Vegetation Structure in Old-growth Stands in the Coram Research Natural Area in Northwestern Montana

Download or read book Vegetation Structure in Old-growth Stands in the Coram Research Natural Area in Northwestern Montana written by Caryl L. Elzinga and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forest stand structure, understory composition, and tree seedling composition are described for eight permanent tenth-hectare plots established in Engelmann spruce/subalpine fir, western larch, and interior Douglas-fir forest cover types in northwestern Montana. Sites have been protected as examples of old-growth stands since the establishment of the Coram Research Natural Area in 1937. Plot data clearly illustrate a successional trend toward shade-tolerant conifers, placing old-growth stands at risk of loss from succession or catastrophic fire. Management issues associated with use of prescribed fire to maintain old-growth characteristics in natural areas are discussed.