Influence of intermediate-scale wind disturbance on development and succession in quercus stands on the Cumberland Plateau

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dc.contributorSchweitzer, Callie J.
dc.contributorSteinberg, Michael K.
dc.contributor.advisorHart, Justin L.
dc.contributor.authorWhite, Stephen Daniel
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-01T17:37:12Z
dc.date.available2017-03-01T17:37:12Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractNatural disturbances play important roles in shaping the structure and composition of all forest ecosystems and can be used to guide silvicultural practices. Disturbance intensity is measured along a gradient ranging from highly localized, gap-scale events to stand-replacing events. High wind storms such as downbursts, derechos, and low intensity tornadoes typically fall in the center of this gradient and result in intermediate-scale disturbances, removing 30-60% of basal area. Despite their frequency and widespread occurrence, little is known about how intermediate-scale disturbances drive stand development. On 20 April 2011, the Sipsey Wilderness Area in Alabama was affected by an EF1 tornado with accompanying straight-line winds. Stands were sampled in a stratified subjective sampling design to evaluate the effects of intermediate-scale wind disturbance on the development of Quercus stands in regard to structure and recruitment. My specific objectives were to: 1) quantify damage severity in basal area reduction and percent canopy loss of this particular disturbance along a gradient of wind disturbance, 2) detect structural acceleration or retrogression of stand development caused by an intermediate-scale wind disturbance, and 3) elucidate compositional acceleration or retrogression for an intermediate-scale wind disturbance. I established 109 0.04 ha plots across a gradient of disturbance, classified as control (undamaged), light, and moderate to inventory the effect of wind damage on development and succession. Basal area was reduced from 25.5 m2 ha-1 to 24.0 m2 ha-1 and 15.5 m2 ha-1 (p < 0.001) for light and moderate damage, respectively. The percent of live and damaged trees for control, light, and moderate was 0.3%, 3.0%, and 10.7%, respectively. PAR was significantly increased within the moderately damaged areas (p < 0.001). Logistical regression showed an increasing probability of mortality during wind disturbance with increasing diameter. Based on my findings, this intermediate-scale disturbance increased intra-stand heterogeneity and accelerated succession, favoring shade-tolerant taxa established in the understory.en_US
dc.format.extent48 p.
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.otheru0015_0000001_0002100
dc.identifier.otherWhite_alatus_0004M_11938
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/2485
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.subjectForestry
dc.subjectEnvironmental science
dc.subjectNatural resource management
dc.titleInfluence of intermediate-scale wind disturbance on development and succession in quercus stands on the Cumberland Plateauen_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of Geography
etdms.degree.disciplineGeography
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.levelmaster's
etdms.degree.nameM.S.
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