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Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (27 March 2024) | Viewed by 15138

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Dr. Xiongwen Chen

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Guest Editor

Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Alabama A & M University, Huntsville, AL, USA
Interests: forest ecosystems and landscape; climate change; spatial and temporal dynamics; ecology

Dr. Qinfeng Guo

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Guest Editor

Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Interests: biological invasions; community ecology; ecology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests (and woodlands) are among the world’s most unique and biologically diverse ecosystems, which have long been considered vital in the southeastern United States due to their social, ecological, and economic value. However, after the extensive exploitation, fire suppression, and land use change during the 19th and 20th centuries, following European settlement, longleaf pine forests in the United States have become an endangered ecosystem.

Longleaf pine forests provide quality timber and related forest products and serve as excellent wildlife habitats. Several endangered species are currently dependent on this ecosystem. In addition, longleaf pine forests have significant potential for carbon storage, as trees can reach a lifespan of up to 450 years. Consequently, the conservation and restoration of longleaf pine forests have become the priority in natural resource management in the southeastern United States.

This Special Issue aims to discuss new knowledge of longleaf pine forests from different perspectives to achieve the sustainability of this species and ecosystem.

Potential topics include (but are not limited to):

Longleaf pine tree growth, ecophysiology, and reproduction;
Effect of prescribed burning on the restoration of longleaf pine forests;
Effects of climate change on longleaf pine forests;
Catastrophic effects on longleaf pine forests;
Ecological processes in longleaf pine forests (e.g., carbon, water, and nutrients)
Ecological services of longleaf pine forests;
Biodiversity in longleaf pine forests;
Woody and non-woody products from longleaf pine forests;
Management practices in longleaf pine forests.

Dr. Xiongwen Chen
Dr. Qinfeng Guo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biodiversity
carbon
climate
cone/seed production
ecological processes
fires
function and service
scaling
species interactions
predicting

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 627 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Updates on Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management

by Xiongwen Chen and Qinfeng Guo

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1399; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081399 - 10 Aug 2024

Viewed by 782

Abstract

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris L [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

15 pages, 2399 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Range-Wide Assessment of Recent Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) Area and Regeneration Trends

by Kevin M. Potter, Christopher M. Oswalt and James M. Guldin

Forests 2024, 15(7), 1255; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15071255 - 19 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 897

Abstract

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is a conifer historically associated with an open forest ecosystem that extended across much of the coastal plain of the Southeastern United States. It now exists mainly in isolated fragments following the conversion of forests and the long-term disruption of the low-intensity fire regime upon which the species depends. Recent decades have seen efforts to restore longleaf pine forests by government and private landowners. This was reflected in analyses of national forest inventory data during two time periods, ca. 2009–2015 and 2016–2021, that showed increases in the estimated number of longleaf pine trees, the area of the longleaf pine forest type, and the number and area of planted longleaf pine, along with growth in mean plot-level longleaf pine carbon and importance value. At the same time, we found a decrease in the overall forest area containing longleaf pine, manifested across a variety of other forest types. These results point to a dynamic through which forests dominated by longleaf pine are becoming more widespread via restoration, while forests in which the species is a less important component are transitioning to other forest types or land uses. We also detected a decrease over time in the estimated number of longleaf seedlings across most states and forest types and a decline in naturally regenerated longleaf pine. To further assess regeneration trends in longleaf pine, we calculated the estimated proportion of small trees (seedlings and saplings) for the entire species and for seed zone sub-populations. We found a species-wide decrease in the proportion of small trees, from 82.1 percent to 75.1 percent. This reduction was most pronounced along the edges of the species distribution and could indicate less sustainable levels of regeneration in some areas. These results underscore the challenges of facilitating natural regeneration in this important species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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18 pages, 3546 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differentiating Historical Open Forests and Current Closed Forests of the Coastal Plain, Southeastern USA

by Robert Tatina, Brice B. Hanberry and John L. Willis

Forests 2024, 15(3), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030532 - 13 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1299

