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Characterizing northern white-cedar communities in harvested and unharvested lowland forests of Michigan, USA

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Abstract

Understanding the complexity of forest community dynamics is essential in forest management planning and stewardship, yet lowland northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) are often managed as homogenous communities. Through this study, we defined lowland white-cedar forest community types in unharvested and harvested forest stands within the State of Michigan and examined community type associations with ecological variables. Data collected in unharvested stands revealed three white-cedar community subtypes: (1) cedar-deciduous, (2) cedar-conifer, and (3) cedar-shrub. These unharvested subtypes were dominated by white-cedar, yet characterized by different soils, hydrology, geochemical gradients, and associated tree species. In harvested stands, six community types were identified: (1) aspen-fir, (2) winterberry-willow, (3) balsam fir, (4) cedar-red maple, (5) cedar-black spruce, and (6) alder-tamarack. These harvested community types were located along ecological gradients, including soil type (organic or mineral) and soil water pH. Using community types in unharvested and harvested stands, and associated ecological gradients, potential pathways of compositional transition were theorized. Findings suggest that cedar community subtype affects the likelihood of cedar regeneration and dictates the alternative species replacing cedar after harvest. These findings and potential pathways are useful to forestry practitioners, as they highlight potential changes in tree species dominance following harvest across a range of lowland white-cedar community types, allowing refinement of silvicultural prescriptions to ensure desired outcomes.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Data related to Phase I are available from the corresponding author on request and with approval of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Bay Mills Indian Community per Tribal-University Data Sharing Agreements.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Wildlife Program, Bay Mills Indian Community Biological Services, and Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, for their contributions to, and support for, this work. We thank the InterTribal Timber Council’s Truman D. Picard Scholarship Program, American Indian Graduate Center’s Science Post-Graduate Scholarship Program and the Bureau of Indian Education, Michigan Technological University’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science McIntire-Stennis Program and Ecosystem Science Center, the Society of Wetland Scientists, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources for financially supporting this research. We thank the editors and reviewers for their contributions to this manuscript, which has been improved with their review.

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to Michigan Technological University (PI author Rodney Chimner). Phase I work was supported by scholarships to author Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark from InterTribal Timber Council’s Truman D. Picard Scholarship Program, American Indian Graduate Center’s Science Post-Graduate Scholarship Program and the Bureau of Indian Education, Michigan Technological University’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Ecosystem Science Center, and the Society of Wetland Scientists. The work was also supported by Michigan Technological University’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science McIntire-Stennis Program funding to Yvette Dickinson and author Rodney Chimner.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA

    Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark, Christopher R. Webster & Rodney A. Chimner

  2. Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, USA

    Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark

  3. USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Bradley, ME, USA

    Laura S. Kenefic

  4. USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Rhinelander, WI, USA

    Christel C. Kern

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  1. Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark
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  2. Christopher R. Webster
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  3. Laura S. Kenefic
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  5. Rodney A. Chimner
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Contributions

Study conception and design for Phase I was led by RMC and RC. All authors contributed to Phase II study conception and design. Data collection was performed by RMC and field crews from Michigan Technological University. Material preparation and data analysis was performed by RMC. Writing of the first draft manuscript was performed by RMC and RC. All authors contributed to data interpretation, manuscript revisions, and have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark.

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Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 7, 8, 9 and 10

Table 7 Plot-level ecological variables assessed in this study are included with short descriptions and mean ± standard error for unharvested and harvested plots
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Table 8 Pearson and Kendall Correlations for Unharvested Plots
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Table 9 Pearson and Kendall Correlations for Harvested Plots
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Table 10 Values for all community type characteristics considered in the study
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Clark, R.M., Webster, C.R., Kenefic, L.S. et al. Characterizing northern white-cedar communities in harvested and unharvested lowland forests of Michigan, USA. Wetlands Ecol Manage 32, 327–353 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-024-09979-y

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