Restoring an Ecosystem with Silvopasture: A Short (leaf) Story

摘要

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) and native shortleaf ecosystems have been disappearing across its range at an alarming rate; approximately 50% loss of this forest type since the 1980's (Oswalt 2011). An important part of the historic forest landscape in the United States, this species had the widest range of any southern-yellow pine; occurring in 22 states from Long Island, New York; west to southern Illinois and Missouri; south to northern Florida; and west to eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas. Adaptation to fire was a major reason for the existence of shortleaf pine on a wide range of landscapes prior to European settlement (Mann 2002).