest seedling recruitment and the density of seedlings colonizing clearcuts was equal during both the pre-outbreak and outbreak periods. Compared with harvested areas, the density of tree regeneration was 75% lower in uncut forests and was more evenly distributed among subalpine fir ( Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) and lodgepole pine. This comparison provides evidence that the density of seedling recruitment will be at least as high after extensive pine beetle caused mortality as under healthy, pre-outbreak conditions and that the species composition of stands regenerating after this outbreak will differ between treated and untreated areas.

Diversity of naturally regenerating tree species in the overstorey layer of Larix kaempferi plantations and abandoned broadleaf coppice stands in central Japan

Forestry, Vol. 83, No. 3, 2010. doi:10.1093/forestry/cpq011 For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org Advance Access publication date 12 May 2010 Introduction One-quarter of Japan’s land area is occupied by plantations (10.4 million ha in 2001). In many plantations, active management or ‘tending’ (weeding and thinning) of the forests has been abandoned due to declining timber prices and an aging workforce. Consequently, the extension of plantation rotation periods has become an increasingly common means of producing more valuable timber in maturing stands and of maintaining biological diversity. Species diversity in forests is strongly affected by the kinds of forest management interventions employed, and the impacts of these interventions can have a marked and variable effect on the structure and functioning of different forest ecosystems (e.g. plantations, coppice forests). Studying the effects of forest management is considered an important aspect of sustainable ecological forest management because it promotes an understanding of the relationship between stand structure and species composition (Kerr, 1999; Cummings and Reid, 2008). Since stand age can also influence the species composition of forest stands, a chronosequence approach is increasingly being applied to studies of how stand age and stand management practices influence stand composition (Hunt et al., 2003; Nagaike et al., 2006a). Plantations would be designated for ecological restoration when it is recognized that they were established on sites that are unsuitable for timber production and where there is a need for conserving biological diversity (Zerbe, 2002; Masaki et al., 2004; Cummings and Reid, 2008). The change in species composition associated with stand age in plantations differs with that in naturally regenerated stands since different regeneration processes (i.e. planting vs natural regeneration) and tending procedures (e.g. weeding and thinning) are employed. Stand age of plantations is important because it is directly related to the amount of timber produced and the cutting rotation employed in a landscape. When considering the requirements of ecological restoration initiatives, it is important to set the end points of either natural or historical conditions as a target for the restored forests (Stanturf, 2005) and establish baseline data for the composition of naturally regenerated tree species in the subject plantations. In addition, as another end point, the plantations should also be compared with natural forests as the end points, which represent the natural condition of forests in a region. Forest management (e.g. directly removing trees and shrubs by thinning and weeding) is known to affect each stratum of the forest differently (Nagaike et al., 2003; Diversity of naturally regenerating tree species in the overstorey layer of Larix kaempferi plantations and abandoned broadleaf coppice stands in central Japan

Pollen, seeds and genes: the movement ecology of plants

Pollen, seeds and genes: the movement ecology of plants

Characterizing temperate forest structural and spectral diversity with Hyperion EO-1 data

Forest structural diversity can serve as an important indicator of biodiversity. The relationship between spaceborne hyperspectral remotely sensed data and several measures of forest structure was explored over a 625 km2 coastal temperate forest landscape on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Thirteen Hyperion bands were selected for analysis based on the documented and hypothesized importance of various spectral wavelengths to forest characterization. To aid in understanding spectral trends, measures of forest stand structural diversity (projected age, projected height, and stand species composition complexity) were derived from forest inventory data. The spectral distance between the stand mean and standard deviation of reflectance and related expectations from global equivalents for each of the 13 bands were used to relate measures of spectral diversity (N = 801 forest inventory stands). Canonical correlation analysis was then used to determine the independent and shared relationships between these selected measures of forest structural diversity (dependent variables) and spectral diversity (independent variables). The dependent variables that were most strongly correlated with the first canonical variate were projected age and projected height, with canonical loadings of 0.973 and 0.979, respectively. In contrast, stand species composition complexity had a weak, negative correlation with spectral diversity (canonical loading = − 0.025). The wavelengths contributing the most to the canonical function included: 681–740 nm, 551–680 nm, and 1401–2400 nm. There have been few studies that attempt to directly link spectral and species diversity in temperate forest environments. From this initial investigation, we posit that the complex spectral response of coastal temperate forests may confound efforts to directly link spectral and species diversity across a range of site conditions. Our results, which are constrained by the spectral and spatial resolution of the data used, our target environment, and the metrics selected for measuring forest structure, suggest that attributes that characterize forest structural conditions may have a more meaningful relationship with spectral diversity than measures of species diversity alone, and that future studies in coastal temperate forests that seek to link spectral diversity with biodiversity should include measures of forest structural diversity, in addition to measures of species diversity.