DISTURBANCE PROFILE - A MEASURE OF SMALL-SCALE DISTURBANCE PATTERNS IN PONDEROSA PINE STANDS

Disturbance profiles in single unharvested, selectively harvested, and thinned stands of Pinus ponderosa in the Black Hills of South Dakota were compared using spatial statistics. The unmanaged stand was more dominated by closed canopy, expressed less variation in canopy density and no differences in complexity of canopy gap shapes, and uneven spread of disturbance symptoms. The biological meaning of many indices remains undefined for small scale disturbance phenomena, but their disturbance profiles could eventually be used to assess current and desired forest conditions and suggest actions to meet specific management objectives.