Abstract

The southeastern United States was historically characterized by open forests featuring fire-adapted species before land-use change. We compared tree composition and densities of historical tree surveys (1802 to 1841) to contemporary tree surveys, with the application of a similarity metric, in the Coastal Plain ecological province of Mississippi, southeastern USA. We detected the boundary between historical pine and oak-pine open forests and differentiated historical and current forests. In the Coastal Plain, historical open forests converted from fire-tolerant longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) dominance, with pines comprising 88% of all trees, to loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash (P. elliottii) pines within monocultures (45% of all trees). Wetland and successional tree species increased to 33% of all trees. Contemporary forests have greater tree densities, transitioning from closed woodlands (range of 168 to 268 trees ha⁻¹) to closed forests (336 trees ha⁻¹). In the ecotonal boundary of the northern Coastal Plain between historical pine and pine-oak woodlands, the pine component shifted over space from 88% to 34% of all trees due to a greater oak component. Fire-tolerant shortleaf pine and oak dominance converted to planted loblolly pine (52% of all trees), while successional tree species increased (20% of all trees). Historical tree densities represented woodlands (range of 144 to 204 trees ha⁻¹) but developed into closed forests (400 trees ha⁻¹). Historical Coastal Plain longleaf pine woodlands differed more from historical ecotonal oak-pine woodlands than contemporary forests differed from each other, demonstrating unique historical ecosystems and landscape-scale homogenization of ecosystems through forestation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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10 pages, 857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prescribed Burning under Differing Forest Cover Types and Its Influence on Soil Water Infiltration Rates and Physical Properties in East Texas Forests

by Brian P. Oswald, Cassady P. Dunson and Kenneth W. Farrish

Forests 2023, 14(10), 2083; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102083 - 18 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1202

Abstract

Little is known regarding the effects of prescribed burning on soil water infiltration and soil physical properties in Western Gulf Coast forests dominated by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), shortleaf pine (P. echinata), or loblolly pine (P. taeda). Soil water infiltration rates were measured pre-burn (before the fire), post-burn (one month after the fire), and at green-up (three months after the fire) in areas utilizing prescribed fire with different rotations and seasons. The National Forests and Grasslands of Texas predominantly perform dormant season burns every two to three years, while the Winston 8 Land and Cattle Ltd. Tree Farm often burned biannually during the dormant season, but occasionally during the growing season. Soil samples were also collected to determine the effects of prescribed burning on soil pH, bulk density, particle density, pore space, soil strength, O-horizon weight and depth (organic matter), and water-stable aggregates. There was a significant increase in soil water infiltration rates between pre-burn and post-burn and pre-burn and green-up, and between the two different burn intervals. Soil strength initially decreased slightly, but then increased over time. Soil-stable aggregates increased significantly over time, and soil physical properties that significantly changed included soil bulk density, pore space, water-stable soil aggregates, and soil strength. This study found there could be short-term (2–3 years) responses on soil physical properties and soil water infiltration rates from repeated burning treatments, regardless of overstory species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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19 pages, 7513 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Patterns of Water Consumption in Longleaf Pine Restoration Areas and the Relationship with Cone Production

by Xiongwen Chen, John L. Willis and Qinfeng Guo

Forests 2023, 14(10), 2081; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102081 - 18 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1368

