Publication Details

Year Published

2008

Publication

Forest Ecology and Management. 255: 1489-1500.

Abstract

Changes in land use patterns in and around forests, including rural development and road building, have occurred throughout the United States and are accelerating in many areas. As a result, there have been significant departures from 'natural' or pre-settlement disturbance regimes. Altered disturbance regimes can shift composition and dominance in tree species communities, potentially affecting ecosystem functioning. We examined the potential consequences of various forest management practices and forest fragmentation on tree community composition. Both forest management and fragmentation are changing as land use changes within the New Jersey Pine Barrens (NJPB). The NJPB has and is continuing to experience rapid rural development and urbanization that are altering the types, frequency, and intensity of forest management, and are increasing forest fragmentation. In the NJPB, the size and frequency of wildfires have declined and the use of prescribed fires is limited to a small portion of the landscape. In addition, the expansion of roads and decline in total forested area-- two common measures of fragmentation--may impede the ability of tree species to colonize available habitat.

Keywords

Citation

Scheller, Robert M.; Van Tuyl, Steve; Clark, Kenneth; Hayden, Nicholas G.; Hom, John; Mladenoff, David J. 2008. Simulation of forest change in the New Jersey Pine Barrens under current and pre-colonial conditions. Forest Ecology and Management. 255: 1489-1500.