Seeding bottomland oaks (Quercus spp.) in the southern United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21750/REFOR.21.09.139Keywords:
forest restoration, afforestation, direct seeding, QuercusAbstract
Temperate broadleaf forests occupying river floodplains of the southern United States are rich in tree species diversity, with various species of bottomland oaks (Quercus spp. L.) often comprising a primary overstory component in these forests across the region. Comprehensive research to support development of seeding as a method for artificially regenerating bottomland oaks began in the early 1980s and quickly advanced to produce reliable practices for establishing oak-dominated stands. Large-scale forest restoration was initiated across the region during the late 1980s at which time bottomland oak seeding practices were adapted for broad scale use due to their relatively low costs. This manuscript presents a synthesis of basic bottomland oak ecology, factors leading to degradation of bottomland oak sites and stands, favored techniques and practices for restoring bottomland oak forests through seeding, factors that limit success and impose risks upon seeding projects, and silvicultural principles for seeding bottomland oaks in the southern United States.
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