Abstract

Monitoring water consumption dynamics across the geographic range of an ecosystem may indicate the possible variation and stress in a biome. Here, model output data based on remote sensing (1979–2022) were used to examine the water consumption dynamics and effects on cone production in three geographic margins in the longleaf pine’s range (i.e., Bladen Lake State Forest, Escambia Experimental Forest, and Kisatchie National Forest) under varying climatic conditions. Results indicated that the mean annual transpiration at Escambia was approximately 431 mm and that at Bladen and Kisatchie was 500 mm. Mean monthly transpiration peaked twice (June and October) at Escambia but only once (August) at Bladen and Kisatchie. The mean annual evapotranspiration ranged from approximately 900 mm at Kisatchie to about 791 mm at Escambia and Bladen. The mean annual transpiration/evapotranspiration ratio was about 0.65 at Bladen and 0.55 at Escambia and Kisatchie. A significant correlation existed between evapotranspiration and specific humidity across the sites on a monthly scale but not on a yearly scale. Significant negative relationships existed between precipitation and the ratios of transpiration/precipitation and evapotranspiration/precipitation on the yearly scale across the sites. Negative power relationships were observed between precipitation and the specific humidity/precipitation ratio on monthly and yearly scales. Cone production was generally highest in years with moderate water consumption. These results provide baseline information on how hydrological and ecological processes of longleaf pine forests interact with climate across broad spatial and temporal scales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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25 pages, 4618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Documenting Two Centuries of Change in Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Forests of the Coastal Plain Province, Southeastern USA

by Brice B. Hanberry, Jonathan M. Stober and Don C. Bragg

Forests 2023, 14(10), 1938; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14101938 - 23 Sep 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3034

Abstract

While many tree species occur across the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris C. Lawson) savannas and woodlands once dominated this region. To quantify longleaf pine’s past primacy and trends in the Coastal Plain, we combined seven studies consisting of 255,000 trees from land surveys, conducted between 1810 and 1860 with other descriptions of historical forests, including change to the present day. Our synthesis found support that Pinus palustris predominantly constituted 77% of historical Coastal Plain trees and upland oaks (Quercus) contributed another 8%. While Pinus still dominates these forests today (58% of all trees), most are now either planted loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) or slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) pines. Water oak (Quercus nigra L.), live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), and red maple (Acer rubrum L.) have increased their proportions compared to historical surveys; both longleaf pine and upland oaks have declined to ≤5% of all trees. Our work also supports previous estimates that longleaf pine originally dominated over 25–30 million ha of Coastal Plain forests. As late as the early 1900s, longleaf pine may still have covered 20 million ha, but declined to 7.1 million ha by 1935 and dropped to 4.9 million ha by 1955. Longleaf pine’s regression continued into the mid-1990s, reaching a low of about 1.3 million ha; since then, restoration efforts have produced a modest recovery to 2.3 million ha. Two centuries of overcutting, land clearing, turpentining for chemicals, fire exclusion followed by forest densification by fire-sensitive species, and other silvicultural influences, including widespread loblolly and slash pine plantations, have greatly diminished the Coastal Plain’s once extensive open longleaf pine forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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8 pages, 692 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparing the Effects of Prescribed Burning on Soil Chemical Properties in East Texas Forests with Longleaf and Other Southern Pines in the Overstory

by Cassady P. Dunson, Brian P. Oswald and Kenneth W. Farrish

Forests 2023, 14(9), 1912; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091912 - 20 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1023

Abstract

Little has been reported on the effects of repeated prescribed burning on southern United States’ forest soils, especially when site preparation is not the prescribed fire objective. This study was aimed at identifying any correlations between the soil chemical properties among differing burn intervals and the effects prescribed burning has on them. Sampling was performed in 36 plots at three sites with two different burn intervals (2–3 years and biannually) and measured properties: (1) pre-burn (before the fire), (2) post-burn (one month after the fire), and (3) at vegetation green-up (three months after the fire). Sites varied by overstory species with longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) in the overstory on one site, a mix of loblolly pine (P taeda L.) and shortleaf pine on another, and longleaf and loblolly pines on the third. SAS was used to determine the effects of prescribed burning between different time spans (pre-burn to post-burn, post-burn to green-up, and pre-burn to green-up) and between the two different burn intervals. We found that there could be short-term responses in soil chemical properties from repeated burning treatments including nitrogen in the forms of ammonium and nitrate, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and electrical conductivity, all of which decreased following fire regardless of overstory species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

11 pages, 2465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chronic Exclusion of Fire in Longleaf Pine Stands of an Urban Interface: The University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study

by Frank S. Gilliam

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061125 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1290

