Chen, Jiquan; Franklin, Jerry F.; Spies, Thomas A. 1990. Microclimatic pattern and basic biological responses at the clearcut edges of old-growth Douglas-fir stands. The Northwest Environmental Journal. 6(2): 424-425.
During the last several decades, the forest landscape in the PacificNorthwest has been highly fragmented with progressive and con-sistent clearcuttings. One of the most obvious and important featuresof this landscape is forest edges formed between land of differentecosystems. There are unique ecosystem composition, structure, andfunction at these edges, the so-called edge effects. Expanded knowl-edge of edge effects is needed to predict impacts of forest fragmen-tation on ecosystems and landscapes, and to develop guidelines formanagement of biological diversity. Microclimatic patterns and as-sociated biological features have been under study along edges ofmature and old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests inthe Pacific Northwest since 1988. Preliminary results are presentedhere.