Early Stages of Plant Succession Following Logging and Burning in the Western Cascades of Oregon

Vegetative changes were documented for 7 years on permanent milacre plots located in three clearcut logged units in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Plant cover and composition were observed the year prior to logging the old—growth Pseudotsuga menziesii forest, after logging but before burning, and during each of five growing seasons following broadcast slash burning. Total plant cover was 15.2 49.3, and 75.5% in the first, second and fifth years after slash burning, respectively. Invading herbaceous species dominated from the second through fourth growing seasons after burning but by the fifth year residual herbaceous species regained dominance. Differences in disturbance from logging and burning strongly influenced successional trends. In undisturbed soil areas, residual species, such as Acer circinatum, Oxalis oregana, and Gaultheira shallon, dominated. Areas disturbed by logging but unburned supported a wide variety of both residual and invader species. Light to severely burned sites were largely occupied by invaders such as Ceanothus velutinus, Epilobium angustifolium, and E. paniculatum. Although often obscured by varying degrees of disturbance, relationships between early stages of succession and prelogging plant community were discernible. For example, of the species considered characteristic of five undisturbed plant communities, only 13 percent were absent from the plots 5 years after burning. The invaders Ceanothus velutinus, Agoseris grandiflora, and Gnaphalium microcephalum var. thermale were restricted to sites previously supporting rather xeric communities; while Rubus leucodermis and Anaphalis margaritacea were found on plots characteristic of the more mesic communities.