Postdoctoral scholar Oregon State University Philomath, Oregon, United States
This work explores the differences in stand structure and composition between uninfected black spruce forests and areas with high mortality due to eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe, a native, biotic disturbance agent in Minnesota. We found significant differences in stand structure and composition after mortality occurred, including shifts in diameter distributions.
Learning Objectives:
explain how biotic disturbance agents can influence stand dynamics through effects on structure and composition.
understand how biotic disturbances can increase complexity in a system, influencing how and when management occurs.
compare the role of eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe in lowland black spruce to biotic disturbances in their local forests and hypothesize how they could be better incorporated into management decision making.
