How Management Strategies Have Affected Atlantic White-Cedar Forest Recovery After Massive Wind Damage in the Great Dismal Swamp.
No Thumbnail Available
Files
Date
2009-12-11
Authors
Journal Title
Series/Report No.
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
ABSTRACT
LAING, JOELLE MARIE. How Management Strategies Have Affected Atlantic White-Cedar Forest Recovery After Massive Wind Damage in the Great Dismal Swamp. (Under the direction of Theodore Henry Shear.)
In September 2003 Hurricane Isabel swept through eastern North Carolina and Virginia, destroying most of what formerly ranked among the most extensive remaining stands of Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic White-cedar, cedar). As Atlantic White-cedar communities are typically dependent on irregular, large-scale disturbances, the hurricane event can be viewed as an opportunity for perpetuating cedar populations in the Great Dismal Swamp. However, differing post-storm management practices at the Dismal Swamp State Park (State Park) and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Wildlife Refuge) have influenced the success of cedar regeneration following the storm at each site. In this study I investigated the regeneration success of Atlantic White-cedar at the State Park five years following Hurricane Isabel by sampling five stands withstanding varying impact from the storm and previous windthrow events. To determine the feasibility of future Atlantic White-cedar restoration management options in the park stands, I also sampled the available seedbank to estimate the current viability of cedar seeds and the potential for continued germination. Results showed regeneration at the State Park was limited (less than 200 seedlings per hectare), but that viable cedar seeds were still present in the seedbank. When contrasting the success of Atlantic White-cedar reestablishment at the Wildlife Refuge, results showed the passive management implemented at the State Park is insufficient for stand reestablishment and that active management is necessary to promote adequate regeneration. Because appropriate management activities vary depending on the nature of the disturbance and the individual site conditions, I discuss the factors that have led to the decline of Atlantic White-cedar and also specific challenges that must be overcome for seedling regeneration after disturbance. By using this information, land managers can potentially take more effective measures for promoting cedar regeneration after windthrow events.
Description
Keywords
Atlantic White-Cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides, North Carolina, Wetland Restoration, Hurricane Isabel, Hurricane damage, wetlands, Dismal Swamp, Great Dismal Swamp, wind disturbance, windthrow
Citation
Degree
MS
Discipline
Natural Resources
