Regional patterns of presettlement forests in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas

Mixed mesophytic forests typically contain the highest tree species diversity within the deciduous forest biome of eastern North America. While these diverse forests are primarily found in the Appalachian Highlands, strikingly similar forests are noted as occurring in protected slopes and coves within the Boston Mountains of northwestern Arkansas (Braun 1950, Thompson 1977). Over the last thirty years, ecologists have placed increased importance on understanding the natural state of ecosystems as well as the processes that shaped them (Moss and Cooperrider 1994). This project uses General Land Office survey records predating extensive European settlement to reconstruct regional vegetation patterns. Survey records were digitized into a Geographic Information Systems database in order to interpolate land cover and forest types as well as map tree species distributions within the study area. These patterns were then analyzed to identify how environmental factors influenced the structure and composition of vegetation within the Boston Mountains. The results of this project show that woodlands and closed canopy forests dominated the landscape, comprising 42.8% and 35.6% of the total landcover. Analysis also shows that tree species' distributions were strongly influenced by the rugged topography found in the study area. These influences were also seen in the composition and distribution of forest types within the area. While the forests of the Boston Mountains were dominated by regionally typical oak and hickory species, results show the presence of a mixed mesophytic forest type. This species association was found in the most rugged and protected portions of the study area and displayed many traits commonly found in southern Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests.