Response of competing vegetation to site preparation on west gulf coastal plain commercial forest land

Abstract

The response of woody and herbaceous vegetation to site preparation, subsoil texture, and fertilization was measured on the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The influences of these treatments on competing vegetation were short-term. Drastic soil disturbance and fertilization briefly increased herbage production. Shear-windrow and shear-disk were generally the most effective methods to control early shrub density, height, and crown cover. Seven years after treatment, however, shrub and sapling densities were unrelated to treatments.