Artificial Regeneration of Major Oak (Quercus) Species in the Eastern United States—A Review of the Literature

Abstract Although natural regeneration is often the best method for establishing new oak (Quercus spp.) stands, there are increasingly more situations in which high potential for oak regeneration failure dictates the use of artificial regeneration including direct seeding and planting seedlings. Additionally, afforestation planting programs frequently incorporate oak species. Artificial regeneration of oak stands is challenging for numerous reasons. In this article we synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding growing and planting the major oak species in the eastern United States, point out critical research gaps, and provide some general growing, planting, and stand tending guidelines and recommendations. Adequate site preparation, careful planting of healthy, genetically adapted seed or seedlings of high morphological and physiological quality, and subsequent control of competing vegetation and browse damage are necessary actions to assure regeneration success. Oak seedling survival in the early years after planting or seeding is a poor indicator of regeneration success. Successful regeneration may be defined as having a desired proportion of the oak planting stock reach dominant/codominant status in the stand. The costs of all activities required to produce a successful oak tree in the future stand should be considered in economic comparison of alternative prescriptions for oak regeneration.

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Dormancy break and germination requirements in acorns of two bottomland Quercus species (Sect. Lobatae) of the eastern United States with references to ecology and phylogeny

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1017/s0960258520000264 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 199-205

Author(s):

Tracy S. Hawkins

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Cold Stratification ◽

Eastern United States ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Temperature Regimes ◽

Quercus Species ◽

Physiological Dormancy ◽

Alternating Temperature ◽

Incubation Temperatures ◽

Germination Requirements

AbstractQuercus species are ecologically and economically important components of deciduous forests of the eastern United States. However, knowledge pertinent to a thorough understanding of acorn germination dynamics for these species is lacking. The objectives of this research were to determine dormancy break and germination requirements for acorns of two eastern United States bottomland species, Quercus nigra and Quercus phellos (Section Lobatae), and to present results within ecological and phylogenetic contexts. Three replicates of 50 acorns of each species received 0 (control), 6, 12 or 18 weeks of cold stratification, followed by incubation in alternating temperature regimes of 15/6, 20/10, 25/15 and 30/20°C. Eighteen weeks of cold stratification were not sufficient for dormancy break in Q. nigra acorns. Cumulative germination percentages at 4 weeks of incubation were ≥77%, but only in incubation temperatures of 25/15 and 30/20°C. Dormancy break in Q. phellos acorns was achieved with 18 weeks of cold stratification, and cumulative germination percentages were ≥87% at 4 weeks of incubation in all test temperature regimes. Gibberellic acid solutions were not an effective substitute for cold stratification in either species. Phylogenetically, Q. nigra and Q. phellos are closely related species and, ecologically, both grow in the same habitat. Acorns of both species possess deep physiological dormancy (PD), but dormancy break and germination requirements differ in acorns of these two Quercus species.

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Can Clearcutting Reset Successional Trajectories in Upland Oak–Hickory Forests? A Case Study from Mid-Missouri

Journal of Forestry ◽

10.1093/jofore/fvz041 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 117 (5) ◽

pp. 435-442

Author(s):

Benjamin O Knapp ◽

Samantha E Anderson ◽

Patrick J Curtin ◽

Casey Ghilardi ◽

Robert G Rives

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Tree Species ◽

Eastern United States ◽

Oak Regeneration ◽

Species Dominance ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Successional Trajectory ◽

Species Groups ◽

Management Challenge

Abstract Securing oak regeneration is a common management challenge in the central and eastern United States. We quantified the abundance of tree species groups in clearcuts in mid-Missouri more than 30 years following harvest to determine differences in species dominance based on aspect (exposed, protected, or ridge sites). Each tree was classified as “dominant” or “suppressed” based on its relative contribution to cumulative stand stocking, following concepts of the tree–area relation. Although maples or understory species were the most abundant across all sites, oaks and hickories contributed to more than 60 percent of the dominant stems on the exposed sites. In contrast, oaks and hickories made up less than 25 percent of the dominant stems on protected and ridge sites. Results indicate that clearcutting reset the successional trajectory, from a transition to maple dominance to maintaining oak–hickory dominance, on exposed sites but not on ridge or protected sites.

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