Shade, light, and stream temperature responses to riparian thinning in second-growth redwood forests of northern California.

ABSTRACT: Resource managers in the Pacific Northwest (USA) actively thin second-growth forests to accelerate the development of late-successional conditions and seek to expand these restoration thinning treatments into riparian zones. Riparian forest thinning, however, may impact stream temperatures-a key water quality parameter often regulated to protect stream habitat and aquatic organisms. To better understand the effects of riparian thinning on shade, light, and stream temperature, we employed a manipulative field experiment following a replicated Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) design in three watersheds in the redwood forests of northern California, USA. Thinning treatments were intended to reduce canopy closure or basal area within the riparian zone by up to 50% on both sides of the stream

SUBMITTER: Roon DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7886199 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature