Many bottomland hardwood stands in southern Mississippi lacked management prior to Hurricane Katrina. Following removal of overstory oaks, no seed source was available to naturally regenerate these stands. Artificial regeneration became the most viable option, but information was lacking on how to successfully reestablish thousands of acres of bottomland forests quickly and successfully. Bareroot and conventional containerized seedlings of Nuttall oak (Quercus texana) and swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii) were planted on two sites in southern Mississippi. After two growing season’s Nuttall oak exhibited similar survival to (93.4%), better groundline diameter growth (13.0 mm) than, and better height growth (68.8 cm) than swamp chestnut oak (92.5%, 6.6 mm, 43.9 cm, respectively). Bareroot seedlings had the highest survival (94.5%), best groundline diameter growth (10.3 mm), and best height growth (66.6 cm), though conventional containerized seedling survival (91.4%), groundline diameter growth (9.3 mm), and height growth (46.0 cm) were all acceptable. Considering seedling cost and overall performance, bareroot seedlings provide the most effective option for artificial regeneration on high quality bottomland hardwood sites.

Bottomland hardwood stands of the Mid-South region of the United States are some of the most productive forests in the country. A large percentage of these stands are owned by nonindustrial private forest landowners, who have little information on which to base management decisions. These stands are, therefore, a largely unmanaged and under-utilized reserve of high quality hardwoods. To provide landowners with a decision-making tool for comparing management scenarios, a growth and yield study was initiated in 1981. One hundred and fifty permanent plots were installed in red oaksweetgum stands. The study has been remeasured three times over the past 35 years. New plots were added when losses occurred due to natural disasters or harvesting. Stand level (Iles 2008), log grade volume distribution (Banzhaf 2009), and diameter distribution (Howard 2011) models were developed as component models of the overall growth and yield system. This study completes the modeling effort by developing individual tree equations for percent annual diameter growth and survival. Equations were constructed using linear, non-linear, and logistic regression techniques. The best set of developed equations was selected based on biological consistency, joint behavior when inserted into the growth and yield computer model, and the performance of each plot’s predicted future yield when compared to its observed data at the next projection period. Final independent stand level variables for the two models included age, diameter at breast height, trees per acre, and average height of dominant trees. Percent diameter growth and survival equations exhibited high fit statistics and when coupled with the other equations in the computer model, produced estimates for trees per acre, basal area, arithmetic and quadratic mean diameters with low bias and root mean squared error. The resulting growth and yield simulator implemented in Microsoft Visual Basic® Editor within Microsoft Excel® enables forest professionals and landowners to make better management decisions for their red oak-sweetgum mixture bottomland hardwood stands by projecting current forest inventories into the future, predicting average yields, and evaluating and comparing forest management scenarios.

Red oaks (Quercus spp.; Section Erythrobalanus) produce acorns which are valuable forage for wildlife especially mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Scientists have limited information on amount, timing, and persistence of these acorns in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Conservation planners rely on precise estimates of acorns and other forage to estimate habitat needed by waterfowl in the MAV and other regions. My study provided premiere landscape-scale, multi-year estimates of red oak acorn yield and on-ground abundance in the MAV. Mean yield of acorns was 534 kg(dry)/ha (42.3 acorns/ m2) across all sites, years (falls-winters 2009-2012), and oak species. Yield varied more within years (CV = 11 - 29%) than when data were combined across years (CV = 11%). Yield was not synchronized in any year among MAV sites. However, yield usually was synchronized among species within sites suggesting local factors influenced acorn yield more than landscape-scale factors. Among sites and years, acorn abundance generally was greatest in January (sample mean = 371 kg/ha) and least in November (198 kg/ha). Acorns persisted to February only in years of above-average yield. Except for Nuttall oak (Quercus texana), acorn persistence generally was stable regardless of yield from parent trees. Nuttall oak acorn persistence increased with yield perhaps revealing an evolutionary pressure that encourages masting. Red oak acorn abundance was linearly related to percentage of red oaks in the overstory, but this relationship differed in years of above- and below-average yield. Currently, conservation planners use 166 kg/ha as a forage estimate of red oak acorns, moist-soil seeds, and aquatic macro-invertebrates in bottomland hardwood forests with 100% red oak canopy. I sampled at 5 sites throughout the MAV over 3 years; therefore, I recommend conservation planners consider adopting my predicted estimate of 247 kg of acorns/ha of forest land with 100% red oak canopy. Because acorns persist through most winters and generally reach peak abundance in January, often concomitant with peak abundance of mallards and other ducks in the MAV, biologists and conservation planners may have undervalued the potential of bottomland hardwood forests to support ducks in mid-late winter.

Desired forest conditions, or DFCs, are recently created parameters which strive to create diverse stands of hardwoods of various species and age classes, along with varying densities and canopy gaps, through the use of uneven-aged silvicultural methods and repeated stand entries. Little research has been conducted to examine residual stand composition and hardwood regeneration after DFC installment. The objectives of this study were to characterize forest overstory and midstory conditions after DFC treatments, assess the natural regeneration, and to characterize available light in the treatment and control areas. Residual stand conditions after application of DFC harvest guidelines indicate that shade tolerant species will be the future occupants of the sites and oaks will diminish or disappear over time. This documented initial forest response to DFC treatments can be used by forest and wildlife habitat managers when assessing the potential outcomes of DFC management.

