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Disturbance-mediated accelerated succession in two Michigan forest types

Forest Science
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Abstract

In northern lower Michigan, logging accelerated sugar maple (Acer saccharum) dominance in a northern white cedar (Thuja occidentals) community, and clear-cutting and burning quickly converted certain sites dominated by mature jack pine (Pinus banksiana) to early-succesional hardwoods, including Prunus, Populus, and Quercus. In both forest types the succeeding hardwoods should continue to increase in the future at the expense of the pioneer conifer species. In the cedar example, sugar maple was also increasing a an undisturbed, old-growth stand, but at a much reduced rate than in the logged stand. Traditionally, disturbance was through to set back succession to some earlier stage. However, out study sites and at least several other North American forest communities exhibited accelerated succession following a wide range of disturbances, including logging fire, ice storms, wind-throw, disease, insect attack, and herbicide spraying.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Disturbance-mediated accelerated succession in two Michigan forest types
Series title Forest Science
Volume 35
Issue 1
Year Published 1989
Language English
Publisher Society of American Foresters
Publisher location Bethesda, MD
Description 8 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Forest Science
First page 42
Last page 49
Country United States
State Michigan
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