Browsing by Subject "floodplain forest"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Controlling Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea) And Restoring Floodplain Forest In The Upper Mississippi River Valley
    (2019-03) DeLaundreau, Maria
    Floodplain forest loss in the Upper Mississippi Valley is concerning because of the habitat these forests provide, especially for birds. Native floodplain forest systems are increasingly susceptible to reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae; RCG) establishment and spread. Once invaded by RCG, ecological restoration of floodplain requires integrated treatments that reduce the existing RCG population, along with additional long-term control measures. A common secondary measure is tree or shrub plantings to provide shade and reduce the competitive ability of this shade-intolerant invader. Chapter one builds on prior research that combines RCG control and reforestation, uniquely combining two herbicide treatments, two tree stock types (root production method “RPM,” and bare root), and four tree species. Species and stock type emerged as important factors in models of survival, growth, and deer browse. RPMs had greater survival, growth, and browse than bare roots under most conditions. Cottonwoods had the greatest height growth but the lowest survival. The top performing species was silver maple, which had both high survival and moderate growth. Our results suggest that land managers have flexibility for implementing RCG treatments but should consider their choice of stock type and species as it will affect tree survival and height outcomes. Chapter two explores sharing management recommendations from the restoration experiment with land managers. Our team is developing a decision support tool (DST) that will connect land managers with practical recommendations supported by research. To inform the creation of an effective DST, I conducted interviews with floodplain land managers in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Despite diverse goals, all interviewees are interested in increasing native plant community coverage, particularly floodplain forests. Land managers are knowledgeable of and use many restoration techniques but they are still seeking more effective and efficient methods. They confirmed they do not get information from scientific journals, instead they are interested in materials that provide guidance on site assessment and management recommendations in an easy to understand format.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Identification of Annual Flood Durations Associated with Tree Species in the Upper Mississippi River System Floodplain, with Applications to Forest Restoration
    (University of Minnesota, 2020-05) Ingvalson, Derek S.; Windmuller-Campione, Marcella A.; Meier, Andrew R.
    The Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is a highly altered river complex in the Midwestern United States that has been managed to provide a unique balance of economic, recreational, and environmental benefits to society. Manipulation of the river’s flows to support this multipurpose system has resulted in dramatic changes to the structure and function of various aquatic and terrestrial habitats, including floodplain forests. There is increased interest in restoring floodplain forests in the UMRS; however, the silvics of individual species and dynamics of floodplain forest stands are only marginally understood. The purpose of this study was to i) identify growing season flood durations that are suitable for individual tree species in the UMRS and (ii) demonstrate how those results can be applied at the project scale for use in forest restoration and management. The 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile values of average annual growing season flood duration were identified for 17 UMRS tree species by integrating a spatially explicit forest inventory dataset from Mississippi River pools 3-10 with plot level elevation data and estimates of average annual growing season flood duration for the nearest river mile. This range was used to describe the ecological amplitude of each species related to hydrologic conditions, with annual days of inundation providing a measure of hydrologic variability. The results of this study demonstrate the varying flood tolerance of UMRS floodplain forest trees at the species level and can be used by river managers to aid in the development of planting plans and the design of habitat restoration and enhancement efforts.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Increasing understanding of floodplain forest dynamics, 2018-2020, Upper Mississippi River
    (2021-12-03) Reuling, Laura F; Van Appledorn, Molly; Meier, Andrew R; Nielsen, Daniel; Windmuller-Campione, Marcella A; lreuling@umn.edu; Reuling, Laura F; University of Minnesota Silva Lab
    This forest inventory dataset was collected from 2018-2020 in floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River (MN, WI, and IA). It includes tree and species level information on overstory trees, tree regeneration, understory plant communities, and coarse woody debris at twelve study sites (108 total plots). These data were used to understand floodplain forest dynamics and inform forest management for these systems.