Development Of An Advance Regeneration Model
for Pennsylvania Hardwood Forests
development of an Advance Regeneration Model for Pennsylvania Hardwood Forests
Advance regeneration in Pennsylvania hardwood forests has both declined in quantity and displayed a change in species composition over the past several decades. This thesis uses biotic and abiotic data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis Pennsylvania Regeneration Study to develop predictive models of advance regeneration establishment and abundance in Pennsylvania forests. The results indicate that model predictions are a function of data availability and the biotic and abiotic factors modeled in this study contribute varying effects on the establishment and abundance of advance regeneration for different species groups. The modeling framework and variables developed in this thesis will aid forest managers in prediction of advance regeneration composition and abundance and guide future advance regeneration modeling in the northeastern United States as relevant data becomes available in those states.
