Light Acclimation by Laurel Oak Seedlings
EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN
Six canopy gaps were identified in each of two sites in a bottomland hardwood forest dominated by laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia Michaux). In 1998, each gap was enlarged to a uniform size (15 m radius) by girdling large trees and removing smaller ones. In each gap, four-1 x 1 m plots were selected. Two plots were trenched to a 30 cm depth to kill roots within the plots, while the other two were left intact. Aluminum flashing was placed in the trench to inhibit root regrowth before backfilling the trench. Another set of four plots was located in the adjacent closed canopy forest near the enlarged canopy gap and treated identically. Site 1 was clearcut in late 1999 and was no longer available for study.
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