Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting

Natural forest regeneration after natural or anthropogenic disturbance is difficult to predict given its high variability. The process is poorly documented for commercial northern hardwood species in the Acadian forest of eastern Canada. Our objective was to identify the silvicultural, environmental...

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Main Authors: Mohammed Henneb, Gaetan Pelletier, Mathieu Fortin, Nelson Thiffault, Marie-Andrée Giroux
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Canadian Institute of Forestry 2021-06-01
Series:The Forestry Chronicle
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Online Access:https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2021-021
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author Mohammed Henneb
Gaetan Pelletier
Mathieu Fortin
Nelson Thiffault
Marie-Andrée Giroux
author_facet Mohammed Henneb
Gaetan Pelletier
Mathieu Fortin
Nelson Thiffault
Marie-Andrée Giroux
author_sort Mohammed Henneb
collection DOAJ
description Natural forest regeneration after natural or anthropogenic disturbance is difficult to predict given its high variability. The process is poorly documented for commercial northern hardwood species in the Acadian forest of eastern Canada. Our objective was to identify the silvicultural, environmental, and ecological factors that best explain the variability in sapling density and occurrence of two commercial tolerant hardwood species in New Brunswick: American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). Forty-three permanent sample plots were established in 2002 and measured before harvesting in 2004. Sapling density and occurrence were measured 14 years after harvesting. The results showed that the interactions between the species and the residual merchantable basal area and between the species and the percent of hardwoods in the original stand best explained the sapling density and occurrence variation of tolerant hardwoods. The sapling density of sugar maple increased with increasing merchantable residual basal area. However, the effect of this variable was not significant for the density of American beech saplings. The density and occurrence of tolerant hardwood saplings both increased along with the percent of hardwoods in the original stand. These results provide an improved understanding about tolerant hardwood regeneration dynamics in New Brunswick forests.
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publisher Canadian Institute of Forestry
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series The Forestry Chronicle
spelling doaj-art-5f2e7900acb44afdb0b813a4d551d7392025-08-20T03:39:00ZengCanadian Institute of ForestryThe Forestry Chronicle0015-75461499-93152021-06-01970220421810.5558/tfc2021-021Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvestingMohammed Henneb0Gaetan Pelletier1Mathieu Fortin2Nelson Thiffault3Marie-Andrée Giroux4K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, CanadaNorthern Hardwood Research Insitute Inc., 165 boul. Hébert, Edmundston, NB E3V 2S8, CanadaK.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, CanadaK.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, CanadaK.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, CanadaNatural forest regeneration after natural or anthropogenic disturbance is difficult to predict given its high variability. The process is poorly documented for commercial northern hardwood species in the Acadian forest of eastern Canada. Our objective was to identify the silvicultural, environmental, and ecological factors that best explain the variability in sapling density and occurrence of two commercial tolerant hardwood species in New Brunswick: American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). Forty-three permanent sample plots were established in 2002 and measured before harvesting in 2004. Sapling density and occurrence were measured 14 years after harvesting. The results showed that the interactions between the species and the residual merchantable basal area and between the species and the percent of hardwoods in the original stand best explained the sapling density and occurrence variation of tolerant hardwoods. The sapling density of sugar maple increased with increasing merchantable residual basal area. However, the effect of this variable was not significant for the density of American beech saplings. The density and occurrence of tolerant hardwood saplings both increased along with the percent of hardwoods in the original stand. These results provide an improved understanding about tolerant hardwood regeneration dynamics in New Brunswick forests.https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2021-021Acadian foresttolerant hardwoodssapling densityoccurrence probabilityregeneration modelingForêt acadienne
spellingShingle Mohammed Henneb
Gaetan Pelletier
Mathieu Fortin
Nelson Thiffault
Marie-Andrée Giroux
Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
The Forestry Chronicle
Acadian forest
tolerant hardwoods
sapling density
occurrence probability
regeneration modeling
Forêt acadienne
title Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
title_full Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
title_fullStr Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
title_full_unstemmed Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
title_short Modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the Acadian forests of New Brunswick, Canada: Results 14 years after harvesting
title_sort modeling tolerant hardwood sapling density and occurrence probability in the acadian forests of new brunswick canada results 14 years after harvesting
topic Acadian forest
tolerant hardwoods
sapling density
occurrence probability
regeneration modeling
Forêt acadienne
url https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2021-021
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