Occurrence, pattern of change, and factors associated with American beech-dominance in stands of the northeastern USA forest

Published Date
Forest Ecology and Management
15 May 2017, Vol.392:202–212, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2017.03.003

• Author 

• Arun K. Bose ^a,,
• Aaron Weiskittel ^a,
• Robert G. Wagner ^b,

• aSchool of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5755, United States
• bDepartment of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061, United States

Received 26 February 2017. Accepted 1 March 2017. Available online 16 March 2017.

Highlights

• •
  American beech expansion was examined across forests of northeastern USA.
• •
  Beech-dominated stand type currently occupies 27.4% of total forest area.
• •
  Increasing elevation and increasing overstory closure favored the beech dominance.
• •
  Beech in the understory was not dependent on the availability of seed sources.
• •
  Results emphasize the need for controlling beech to increase the productivity.

Abstract

American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh) in the understory of tolerant hardwood stands is a major obstacle to improving the quality of forest regeneration in the northeastern USA and southeastern Canada. To better understand patterns of beech occurrence and stand conditions when it is present, we used US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (USFS-FIA) data from four northeastern USA states (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont) across a 16-year period (1999–2015) to: (i) classify stand conditions (i.e., FIA plots) where American beech was present, (ii) identify beech-dominated stand types, (iii) assess the trend of occurrence (percentage of total forest area) of each identified stand type across the study area during the past 16 years, and (iv) evaluate the relationship of each identified stand type with key biotic and abiotic factors. Based on understory, midstory, and overstory characteristics, we identified four stand types where beech was present across the region including: (i) beech-dominated, (ii) commercial hardwood-dominated, (iii) other hardwood-dominated, and (iv) softwood-dominated. Among these four stand types, the beech-dominated stand type currently occupies 27.4% of total northeastern USA forest area and has had a ∼5% increase over the past 16 years with an even greater increase (>5%) across the forests of New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Our results showed increasing mean annual precipitation and greater overstory basal area were positively correlated with the occurrence probability of the beech-dominated stand type, but negatively correlated with the occurrence probabilities of the other identified stand types. Beech-dominated stands were generally associated with higher elevations, greater mean annual precipitation, warmer temperatures, and larger overstory basal areas. Beech dominance in the understory was associated with overstories dominated by beech, as well as overstories dominated by commercial hardwood species. Therefore, overstory harvesting in stands with beech dominant in the understory (irrespective of overstory composition) will tend to promote beech into the overstory. Our results emphasize the need for greater attention to improving regeneration composition in stands where beech is dominant to increase the long-term productivity and commercial value of northeastern forests of the USA.

Keywords

Tolerant hardwood forests

Biotic factors

Abiotic factors

Climate change

Cluster analysis

Hardwood silviculture

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Socio-ecology of Early and Middle Bronze Age communities in the northwest Atlantic region of Iberia: Wood resources procurement and forest management

Published Date
Quaternary International
Available online 6 September 2015, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.026
In Press, Corrected Proof — Note to users

Author 

• María Martín-Seijo ^a,b,c,,
• João Pedro Tereso ^b
• Ana M.S. Bettencourt ^c,d
• Hugo A. Sampaio ^c
• Emilio Abad Vidal ^e
• Lorena Vidal Caeiro ^f

• aStudy Group for the Prehistory of NW Iberia-GEPN (GI-1534), Department of History I, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
• bInBio – Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (Associated Laboratory), CIBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
• cLandscape, Heritage and Territory Laboratory (Lab2PT), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
• dDepartment of History, Social Sciences Institute, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
• eCESGA – Centro de Supercomputación de Galicia, Spain
• fZeta Arqueoloxía S.L, Spain

Available online 6 September 2015.

Abstract

This paper focuses on the web of relationships established between Early and Middle Bronze Age communities and their environment in Northwest Iberia. Charcoal remains recovered from settlements and funerary sites in this area can inform a greater understanding of wood resource procurement and woodland management strategies adopted by these small-scale communities. Although charcoal analysis of contexts with chronologies ranging from 2200 to 1200 cal. BC is not commonly undertaken in this area, data from this period are of great importance because it represents a phase of major deforestation and landscape change. Wood resources were local and exploitation was conditioned by their availability in the environs of the sites. These communities established a clear preference for Quercus wood, combined recurrently with shrubby species of the Fabaceae family. This co-occurrence, previously observed in Middle and Late Bronze Age contexts, could extend back to the Early Bronze Age and even to the Late Neolithic. The presence of small trees and shrubs such as Rosaceae/Maloideae and Corylus avellana could be related with the open landscape that characterises this period, and with the existence of woodland management practices designed to prevent forest regeneration.

Keywords

Early Bronze Age

Middle Bronze Age

Charcoal analysis

Woodland management

Wood resource procurement

Northwest Iberia

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• ∗ 
  Corresponding author. Study Group for the Prehistory of NW Iberia-GEPN (GI-1534), Department of History I, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.

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Lighting the dark: Wood charcoal analysis from Cueva de Nerja (Málaga, Spain) as a tool to explore the context of Palaeolithic rock art Éclairer l’obscurité : analyse de charbon de bois de Cueva De Nerja (Málaga, Espagne) comme outil pour l’exploration du contexte de l’art pariétal paléolithique

Published Date
Comptes Rendus Palevol
July–August 2015, Vol.14(5):411–422, doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2015.03.010
Human Palaeontology and Prehistory (Prehistoric Archaeology)

• Author 

• M Ángeles Medina-Alcaide
• José Luis Sanchidrián Torti
• Lydia Zapata Peña

Abstract

This study examines 100 charred plant macroremains from the inner galleries of Cueva de Nerja in order to better understand the context of Palaeolithic rock art and obtain information about possible lighting systems. The remains were retrieved on the surface, very close to Palaeolithic cave paintings, and also from inside possible points of fixed lighting. The predominant wood-type is Pinus sp., especially Pinus tp. sylvestris/nigra. The taphonomic alterations recorded are attributable to the combustion process (vitrification and cracks), the possible gathering of dead wood (fungal hyphae/mycelia), the use of branches and twigs (reaction wood) and the burning of resinous taxa (resin marks). The identification of a vegetative bud of Pinus sylvestris furnishes information about the use of tree branches, as well as the time of year at which the Cueva de Nerja may have been frequented by prehistoric groups.

Résumé

Cette étude examine 100 macrovestiges de plantes carbonisées provenant des galeries intérieures de Cueva De Nerja, afin de mieux comprendre le contexte de l’art pariétal paléolithique et d’obtenir des informations sur les possibles systèmes d’éclairage. Les restes ont été récupérés en surface, très près des peintures paléolithiques de la caverne, et également à l’intérieur des possibles lieux d’éclairage fixe. Le type de bois prédominant est Pinus sp., particulièrement Pinus tp. sylvestris/nigra. Les altérations taphonomiques enregistrées sont attribuables au processus de combustion (vitrification et fissures), à un possible ramassage de bois mort (hyphes/mycéliums de champignons), à l’utilisation de branches et de brindilles (bois de réaction) et à la combustion de taxons résineux (marques de résine). L’identification d’un bourgeon végétatif de Pinus sylvestris documente l’utilisation de branches d’arbre, ainsi que l’époque au cours de laquelle la Cueva de Nerja a pu être fréquentée par les groupes préhistoriques.

Keywords

Wood charcoal analysis

Taphonomy

Inner archaeological context

Parietal art

Upper Palaeolithic

Mots clés

Anthracologie

Taphonomie

Contexte archéologique interne

Art pariétal

Paléolithique supérieur

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

Copyright © 2015 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS All rights reserved.

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