| The influence of site factors and forest types on the sustainability of American beech populations, in relation to beech bark disease (BBD), was evaluated. A sustainable forest ecosystem was defined as one that offsets current growth with current mortality, thus maintaining a stable size-structure relationship. This occurs when observed mortality is similar to baseline mortality. Although the impact of BBD could be observed through the range of American beech populations in New York State, most American beech populations were sustainable. However, American beech populations on flat sites, northern and western aspects with slopes ≥16%, and in the sugar maple -... |
