MOFEP Ground Flora StudyMOFEP Ground Flora Study

Team Members: Jenny Team Members: Jenny Grabner, Randy Jensen, Eric Grabner, Randy Jensen, Eric Zenner, John Kabrick, David Zenner, John Kabrick, David Larsen, and others.Larsen, and others.

Project Goals Project Goals Determine pre-treatment differences Determine pre-treatment differences

among sites, treatments, and blocks with among sites, treatments, and blocks with respect to:respect to: ground flora species, plot diversity, and ground flora species, plot diversity, and

plot richness.plot richness.

Detect patterns in the ground flora data in Detect patterns in the ground flora data in relation to environmental conditions both relation to environmental conditions both within and among sites.within and among sites.

Document changes in ground flora Document changes in ground flora vegetation following even-age, uneven-vegetation following even-age, uneven-age, and no-harvest management. age, and no-harvest management.

Key findings: Key findings: Pre-treatmentPre-treatment

530+ different species, including 275 genera in 85 families 530+ different species, including 275 genera in 85 families > 50% of species on less than 10% of the 648 plots> 50% of species on less than 10% of the 648 plots

Plots averaged high species diversity Plots averaged high species diversity low and high species richness and species diversity within plots of all siteslow and high species richness and species diversity within plots of all sites

species composition and abundance, and plot richness and diversity were species composition and abundance, and plot richness and diversity were dependent on:dependent on: geology, landform, and soilsgeology, landform, and soils, , within and among siteswithin and among sites

Key findings: Key findings: Post-Post-treatmenttreatment

species richness decreased on no-harvest sites but species richness decreased on no-harvest sites but increased slightly on even-age and uneven-age sitesincreased slightly on even-age and uneven-age sites

ground cover (%) increased on all sites and treatments ground cover (%) increased on all sites and treatments but harvested sites increased more than no-harvest but harvested sites increased more than no-harvest sites sites

annual / biennial species increased increased the most annual / biennial species increased increased the most on even-age management sites:on even-age management sites: The post-treatment relative cover (%) was 1% or less The post-treatment relative cover (%) was 1% or less

on all siteson all sites relative cover (%) of woody vines increased the most on relative cover (%) of woody vines increased the most on

the even-age and uneven-age sites the even-age and uneven-age sites legumes decreased significantly on harvested sites but legumes decreased significantly on harvested sites but

increased slightly on no-harvest sites increased slightly on no-harvest sites

Ground flora richness Ground flora richness differencedifference

Even-aged Uneven-aged No-harvest

Clearcuts Intermediatecuts

Uncut Group openings

Single-treeselection

Uncut

% Ground cover % Ground cover differencedifference

Even-aged Uneven-aged No-harvest

Clearcuts Intermediatecuts

Uncut Group openings

Single-treeselection

Uncut

Past ChallengesPast Challenges

Lots of quadrats (10,368) to Lots of quadrats (10,368) to sample in a short time.sample in a short time.

Lots of data and lots of species Lots of data and lots of species to analyze.to analyze.

Lots of plant taxonomy training Lots of plant taxonomy training and a learning curve through and a learning curve through the years.the years.

Treatments, sites, elts, new elts, Treatments, sites, elts, new elts, eltps, soils, cut or not cut – how eltps, soils, cut or not cut – how to put it all togetherto put it all together

Research NeedsResearch Needs

A botanist on MOFEP !A botanist on MOFEP ! Determining the number of years sampling is Determining the number of years sampling is

required before and after the next 2011 harvest.required before and after the next 2011 harvest. Is an additional sampling design desired to Is an additional sampling design desired to

detect differences of forest management on rare detect differences of forest management on rare species?species?

A quadrat level treatment header for the A quadrat level treatment header for the difference between single-tree and group difference between single-tree and group selection harvests.selection harvests.

Individual species analysis.Individual species analysis. Better understanding of how scale and patch Better understanding of how scale and patch

dynamics affects forest ground flora.dynamics affects forest ground flora.

Future PlansFuture Plans

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