Abstract Oak (Quercus) is being successionally replaced by maple (Acer) across much of the eastern deciduous forest. Past research on close relationship between oak and fire has led forest managers to use prescribed surface fires deter this replacement. However, there not been a comprehensive evaluation effectiveness managers, particularly in Central Hardwood Region. For example, it known how m...

--Girdling roots are examined and described on streetside Norway maple trees (Acer platanoides L.) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Treatments consisting of cutting girdling roots, fertilizing and pruning foliage were evaluated after two years and found to be of no benefit to girdled trees. From August 1977 to August 1979 this study was made on 410 Norway maple trees (Acer platanoides L.) planted betwee...

—We analyzed data from a woodland site for a 59-year period to determine whether changes in bird populations are related to changes in the diversity and relative abundance of woody plant species even when vegetation structure, degree of forest fragmentation in the surrounding landscape, and regional changes in bird populations are taken into account. Principal component analyses generated veget...

Fire suppression allows tree species that are intolerant of fire stress to increase their distribution, potentially resulting in disruption of historical species-environmental relationships. To measure changes between historical General Land Office surveys (1815 to 1850) and current USDA Forest Inventory and Assessment surveys (2004 to 2008), we compared composition, distribution, and site fact...

Spatial distribution of palatable and unpalatable plants can influence the foraging behaviour of herbivores, thereby changing plant-damage probabilities. Moreover, the immediate proximity to certain plants can benefit other plants that grow below them, where toxicity or spines act as a physical barrier or concealment against herbivores. This paper presents the results of a multi-scale experimen...

Acorn production by oaks (Quercus spp.) is an important food resource for wildlife in many deciduous forests. Its role as a hard mast crop that can be either stored or used to build fat reserves for winter survival cannot be replaced by most other potential foods. Changes in forest management, introduced pests and pathogens, and increased deer populations have resulted in significant changes in...

Many forests of eastern North American are undergoing a species composition shift in which maples (Acer spp.) are increasingly important while oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration and recruitment has become increasingly scarce. This dynamic in species composition occurs across a large and geographically complex region. The elimination of fire has been postulated as the driver of this dynamic; howeve...