Effects of timber harvest on Cimicifuga elata, a rare plant of western forests

Thomas N. Kaye; Melissa Kirkland

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Effects of timber harvest on Cimicifuga elata, a rare plant of western forests

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Effects of timber harvest on Cimicifuga elata, a rare plant of western forests

Thomas N. Kaye and Melissa Kirkland

Northwest science., Vol.73(3), pp.159-167

1999

Handle:

https://hdl.handle.net/2376/1154

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Abstract

clearcuts

herbivory

management actions

oldgrowth-forest: habitat-

population structure

secondgrowth-forests: habitat-

thinnedstands: habitat-

timber harvest

Natural Heritage programs

US Fish and Wildlife Service: government agency

Forest Management

Cimicifuga elata (tall bugbane) is a Species of Concern with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and it is considered by Natural Heritage programs in Oregon and Washington to be endangered. Since the species occurs in forests, its conservation could conflict with other forest uses such as timber harvest. It has been postulated that the species is dependent on old-growth coniferous forests. The objectives of this study were to compare populations of this species among sites with differing forest-management histories. In contrast to previous reports, we found that C. elata in uncut old-growth forest was smaller and less reproductive than in clearcuts, probably because plants responded well to additional light in cut-over areas. Plants in areas with other management histories, such as second growth and thinned stands (both >70 years old), were intermediate in size. Population structure also differed among management types. Herbivory by deer and elk was more frequent in clear cuts andedges than in unmanaged old-growth forests. No populations were known at the time of this study from second growth forests of moderate age (20-30 years), and it is possible that competing vegetation excludes C. elata from clearcuts after a few years. Management actions that retain hardwoods, thin stands, or create gaps may improve at least short-term conditions for this species

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Details

Title: Effects of timber harvest on Cimicifuga elata, a rare plant of western forests
Creators: Thomas N. Kaye (Author)
Melissa Kirkland (Author)
Publication Details: Northwest science., Vol.73(3), pp.159-167
Academic Unit: Northwest Science
Publisher: WSU Press
Identifiers: 99900502668501842
Copyright: In copyright ; openAccess ; http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ ; http://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article