• Research

• Longleaf Pine Research
• Plant Ecology and Biodiversity
• Productivity and Nutrient Cycling
• Long-term Research on Productivity and Biodiver sity
• Ecosystem Restoration
• Conversion From Slash Pine Plantation to Longleaf Pine Ecosystem
• Herbicide as a Management Tool
• Groundcover Restoration
• Adaptive Management of Hardwood Depressions
• Site Classification and Restoration in the Chickasawhatchee Swamp
• Conservation Management
• Aquatics Research
• Wildlife Research
• Research Publications
• Graduate Projects

Adaptive Management of Hardwood Depressions

Research Team: Dr. L. Katherine Kirkman (Associate Scientist), Dr. L. Michael Conner (Associate Scientist), Dr. Lora L. Smith (Assistant Scientist), Dr. Steven B. Jack (Conservation Ecologist), Kimberly L. Coffey (Research Technician III), Micah Perkins (Research Technician III), Christopher Borg (Research Technician III), Eamonn Leonard (Research Technician) and Anna Liner (Research Technician)

Karst depressions are embedded within longleaf pine-wiregrass savannas of southwestern Georgia, have saturated soil conditions or standing water for short periods, and are frequently dominated by oaks. Oak invasion is exacerbated with winter-season, low-intensity prescribed fire. Once established, oaks appear to alter the ground cover as well as the potential fire regime. Because the flora and fauna associated with wet-mesic savannas are diverse, restoration of this habitat is a priority in conservation management for biodiversity at a landscape scale. Oak-dominance transforms these sites such that hardwood removal is necessary prior to re-introducing fire into these systems. Prior to large-scale restoration, we are using an adaptive management approach to document rates of change of flora and fauna associated with restoration management techniques.

In 12 wetland depressions surrounded by fire-maintained longleaf pine-wiregrass communities at Ichauway, we have assigned one of three experimental restoration techniques:

1. fuel-loaded, high-intensity fire;
2. mechanical/chemical removal of hardwoods; or
3. no treatment.

Specific questions addressed include:

1. At what rate does vegetation composition and species richness change with reintroduction of fire?
2. Which ecotonal and wet savanna species reappear without reintroduction?
3. Which techniques of hardwood removal most rapidly promote fuel to reintroduce fire?
4. What changes in vertebrate species are associated with changes in vegetation?
5. What influence does oak dominance have on water budget within depressions?

On-going measurements include monitoring vegetation, depth and duration of inundation, fuel accumulation, and use of habitat by amphibians, birds and bats.

Research in progress, publications forthcoming.

Funded by: The Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center