Rita Koch, rmkoch@mtu.edu1, Linda Haugen, lhaugen@fs.fed.us2, Linda Nagel, lmnagel@mtu.edu3, Mike Ostry, mostry@fs.fed.us2, and Andrew J. Storer, storer@mtu.edu1. (1) Michigan Technological University, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI, (2) United States Forest Service, North Central Research Station, 1992 Folwell Ave, St. Paul, MN, (3) Michigan Technological University, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI
This project is an ongoing study of the effects of fire and mechanical treatments on biodiversity and insects and pathogens in red pine. The study design is modeled after that used in the national Fire and Fire-Surrogate study. In 2004 and 2005, pre-treatment data were collected from twenty 0.04-hectare plots in each of twelve 10-hectare treatment areas in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. All trees in these plots were measured and permanently tagged. Spore traps were used to detect spores of various shoot blight pathogens and pitfall traps were used to assess diversity of ground dwelling arthropods. In addition, forest health and understory vegetation data were collected. Mechanical treatment areas were marked for harvest in the summer of 2005, and harvest and fire treatments will be applied to these treatment areas in 2005 and 2006. The treatment prescriptions are intended to be of the type that may be utilized on a large scale in red pine forests that share similar overall goals of achieving structurally diverse stands. This includes a residual basal area of 18-23 m2/ha in 100 years that contains multi-aged trees, including large overstory red pine, red oak and super canopy white pine.
Keywords: Fire