HARDWOOD SNAG FRAGMENTATION IN A PINE-OAK FOREST OF SOUTHEASTERN ARKANSAS

Authors
Citation
Md. Cain, HARDWOOD SNAG FRAGMENTATION IN A PINE-OAK FOREST OF SOUTHEASTERN ARKANSAS, The American midland naturalist, 136(1), 1996, pp. 72-83
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Ecology
ISSN journal
00030031
Volume
136
Issue
1
Year of publication
1996
Pages
72 - 83
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-0031(1996)136:1<72:HSFIAP>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
Because snags are important to forest wildlife as breeding, roosting a nd foraging sites, resource managers who wish to maintain this compone nt in forest stands need to be aware of snag fragmentation rates. Meas urements were taken in uneven-aged pine-hardwood stands in southeaster n Arkansas to determine fragmentation rates for hardwood snags 2 to 6 yr after stem injection with herbicides. Crown and hole condition of s nags were also assessed. Pinus echinata Mill. and P. taeda L. were the dominant overstory components and were undisturbed. Quercus spp, acco unted for 91% of hardwoods >25 cm dbh. Since small diameter snags dete riorated first, snag diameter distributions changed from uneven-sized to even-sized structure as time since mortality increased. Within 3 yr of injection, 57% of snag boles had broken below crown height. Number of wildlife cavities per snag increased with time since mortality. At 6 yr after injection, 44% of residual snags had evidence of wildlife cavities. Less than 50% of hardwoods <25 cm dbh were still standing 5 yr after herbicide injection.