Post-burn study of woody plants at the Jacobs Branch West burn site, 1994

Recent declines in the yellow pine component of pine-hardwood stands in the southern Appalachian Mountains has prompted managers to increase the use of fire as a silviculture tool. The fell and burn treatment is designed to remove competing vegetation (hardwoods and mountain laurel [Kalmia latifolia]) to ensure successful establishment of planted eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Two years after burning, mountain laurel had accumulated more biomass than any other species and accounted for 43% of total biomass in year 1 and 20% in year 2. By year 4, mountain laurel ranked fifth (8.9% of total) in total biomass among hardwood species behind Allegheny serviceberry (Amalanchier arborea, 14.3%), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus, 13.7%), red maple (Acer rubrum, 12.4%), and scarlet oak (Q. coccinea, 9.3%). Across sites, woody species richness ranged from 19-24 in year 1 and 14-22 in year 4. Species richness varied across sites and years, and there were substantial changes in the distribution of biomass among species. The introduction of fire allowed the once dominant pitch pine (P. rigida) to successfully reestablish.

阿巴拉契亚山脉南部的松硬阔混交林（pine-hardwood stands）内的黄松组分近年出现衰退，促使林务管理者加大将火作为森林培育学（silviculture）工具的应用力度。本次研究中的伐除火烧处理（fell and burn treatment）旨在清除竞争植被（阔叶树与山月桂[Kalmia latifolia]），以保障人工栽植的东部白松（Pinus strobus）成功定植。火烧两年后，山月桂的生物量积累量高于其他所有物种，在第1年和第2年分别占总生物量的43%与20%。至第4年，在阔叶树种中，山月桂的总生物量排名第五（占总量的8.9%），位列阿勒格尼唐棣（Amalanchier arborea，14.3%）、栗栎（Quercus prinus，13.7%）、红枫（Acer rubrum，12.4%）以及猩红栎（Q. coccinea，9.3%）之后。不同样地的木本物种丰富度在第1年为19至24种，第4年则为14至22种。物种丰富度随样地与年份存在显著差异，且各物种间的生物量分布也发生了显著变化。火烧措施的实施使得曾为优势种的刚松（P. rigida）得以成功自然更新。