First name: Saskia
Last name: Grisaru
Class Year: 2024
Advisor:
Essay Abstract:
As the hotter and drier climate of the Anthropocene accelerates forest decline, the establishment of practices to bolster forest resilienceis becoming increasingly crucial. One promising approach to management involves leaving structural legacies behind during regeneration harvests, which may retain moisture and mitigate extreme climatic events at a microsite scale. This study examines how the retention of trees, high stumps, low stumps, and slash piles influences groundstory microclimates in a dying Norway spruce plantation in the Black Forest of Germany. Assessing soil temperature and moisture variation in an array of microsite types across four different treatment plots, I found significant differences in growing conditions as a function of proximity to and orientation about substantial structural features. My results suggest that soil temperature is cooler and more moderate particularly to the north and east sides of trees, high stumps, and slash piles, while soil moisture does not follow such a pattern. These findings should be used to inform optimal seedling placement. Forest management decisions informed thusly will ensure robust and self-regenerating forests for years to come.