Restoration Gap Effects on Forest N Dynamics
Collaborators:	Aaron Thiel (OSU)
Funding:	USGS-FRESC, CFER

The Northwest Forest Plan stipulates restoration of old-growth forest characteristics across 7.5 million acres of Late-Successional Reserves. However, young dense forests originating from prior logging currently dominate these areas. Novel silvicultural approaches are being explored to accelerate the development of these forests towards old-growth conditions, including creating of varying sized gaps to create structural heterogeneity. This work examines effects of small and large gap creation on N dynamics at three Bureau of Land Management sites included in the Density Management Study. Understanding the biogeochemical functional consequences of gap creation is needed to effectively restore such areas and to sustain the provision of essential ecosystem services. back...

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Last Update: January 25, 2003
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