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Regeneration patterns of northern white cedar, an old-growth forest dominant

American Midland Naturalist
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.2307/2425702

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Abstract

Regeneration of Thuja occidentalis L. was examined in an old-growth dune forest on South Manitou Island, Michigan. To estimate the current status of cedar regeneration, we determined size structure of seedlings and stems and analyzed present patterns of establishment and persistence relative to substrate type. There has been a shift in the pattern of cedar establishment from soil to log substrates. While 97% of all stems ≥15 cm dbh are associated with a soil substrate, 81% of stems ≥2.5cm-<15 cm dbh, and 98% of all cedar seedlings are confined to log substrates. However, few cedar seedlings survive; only 1% of all seedlings on logs are >25 cm tall. There was no significant relationship between the state of log decay and the density of seedlings >25 cm in height, indicating that long-term survival is not dependent on the degree of log decomposition. However, survival on logs is associated with canopy openings. Seedlings >25 cm tall were associated with gaps, and 78% of cedar stems (≥2.5 cm dbh) on logs were associated with a single windthrow gap. Thus, current cedar regeneration in this old-growth forest depends on logs and the canopy openings associated with them.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Regeneration patterns of northern white cedar, an old-growth forest dominant
Series title American Midland Naturalist
DOI 10.2307/2425702
Volume 117
Issue 1
Year Published 1987
Language English
Publisher University of Notre Dame
Publisher location Notre Dame, IN
Description 7 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title American Midland Naturalist
First page 10
Last page 16
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