Ecological Restoration and Management of Longleaf Pine Forests is a timely synthesis of the current understanding of the natural dynamics and processes in longleaf pine ecosystems. This book beautifully illustrates how incorporation of basic ecosystem knowledge and an understanding of socioeconomic realities shed new light on established paradigms and their application for restoration and management. Unique for its holistic ecological focus, rather than a more traditional silvicultural approach, the book highlights the importance of multi-faceted actions that robustly integrate forest and wildlife conservation at landscape scales, and merge ecological with socioeconomic objectives for effective conservation of the longleaf pine ecosystem.
Foreword. The Background for Ecological Restoration. The Fire Forest of
the Past and Present. Biogeography: An Interweave of Climate, Fire, and
Humans. The Social and Economic Drivers of the Southeastern Forest Landscape.
The Ecological Basis for Restoration. Regeneration Dynamics, Competition, and
Seedling Response. Mechanistic Controls of Community Assembly and
Biodiversity. The Role of Fuels for Understanding Fire Behavior and Fire
Effects. Ecosystem Processes and Restoration. Considering Herbivory and
Predation in Forest Management. Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Embedded
Habitats. Ecosystem Restoration: Linking Ecological Understanding and
Management. Restoring and Managing the Overstory: An Ecological Forestry
Approach. Restoring and Managing a Diverse Ground Cover. Management and
Restoration for Wildlife. Restoration and Practical Issues. Air Quality and
Human Health Challenges to Prescribed Fire. Ecosystem Monitoring and Adaptive
Management. Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Restoration Perspectives. Planning for an
Uncertain Future: Restoration to Mitigate Water Scarcity and Sustain Carbon
Sequestration. Longleaf Pine Restoration in Context: Comparisons of
Frequent-Fire Forests. Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: The Path Forward.
K. Kirkman is a Scientist at the J. W. Jones Ecological Research Center, where she has worked as a Plant Ecologist since1992. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in Botany. She holds adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Georgia, University of Florida, and Auburn University. Her research focus is on conservation of biodiversity of the longleaf pine ecosystem with particular interest in recovery of native ground cover, ecology of rare species, and ecological linkages of uplands and wetlands.
S. Jack has been at the J. W. Jones Ecological Research Center since 1997 where he is the Conservation Ecologist and Applied Forest Scientist. In this role he conducts applied research to develop a better understanding of the ecological basis for multi-aged silvicultural practices, provides technical support and forest management expertise within the resource management program of the Center, and is involved in many terrestrially-oriented outreach activities. He received his Ph.D. from Utah State University in forest ecology and silviculture, and previously was on the faculty at Texas A&M University.
