@article{hausle_forrester_walker_2023, title={Determining the effectiveness of using acoustic velocity as an indirect measurement of branchiness in standing longleaf pine}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1208-6037"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2023-0052}, DOI={10.1139/cjfr-2023-0052}, abstractNote={ Branches reduce stem quality, and the level of the effect is determined by the geometry, size, and number, of associated knots. Quantifying branchiness is difficult, as visual estimates are subjective, and mechanical measurements are impractical. Acoustic velocity (AV) is a relatively novel measurement capturing the speed stress travels through wood. AV is correlated with wood stiffness and is affected by internal characteristics like knots. This project tested AV as an indirect branchiness metric by measuring AV, height, diameter, and counting branches classified by diameter on 255 standing 8 year old longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris). AV was highly correlated with height (r = 0.76, p < 0.0001) and slenderness (r = 0.52, p < 0.0001). AV was moderately correlated with large living branches (diameter > 2.54 cm) (r = −0.27, p < 0.0001), but not correlated with total branches. Height, slenderness, and the count of large living branches (diameter > 2.54 cm) were included in the selected model for AV. Inclusion of dead or small (diameter < 2.54 cm) branches reduced model power. The best model captured 11% of the variation in AV, of which branches explained 5%. We conclude that AV does not appropriately quantify individual tree branchiness, but may be suitable for comparing populations such as families or provenances. }, journal={CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH}, author={Hausle, Jacks M. T. and Forrester, Jodi A. and Walker, Trevor D.}, year={2023}, month={Jun} }
 @article{hausle_forrester_moorman_martin_2023, title={Tradeoffs between timber and wildlife habitat quality increase with density in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) plantations}, volume={550}, ISSN={0378-1127}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121497}, DOI={10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121497}, abstractNote={Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), a historically abundant tree species in the southeastern United States, is often planted to restore the ecologically and culturally important longleaf pine ecosystem that once covered vast acreages in the southeastern United States. Government cost-share programs that support establishment of these plantations place restrictions on planting rates to promote wildlife habitat, as greater tree planting density may reduce canopy openness and herbaceous plant cover that are critical components of habitat for priority species, including gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and Bachman's sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). However, there is expressed concern among some forest managers that more open grown trees in the plantations will be of inferior timber quality with more and larger horizontal branches and associated knots. We examined how density affects dynamics and tradeoffs among understory vegetation structure and composition, longleaf pine stem form (branch density and straightness), and longleaf pine survival by sampling 73 plantations of various ages (5–25 years) and planting rates (653–2445 trees per hectare (TPH)/264–990 trees per acre (TPA)) throughout the southeastern United States. We documented a relationship between planting rate and longleaf pine stand density at time of sampling (r = 0.69, p = 0.0001) and relationships between stand density and habitat and timber quality metrics. Greater stand density resulted in lower tree diameters but greater stand basal area than lower stand density. Higher planting rates led to lower branch density and lower straightness grades than lower planting rates. Canopy openness decreased with greater stand density, and bare ground cover and herbaceous cover decreased as density and stand age at time of sampling increased. Based on our results, we suggest that lower maximum planting rates are appropriate when wildlife habitat is a program objective because lower rates result in fewer tradeoffs, as reducing planting rates slows degradation of wildlife habitat when compared with higher maximum planting rates that have only mixed benefits on timber quality.}, journal={Forest Ecology and Management}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Hausle, Jacks M.T. and Forrester, Jodi A. and Moorman, Christopher E. and Martin, Melissa R.}, year={2023}, month={Dec}, pages={121497} }