The importance of bottomland hardwood (BLH) forests to support the economy through timber production and carbon sequestration is acknowledged; however, their full potential is yet to be explored. This study developed variable density yield models for BLH oak-gum-cypress forests along the US Gulf Coast and Lower Mississippi River Delta. The models, with an adjusted R2 of 98% for cubic foot growing stock volume and 77% for Doyle board foot sawlog volume, are expected to be valuable tools for landowners and managers seeking to make informed decisions about BLH forest management. A carbon stock model was also developed, and carbon sequestration was explored based on basal area increment. The results showed potential for carbon sequestration with an average carbon stock of 30.56 tons/acre and a maximum average discounted present value of carbon accumulation of $15.94/ton/acre/year. This provides valuable information to managers and landowners willing to participate in carbon credit markets.

Timber and wildlife habitat management may be conflicting objectives, but both benefit from increasing light in bottomland forests through harvesting and midstory control, and a target residual basal area may be used to optimize both. Six areas were used to evaluate effects of partial harvest and midstory control on oak regeneration, diameter growth of residual trees, and white-tailed deer carrying capacity. Partial harvest treatments consisted of residual basal areas of 70ft2/ac (16.07m2/ha), 60ft2/ac (13.77m2/ha), 50ft2/ac (11.48 m2/ha), 40ft2/ac (9.18m2/ha), 30ft2/ac (6.89m2/ha), and untreated controls. All partial harvest areas received midstory control using injection with imazapyr. Available light was related to residual basal area (R2 = 0.808). Treatments with 50ft2/ac residual basal area exhibited the optimal amount of oak regeneration and white-tailed deer carrying capacity. Treatments with 30ft2/ac had greatest diameter growth. This research provided guidelines for managers that wish to optimize white-tailed deer habitat and oak regeneration.

Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) and southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius) are listed as species of concern in Mississippi. They use bottomland hardwood forests for roosting habitat; however, much of these forests in Mississippi have been lost or degraded. I seek to characterize availability and evaluate use of diurnal tree roosts for these presumably rare bats. Approximately 1,250 ha of bottomland hardwood forest on Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge were surveyed. I measured characteristics of 622 cavity trees. Analyses revealed that these bats most often used cavities of large diameter trees (≥70 cm DBH). Rafinesque’s big-eared bat and southeastern myotis roosted commonly in baldcypress (Taxodium distichum), black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), and American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). This research will be used to provide guidance for management plans to conserve these bats and their habitat.

Degradation and deforestation have taken their toll on bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV). To combat this, many managers, both public and private, have sought silvicultural techniques to ensure future generations have the benefits bottomland hardwoods provide. In the first study of this thesis, artificial regeneration and chemical thinning were implemented to evaluate the effects of these treatments on restoration and enrichment of bottomland hardwoods. Very high mortality rates were seen across all species and sites likely due to improper handling and planting, drought, and competition. The second study explored the feasibility of transplanting bottomland oaks via tree spade that were pruned, topped, or cut at stump height for coppice. The initial establishment results are promising. These projects could potentially provide landowners with the tools and knowledge needed to restore and enhance some of the LMAV’s most unique habitats.

Hurricane Katrina had a devastating impact on bottomland hardwood forests in 2005 resulting in damage to nearly 1.2 billion cubic meters of timber. Following such a natural disaster, natural regeneration is typically not a viable option because the seed source has been destroyed on site. Therefore, an economically efficient method of artificial regeneration is considered the most appropriate technique for reforesting these damaged areas. However, few studies have evaluated comparative research that examined early survival and growth performance of various oak species and stock types in such planting settings. This project was implemented in an effort to expand upon what is already known from previous artificial regeneration attempts on Hurricane Katrina damaged lands. Bareroot, conventional containerized, and large potted EKOgrownTM seedlings of cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) and willow oak (Quercus phellos L.) were planted on two sites located in south Mississippi. Survival was assessed monthly and at the end of each growing season, whereas height and groundline diameter (GLD) were measured immediately post planting and at the end of each growing season. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons procedure (MCP), where appropriate, were performed to determine any significant differences. After the first growing season, cherrybark oak did not exhibit a substantial difference regarding survival performance when compared to willow oak (75.5 percent and 76.5 percent, respectively). After two growing seasons, willow oak exhibited considerably greater survival (74.0 percent) overall when compared to cherrybark oak (70.5 percent). Bareroot seedlings had the highest survival (87.2 percent). Conventional containerized seedlings had unacceptable survival (47.5 percent) and EKOgrownTM seedlings had acceptable survival (82.0 percent). EKOgrownTM seedlings demonstrated the best overall GLD growth of all planting stocks (3.9 mm respectively). Bareroot seedlings had the second best overall GLD growth (1.5 mm) and conventional containerized had the least amount of overall GLD growth (0.8 mm). Overall height growth when comparing all three planting stocks bareroot, conventional containerized, and EKOgrownTM were similar to one another (-3.5cm, -0.8cm, and -3.6cm respectively). Therefore, based on an overall consideration of cost and performance, bareroot seedlings are considered the most effective option of the two species considered for artificial regeneration utilized in this study.

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