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Native groundcover restoration results in tradeoffs with natural regeneration in planted Longleaf pine stands.

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Title: Native groundcover restoration results in tradeoffs with natural regeneration in planted Longleaf pine stands.
Authors: Nyen, Gabriel F.1 (AUTHOR), Polinko, Adam D.1 (AUTHOR), Puhlick, Joshua J.2 (AUTHOR) joshua.puhlick@jonesctr.org, Giencke, Lisa M.2 (AUTHOR), Himes, Austin3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Restoration Ecology. May2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p1-9. 9p.
Subjects: Longleaf pine, Regeneration (Biology), Understory plants, Forest management, Carbon sequestration, Afforestation, Restoration ecology, Forests & forestry
Abstract: Introduction: Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem restoration has gained significant attention due to its ecological importance and potential for carbon sequestration. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, government incentives helped convert thousands of hectares of marginal agricultural land to stands of planted Longleaf pine. Objectives: This study investigated methods to restore overstory structure and groundcover community composition in planted Longleaf pine stands on lands formerly subjected to row cropping. Methods: The stands were part of a study to evaluate the relative success of seeding native groundcover after commercial thinning of overstory trees; in 2015, half of the stands were seeded with grasses and a forb. Seven years after seeding, the influence of native groundcover seeding on groundcover composition was evaluated. In these same stands, Longleaf pine regeneration was inventoried. Aboveground biomass for every groundcover species was collected using clip plots. Results: There were significant differences in species composition between seeded and unseeded understories, with successful establishment of seeded species. The analyses revealed that groundcover biomass, light conditions, and groundcover seeding treatments influenced natural regeneration of Longleaf pine seedlings. Conclusions: These findings support the value of interventions such as gap creation during thinning operations to enhance regeneration but also indicate additional silvicultural manipulation may be necessary for the survival of naturally regenerated Longleaf pine seedlings. The findings also indicate that seeding native groundcover species may result in trade‐offs in Longleaf pine regeneration and subsequently how forest structure changes over time. Implications for Practice: Our results support restoration efforts that create heterogeneity within even‐aged stands to encourage longleaf seedling recruitment. At our study site, initial thinning of trees for wood products and hurricane disturbance created a varied light environment that promoted natural Longleaf pine regeneration. Managers seeking to restore post‐agricultural ecosystems may benefit from utilizing groundcover seed mixtures in combination with gap creation during conventional thinning of even‐aged stands. This approach can foster natural Longleaf pine regeneration while addressing the often more significant concern of establishing native groundcover. In cases where natural regeneration is insufficient, planting pine in canopy gaps remains a viable option to ensure adequate stocking across the stand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:Introduction: Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem restoration has gained significant attention due to its ecological importance and potential for carbon sequestration. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, government incentives helped convert thousands of hectares of marginal agricultural land to stands of planted Longleaf pine. Objectives: This study investigated methods to restore overstory structure and groundcover community composition in planted Longleaf pine stands on lands formerly subjected to row cropping. Methods: The stands were part of a study to evaluate the relative success of seeding native groundcover after commercial thinning of overstory trees; in 2015, half of the stands were seeded with grasses and a forb. Seven years after seeding, the influence of native groundcover seeding on groundcover composition was evaluated. In these same stands, Longleaf pine regeneration was inventoried. Aboveground biomass for every groundcover species was collected using clip plots. Results: There were significant differences in species composition between seeded and unseeded understories, with successful establishment of seeded species. The analyses revealed that groundcover biomass, light conditions, and groundcover seeding treatments influenced natural regeneration of Longleaf pine seedlings. Conclusions: These findings support the value of interventions such as gap creation during thinning operations to enhance regeneration but also indicate additional silvicultural manipulation may be necessary for the survival of naturally regenerated Longleaf pine seedlings. The findings also indicate that seeding native groundcover species may result in trade‐offs in Longleaf pine regeneration and subsequently how forest structure changes over time. Implications for Practice: Our results support restoration efforts that create heterogeneity within even‐aged stands to encourage longleaf seedling recruitment. At our study site, initial thinning of trees for wood products and hurricane disturbance created a varied light environment that promoted natural Longleaf pine regeneration. Managers seeking to restore post‐agricultural ecosystems may benefit from utilizing groundcover seed mixtures in combination with gap creation during conventional thinning of even‐aged stands. This approach can foster natural Longleaf pine regeneration while addressing the often more significant concern of establishing native groundcover. In cases where natural regeneration is insufficient, planting pine in canopy gaps remains a viable option to ensure adequate stocking across the stand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10612971
DOI:10.1111/rec.70346