ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the nature of common forest seedbeds and the seedling establishment prospects. In the 1940s, natural regeneration of Pinus taeda and P. echinata was of considerable interest to foresters, and a number of investigations were aimed at determining conditions under which advance regeneration would occur. Compared to an uncut stand, potential regeneration microsites get hotter during the day, colder at night, and can dry out quickly beyond germinant tolerance. Decaying logs as regeneration niches have received special attention since much of the T. heterophylla and Picea sitchensis seedling bank in coastal forests occurs there, probably due to competition from herbs and mosses on the forest floor. The exceptions may be a few species which germinate from a seed bank, apparently in response to disturbance of the forest floor. Some seedbed preparation takes place during harvesting unless the harvest is over heavy snowpack on deeply frozen ground. The residual stand includes well-spaced, dominant, seed-bearing shelterwood trees.
