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Forest herbicide influences on floristic diversity seven years after broadcast pine release treatments in central Georgia, USA

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Abstract

Maintenance of biodiversity is becoming a goal of forest management. This study determined effects of broadcast pine release herbicide treatments on plant species richness, diversity, and structural proportions seven years after treatment. Three study blocks were established in central Georgia. Plots 0.6–0.8 ha in size were planted to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the Winter of 1982–83 and then treated with imazapyr (Arsenal), glyphosate (Roundup), and hexazinone (Velpar L. and Pronone 10G) in 1985. In 1992, overstory and understory (<1.5 m height) layers were examined utilizing stem and rootstock counts and basal area of overstory species and cover of understory species. ANOVA's were used to test for significance using a randomized complete block model. We found no effect of treatments on species richness. Diversity, measured separately for overstory and understory layers by Shannon-Wiener and Simpson indices, also was not influenced significantly by treatments. Arsenal significantly decreased Diospyros virginiana L. and increased Rubus argutus Link and legumes. Hexazinone treatments generally decreased Quercus nigra L., and Roundup significantly reduced Vaccinium spp. compared to the Check. We concluded that herbicide release treatments did not decrease overstory or understory plant species richness and diversity seven years post-treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Microbiology, Auburn University, 36849-5407, Alabama, USA

    Robert S. Boyd & John D. Freeman

  2. Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, 36849-5407, Alabama, USA

    Robert S. Boyd & John D. Freeman

  3. Southern Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service, Auburn University, 36949-5246, Alabama, USA

    James H. Miller

  4. Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service, 31020, Macon, Georgia, USA

    M. Boyd Edwards

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  1. Robert S. Boyd
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  2. John D. Freeman
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  3. James H. Miller
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  4. M. Boyd Edwards
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Boyd, R.S., Freeman, J.D., Miller, J.H. et al. Forest herbicide influences on floristic diversity seven years after broadcast pine release treatments in central Georgia, USA. New Forest 10, 17–37 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034174

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034174

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