Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Open Access Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Forest Ecology and Management (MS)

Administrative Home Department

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Advisor 1

Fengjing Liu

Advisor 2

Dustin Bronson

Committee Member 1

Kathryn Hofmeister

Committee Member 2

Randall Kolka

Abstract

To mitigate the cascading ecosystem impacts of widespread black ash (Fraxinus nigra) mortality due to the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), forested wetlands can be underplanted with seedlings of alternative species that later repopulate the vacated canopy. This study examined the survival and growth, factors influencing performance, and herbivore browsing preferences of seven non-ash species planted in northern Michigan and Wisconsin. The best performing species were river birch (Betula nigra), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor). The worst performing species was black spruce (Picea mariana). While maples and oaks were the most-consumed species by herbivores, browsing did not significantly affect overall performance of these species. Seedlings planted higher above the water table exhibited greatly increased chances of survival. Overall, this study identified several species that can survive and thrive under wet forest conditions, providing foresters greater opportunities for forest restoration in ash-dominated stands.

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