Fire history and vegetation response to tornado and salvage harvesting disturbance in a southern Illinois bottomland forest

Bottomlands are ecologically important systems with disturbance the driving force shaping vegetative structure and composition. In addition to the complex nature of these systems, anthropogenic alterations and disturbances have changed these characteristics on many bottomland sites.; A direct hit from an F4 tornado followed by a partial salvage harvesting resulted in a wide range of canopy and soil disturbances at Mermet Lake State Conservation Area on the Ohio River bottoms of southern Illinois. The study area encompasses 700 acres and is representative of many Gulf Coastal Plain bottomland forests in the influence of agricultural clearing and hydrologic management over the last century. These circumstances have provided a rare glimpse into the disturbance history and recovery of a bottomland hardwood forest.; Analysis of fire scar data indicates fire was frequent at the site following settlement of the area. Fire frequency was strongly related to changes in land improvement status and, to a lesser extent, agricultural drainage. Fire disappeared from the landscape following purchase by the State of Illinois for management as a conservation area and as reforestation progressed.