The 2008 Joint Meeting of the Society for Range Management and the America Forage and Grassland Council. |
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
30
Effects of Clear and Select Cutting, and Prescribed Burning on Bur Oak Regeneration in North Dakota
Brittany R. Hasbargen1, Kevin K. Sedivec1, Dennis L. Whitted1, William T. Barker1, James Bennington2, and Joseph D. Zeleznik1. (1) School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, Rm 204, Hastings Hall, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, (2) Environmental Division, North Dakota Army National Guard, Devils Lake, ND 58103
This study began in 2006 to determine the effects of clear and select cutting, and prescribed burning on bur oak regeneration in transitional grasslands of north-central North Dakota . The study was conducted on Camp Grafton North (CGN), near Devils Lake, ND . The treatments consisted of 1) dormant season clear-cut of all trees and shrubs (CC), 2) growing season select-cut of all trees and shrubs except bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) (SC), 3) fall-applied prescribed burn (PB), and 4) non-manipulated control (CONTROL). The study consisted of four blocks (replicates) and four treatments using a randomized complete block design. This design was super-imposed with a split plot design creating grazed and ungrazed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) treatments. Bur oak seedling and sprout production was measured pre-treatment in 2006 and in 2007. Saplings were measured using 4 samples, 40.5 m2 each per plot (25 m x 25 m). Seedlings were measured using 4 samples, 4.1 m2 each per plot (25 m x 25 m). Herbaceous vegetation was measured using two – 25 m transects per plot (25 m x 25m) with 1) five 1/4m2 frames per transect (total of 10 frames per plot) and 2) point frames every meter (total of 25 frames per transect or 500 points). An aerial survey was conducted on March 12, 2007 to estimate the deer population on CGN. Data was analyzed using PROC MIXED at a P value of 0.1. Seedling density was not different (P>0.1) among pretreatments in 2006. In 2007, seedling density on the SC was lower (P<0.1) than the CONTROL and PB. Bur oak sprouts were greatest (P<0.1) on the CC treatment, while the CONTROL, PB, and SC did not differ (P>0.1). Clear-cutting increased sprouts; however, did not increase seedling development. To date, select-cutting for bur oak trees did not enhance seedling or sprout development.