Forest Research: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2168-9776
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2168-9776
+44 1300 500008
Oswald BP
Nacogdoches, Texas
Tanzania
Research Article
Reconstruction of Pinon-Juniper Forest Structure to Examine Historic Wildlife Habitat Characteristics in the Davis Mountains, USA
Author(s): Oswald BP, Lanham JR, Bataineh MM, Kroll JC and Zhang YOswald BP, Lanham JR, Bataineh MM, Kroll JC and Zhang Y
Changes in pinon-juniper (Pinus spp., Juniperusspp.) communities across the southwestern United States have often decreased ecological diversity of the understory and increases of exotic species. Reconstructing age and establishment patterns provides essential understanding to guide treatments and management for anthropogenically-altered forests. The goal of this study was to determine how patterns of pinon and juniper growth in the Davis Mountains, Texas, varied over time and how this pattern influenced wildlife habitat of several indicator species. Establishment patterns and basal area growth progression were identified, canopy cover estimates regressed from pre-developed canopy regression equations to re-construct historic forest stand structure and canopy characteristics in twenty-year intervals and applied to known wildlife habitat requirements of Montezuma quai.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2168-9776.1000206