Native Americans, Smokey the Bear and the rise and fall of oak-pine forests in the eastern US

This seminar examines the role of Indigenous people (Native American Indians) land-use and climate in the historical development of Quercus (oak) and Pinus (pine) forests of the eastern United States and changes associated with European colonization. Human impacts, such as timber harvesting, land clearing, and severe fires, along with ecological phenomena such as old field succession, chestnut blight, fire suppression, intensive deer browsing, and urbanization, have led to dramatic changes in forest composition and the extent of open lands. These trends have culminated in recruitment failures of most oak and pine species on all but the most xeric sites. Instead, late successional mesic hardwoods such as Acer (maple) and Fagus (beech) are aggressively replacing oak and pine in a process known as mesophication. The trend toward increases in non-oak tree species will continue in fire-suppressed forests, rendering them less combustible for forest managers who wish to restore vital historic fires regimes.

Dr. Abrams’ research, along with others, suggests that the use of prescribed fire and agriculture by Native American Indians were profound, and post-European changes in forest composition were mainly due to an alteration land-use (deforestation followed by fire suppression) rather than climate change. However, the impacts of climate change may become more profound in the future as regional forests are becoming increasingly mesophytic and less tolerant of warming and drought.
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Torrey Botanical Society Spring 2022 Lecture Series
presented by Dr. Marc D. Abrams, Penn State University
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00:00 Introduction
01:49 Lecture
44:15 Q&A
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For more information on future lectures, field trips, and the Torrey Botanical Society, visit https://www.torreybotanical.org