Biomass, Primary Production, and Selected Nutrient Budgets for an Undisturbed Watershed

Abstract

The forests of lower elevations (700 to 1000 m) in the Coweeta Basin are similar to those studied elsewhere in the southern Appalachians (Whittaker 1966; Mowbray and Oosting 1968). Several species of oaks dominate these forests today; however, chestnut was the leading dominant prior to invasion by the chestnut blight. Spatial distribution of species on the slopes seems to follow topographic moisture gradients. A group of mesic species (tulip poplar, yellow birch, hemlock, witch hazel, dogwood, and rhododendron) are positively correlated with distance from the water divide and aspect, and are negatively correlated with distance from the stream channel and elevation. A group of xeric species (chestnut oak, scarlet oak, pignut hickory, mountain laurel, sourwood, red maple, and black gum) are positively correlated with distance from the stream channel and elevation, and are negatively correlated with distance from the water divide (Day and Monk 1974; Monk and Day 1984). A more detailed population and community description is summarized by Day et al. (Chapter 10).