Evaluation of an ecological land type classification system, Natchez TraceState Forest, western Tennessee, USA

In an effort to aid future research and forest management decisions, we inc orporated data on forest type, soils and topography into a geographic infor mation systems (GIS)-based ecological land classification system for Natche z Trace State Forest (NTSF) in western Tennessee. The area is still recover ing from the effects of cultivation, logging, forest clearing and grazing d uring the 1800s and early 1900s, but the data indicated that most stands no w contain sawtimber-sized trees after more than 50 years of secondary succe ssion. Our analyses showed that forest types were not randomly associated w ith soil characteristics or topography. For example, the most heavily gulli ed lands were strongly associated with pine forests while hardwoods were mo re associated with upland soils and certain types of sideslopes. Mature har dwood stands, which were deemed to be of the greatest conservation value, w ere classified into eight ecological land types based on soil type, aspect, orientation and topographic setting for further study. When these land typ es were evaluated with respect to data on forest composition and environmen tal conditions collected in the field, we found that the variables used to derive the eight classes were important in influencing floristic patterns. It was, however, clear that the classes themselves imperfectly captured pat terns of overstory community composition for a number of reasons. Thus, whi le land types provide a potentially valuable management tool, their utility and successful implementation are dependent upon a recognition of their in herent limitations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.