A section of low flow in New Hope Creek running through Duke Forest | Courtesy Duke Forest
The Drought in Duke Forest
Dry conditions bring changes and research opportunities to Duke Forest
Friday, March 7, 2008
Durham, NC -- Despite the week’s rain, the drought is still on and the region remains in the highest drought intensity classification. Everyone has been affected by the lack of water, and the Duke Forest is no exception.
Drought conditions have various effects on tree physiology. Well-established trees are often able to withstand droughts with a few techniques that increase their chance of survival. Trees may drop leaves, self-thin smaller branches, and stop chemical activities used for growth. These mechanisms translate into stunted growth, but prevent the complete loss of the tree.
Many of the timber species on which Duke Forest relies for revenue are fairly drought tolerant, including loblolly pine and white oak. Luckily, the majority of recent pine plantings seem to have survived the dry and hot summer months, requiring no replanting.
Other species, however, did suffer some mortality, including red oaks and dogwood. Leaves of the tulip poplar, a shallowly-rooted tree, were some of the first to show early color change and drop.
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A comparison: New Hope Creek during a 2002 flood when water almost reached the Wooden Bridge. |
The drought has affected some of the Forest’s management practices as well. A statewide ban on outdoor burning was in effect from October to the beginning of January. Because of the ban, the Duke Forest was unable to conduct prescribed burns, which may delay the preparation and planting of a harvest area in the Dailey Division in Alamance County. The dry conditions also lead to an increased risk of wildfire, even from the slightest spark. This became a reality for the Forest in September, when a wildfire started in the Blackwood Division.
Creeks in the Duke Forest have noticeable changes caused by the drought, and a number of small streams have been reduced to a trickle. Mud Creek in the Durham Division and New Hope Creek in the Korstian Division were almost completely dry for extended periods, leaving to a halt in water quality and other stream research in the Forest.
When bodies of water dry up, aquatic species lose much of their habitat. How the drought will affect these populations in the long-run is unknown.
As with all natural disasters, the drought may provide interesting research opportunities, providing insight on how low water conditions affect forest ecosystems and other communities. While the drought is expected to continue well into the year, the Forest will bounce back once needed rains arrive.
