Beasley, Christen Marie2021-01-092021-01-092021-01-08vt_gsexam:29023http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101814Oaks (Quercus spp.) are an important part of the forested landscape in the eastern United States. Although oak is increasing in standing volume, an oak regeneration bottleneck has occurred throughout its range in recent decades. Subsequently, as oak overstory is being harvested, rarely is oak recruited into the overstory to maintain the historic dominance of overstory oak. In the absence of fire and subsequent canopy closure, mesic species have proliferated, frequently forming a dense understory, inhibiting oak regeneration success. This study was developed to determine species dynamics between oak and oak competitors in response to silvicultural treatments in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. The treatments were: a shelterwood treatment (25-30% basal area reduction through mid-story removal with herbicides), a prescribed fire treatment (two late dormant season fires occurred over a 9-year period), a shelterwood and burn treatment (prescribed fire 3-5 years following 30-40% basal area removal), and an unmanaged control. To determine treatment impacts on the regeneration layer, importance value and stems ha-1 were calculated at the species group and individual species level 0- and 9- years post initial treatment. A principal component analysis and an analysis of basal area by treatment 0- and 9-years post-treatment were used to determine the influence of site-specific characteristics on regeneration layer response. The greatest relative increases in importance values were 1401% and 2995% for the red oak group and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), respectively, in the shelterwood and burn (SWB). Change in all species groups were predominantly influenced by the smallest size-class (<0.6 m tall), with the exception of northern red oak (Q. rubra) and yellow-poplar in the SWB. The SWB significantly reduced importance values of all shade tolerant species groups and was the only treatment to decrease red maple (Acer rubrum) importance value and density over the study years. The prescribed fire (RXF) treatment increased red oak group importance value, while simultaneously decreasing yellow-poplar importance value and increasing red maple importance value. Changes in the red oak group in the SWB and the RXF were driven by northern red oak and scarlet oak (Q. coccinea), respectively. Treatments do not appear to change the competitive status of the white oak group. Elevation was closely associated with the red oak group. Yellow-poplar importance value increases, white oak group importance value increases, and site index were closely associated. Decreases in basal area were greatest in the SWB, and the SWB was the only treatment to significantly decrease overstory basal area. The RXF and SWB treatments improved the competitive status of only some oak species, but modifications to these treatments may result in better control of yellow-poplar and red maple competition, further improving oak's competitive status. Site specific factors such as elevation and site index may have impacted the regeneration layer response to treatments.ETDIn CopyrightSilvicultural TreatmentsEcosystem RestorationHarvestingShelterwoodThesis