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Early Successional Forest Habitats and Water Resources

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Sustaining Young Forest Communities

Part of the book series: Managing Forest Ecosystems ((MAFE,volume 21))

Abstract

Tree harvests that create early successional habitats have direct and indirect impacts on water resources in forests of the Central Hardwood Region. Streamflow increases substantially immediately after timber harvest, but increases decline as leaf area recovers and biomass aggrades. Post-harvest increases in stormflow of 10–20%, generally do not contribute to downstream flooding. Sediment from roads and skid trails can compromise water quality after cutting. With implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs), timber harvests are unlikely to have detrimental impacts on water resources, but forest conversion from hardwood to pines, or poorly designed road networks may have long lasting impacts. Changing climate suggests the need for close monitoring of BMP effectiveness and the development of new BMPs applicable to more extreme climatic conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Otto, NC, 28763, USA

    James M. Vose & Chelcy R. Ford

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  1. James M. Vose
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  2. Chelcy R. Ford
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Correspondence to James M. Vose .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Bent Creek Experimental Forest, US Forest Service, Southern Research Sta, Brevard Road 1577, Ashville, 28806, North Carolina, USA

    Cathryn Greenberg

  2. , Department of Biology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, 28734, North Carolina, USA

    Beverly Collins

  3. US Forest Service Northern Research Stat, Natural Resources Building, University of Missouri-Columbia 202, Columbia, 65211-7260, Missouri, USA

    Frank Thompson III

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Vose, J.M., Ford, C.R. (2011). Early Successional Forest Habitats and Water Resources. In: Greenberg, C., Collins, B., Thompson III, F. (eds) Sustaining Young Forest Communities. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 21. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1620-9_14

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