ABSTRACT
Possibly more important than the direct effect of tree removal and opening of the canopy in forest operations is the associated changes from the operation. The construction of roads and the development of edge habitats can provide opportunity for colonization, particularly of ruderal species, or for range expansion of established species. Along with the associated effects, any intensive forest management may be assumed to promote invasive species. Unequivocal evidence does not exist to suggest that the generic forest practices will affect plant species (invasive or native) in a uniform, predictable manner. Rather, the wide ranging type of forest harvest, from small single-tree removal to extensive clear-cut, prevents a broad, all-encompassing assumption. Furthermore, because the suite of invasive plants is so great, that is, at least 1000 plant species have been documented in North America alone, each plant species will respond in a unique fashion to disturbance, including forest management practices.
