Stand Structural Complexity
(Saunders and Wagner) - Modeling has been used to assess the
effects of harvesting on the vertical and horizontal forest structure. The
primary objective is to provide a more unified definition of stand structure
and provide a set of metrics for measuring it. Simulation modeling of stand
structural development over time using both traditional and spatially-explicit
indices for five silvicultural treatments has been
compared. Results from this project indicate that commercial clearcutting, fixed diameter limit, and shelterwood harvests create stand structures that are
atypical of those found under natural stand development in the Northeast, at
least in the short term (<30 years after harvest). Further, this work
suggests that the Stand Complexity Index (Zenner and Hibbs 2000) is inadequate in its current form to separate
low-density, uneven-aged stands with “high” amounts of observed forest
structure from high-density, even-aged stands with “low” amounts of observed
forest structure. Data for this study
was collected on permenant plots of the USFS
long-term silviculture experiment on the
