After two centuries of rapid development, the floodplain in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) retains 155,000 ha of forest. Most of the existing stands are less than 70 years old. Heavy seeded species, such as oaks and hickories, and pioneer species, such as willow and cottonwood, are not regenerating adequately to sustain their populations, presumably a consequence of human-induced hydrologic alteration in the UMRS.

The objective of this project is to identify the principal environmental factors critical to the reproductive success of common woody species. Twelve study sites were established in six reaches. At each site, buckets are installed to trap seeds, and newly emerged seedlings are tagged and tracked.

The sites are surveyed monthly. Data on the availability of seed sources and the survival of seedlings will help resource managers identify the species in need of promotion. The project began in 1996 and ended in 2000.

Principal Investigator: Yao Yin