CANOPY COVER AND TREE REGENERATION IN OLD-GROWTH COVE FORESTS OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS

Relationships between canopy cover and tree regeneration were determin ed for various species in cove forests of the Great Smoky Mountains. O ld-growth stands were sampled with six plots covering a total area of 4.8 ha. Each plot was subdivided into contiguous 10 x 10 m quadrats. C anopy cover overlying each of the 480 quadrats was characterized with three different indices based on visual estimates of cover. Influences of: (1) overlying cover, (2) proximate openings, and (3) total area o f proximate openings on quadrat regeneration densities were determined . Most species reproducing by seed and some species reproducing by veg etative means had higher densities in quadrats with openings, but only the intolerants were highly dependent on gaps. Tsuga canadensis, a ve ry shade-tolerant species, was one of the few species with abundant re generation beneath dense canopy cover. In general, understory areas ne ar gaps had somewhat higher regeneration densities than other areas wi th overlying cover. Several shade-tolerant species showed a positive r egeneration density response to canopy openings and an ability to rege nerate in gaps 0.01-0.03 ha in area. These openings were too small for intolerant species. Many species exhibited a positive response to tot al size of the proximate opening(s). A sharp increase in regeneration density with area of the opening(s) was evident at approximately 0.04 ha for the shade-intolerant species.