| |
Presented at the NABS Annual meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2002
in Land/Water Interfaces
IN-STREAM LARGE WOODY DEBRIS LOADING AND SOURCE DISTANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR RIPARIAN FOREST MANAGEMENT ON THE ALLEGHENY HIGH PLATEAU.
C.E. Williams, J. Coombes, B. George, T. Jeffcoat, J. Manno, B. Brokaw, and R. Cook. Department of Biology, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA 16214
Large woody debris (LWD) is an important component of streams in forested landscapes and its abundance is closely linked to forest management. We compared in-stream LWD loading and source distances of logs in headwater streams within second growth (60 to 80 years in age) and old-growth (> 300 years in age) riparian forests of Pennsylvania's Allegheny High Plateau. LWD volume (m3/100 m of stream) and density (# stems/100 m of stream) were significantly greater for streams within old-growth forests than for those within second growth. LWD volume ranged from 1.1 to 7.8 m3/100 m (mean = 3.4±0.6 SE m3/100 m) within second growth and from 4.2 to 24.7 m3/100 (mean = 15.0±1.8 SE m3/100 m) within old growth. LWD density ranged from 10 to 50 stems/100 m (mean 25.5±4.2 SE stems/100 m) within second growth and 18 to 86 stems/100 m (mean 47.3±7.3 SE stems/100 m) within old-growth. LWD source distance was significantly greater within old growth although over 25% of logs originated within 1 m of the stream at both old- and second growth sites. Our study provides useful targets for enhancing in-stream LWD with implications for riparian buffer zone design.
|
|
