Community change two decades following a catastrophic ice storm in the Marshall Forest of Northwest Georgia

A disclimax pine-oak hickory forest was examined in the 180-acre Marshall Forest in the Piedmont of Northwest Georgia. The Marshall Forest has a record of cyclic catastrophic ice storms and a history of frequent fires. Ice storms and fire are thought to be responsible for the maintenance of the pine-oak disclimax. Results of this study are compared to results of a similar study twenty years earlier in order to determine changes in forest composition and dominants.

Dominant oak and hickory species increased in importance while pine species decreased during the period 1961-1981. Increased importance of dominant hardwood species is a response to canopy openings created by ice damage to pine. Subcanopy species also increased in importance as a consequence of ice damage to pines in the canopy. Decreased importance of pine species is a consequence of ice damage to canopy individuals and the effects of fire suppression upon regeneration. If current trends continue an oak-hickory or mixed oak forest will dominate this site. A relatively greater increase in the importance of oak species favors the latter.