We studied stand development in three distinct forest types in southwestern Oregon using six stands
each in uncut and clear-felled old-growth stands and nearby young stands (18 total). Old-growth stands
showed a wide range of tree ages (>300 years) and low tree densities for several centuries; rapid early
growth produced...
Despite its importance to biodiversity and ecosystem function, patterns and drivers of regional scale variation in forest structure and development are poorly understood. We characterize structural variation, create a hierarchical classification of forest structure, and develop an empirically based framework for conceptualizing structural development from 11,091 plots across 25 million...
Forests dominated by Douglas-fir and western hemlock in the Pacific Northwest of the United States have strongly influenced concepts and policy concerning old-growth forest conservation. Despite the attention to their old-growth characteristics, a tendency remains to view their disturbance ecology in relatively simple terms, emphasizing infrequent, stand-replacing (SR) fire and...