Abstract

The dependence of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystems on fire is well-understood, and the anthropogenic alteration of fire cycles within its natural range has contributed to its decline. This has been increasingly exacerbated in areas of urban interfaces, wherein the use of prescribed fire can be problematic. The purpose of this study—the University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study—was to examine the effects of fire exclusion on longleaf pine in the unique urban interface of a university campus. This was an interconnected series of investigations on the main campus and three associated natural areas that comprised remnant longleaf stands following the cessation of widespread longleaf pine harvesting—120 years ago. This period of chronic fire exclusion allowed for a distinct shift in the stand structure and composition. The open, savanna-like structure of fire-maintained longleaf stands has transitioned into closed-canopy forests with the increased prevalence of southern evergreen oaks (especially live oak—Quercus virginiana) and Magnolia spp., resulting in the complete absence of longleaf regeneration. Fire exclusion also appeared to decrease soil fertility. The significant variation in the mean age of longleaf pine stems on the main campus; natural areas suggest that these natural areas were likely under separate ownership with contrasting land-use history prior to its purchase by the State of Florida for campus construction in 1963. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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10 pages, 2639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Individuals’ Behaviors of Cone Production in Longleaf Pine Trees

by Xiongwen Chen and John L. Willis

Forests 2023, 14(3), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030494 - 2 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1544

Abstract

The sporadic cone production of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) challenges the restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem. While much has been learned about longleaf pine cone production at the stand level, little information exists at the tree level regarding cone production and energy allocational strategy. This study aims to analyze cone production and diameter growth of approximately ten sampled longleaf pine trees at seven sites across the southeastern USA over the past twenty years. The results indicate that three-year cycles dominated the cone production dynamics, but longer cycles (four years and more) also occurred. The dynamics of entropy in cone production varied among trees. Taylor’s law, which describes the correlation between average and variance, existed in cone production for the majority of trees. Lagged cone production at one and two years was not autocorrelated among trees across sites. No significant relationships existed between tree diameter (or basal area) growth and cone production among trees across sites. This study provides new information on cone production at the individual tree level and narrows down the possible mechanisms. The results will be helpful in developing strategies for the management and modeling of longleaf pine cone production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

13 pages, 1638 KiB

Open AccessReview

Currently Available Site Index Equations That Use On-Site Tree Measurements for Naturally Regenerated Longleaf Pine in Its Historical Range

by Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

Forests 2024, 15(5), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050855 - 14 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 999

Abstract

The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Mill.) forest type occupied a much greater area in the United States prior to the arrival of Europeans, estimated to be around 37.2 million hectares. This area has been greatly reduced, and these ecosystems now occupy only about 1.2 to 1.6 million hectares. However, there has been a great interest in the restoration of this forest type mainly due to concerns about the loss of ecosystem services associated with these forests; the improved seedling quality and yield potentials bolster those efforts. Beyond that, existing stands are actively managed through different types of practices, including thinnings, prescribed burns often to manipulate the vegetation of other species, and the various timings of clearcuts. Thus, managers need tools to estimate site quality and ultimately productivity. A commonly used measure of site quality is site index, or the height of some defined dominant portion of the stand at a standardized base or index age. The primary objectives are to summarize the 16 existing equations to estimate site index and dominant height in naturally regenerated longleaf pine stands and to examine and visually compare their predicted behavior across a range of site quality and age conditions. Important considerations when using site index of anamorphism and polymorphism as well as base-age invariance are reviewed. Biologically, polymorphism is often considered advantageous since for many species differences in site quality not only result in different asymptotic dominant heights, but also varying rates in their approach to the asymptote. Of the 16 equations examined, only nine of them were polymorphic in nature, but all equations were base-age invariant. There is not an individual equation that is clearly superior because, for instance, it is either anamorphic in nature, is polymorphic but developed based on anamorphic curves, fit using data obtained from temporary plots, or it is limited geographically. Given these limitations, others can use this publication as a reference to determine which equation they feel is best for their particular situation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Longleaf Pine Ecology, Restoration, and Management)

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