North Central Research Station

John Kabrick

I study the ecological processes governing the regeneration and development of oak-dominated forests, woodlands, and savannas and use this information to develop practical, scientific, and ecologically-based silvicultural prescriptions.

Forest management is becoming more complex because of the combination of changing societal expectations and evolving ecological perspectives. For example, the public is increasingly critical of the use of certain harvesting methods on public forest land. At the same time, public forest land management agencies are increasingly setting more complex objectives emphasizing more holistic, system-level forest management including restoring and sustaining native forest and woodland communities. Moreover, private forest land owners are shifting their priorities to emphasize non-commodity forest values such as wildlife habitat. These changing expectations and evolving perspectives require developing new and often more complex silvicultural practices.

I am working with a team of other scientists to quantify and predict the long-term, landscape-scale changes in Missouri Ozarks forests resulting from even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest management. We are analyzing the effects of these management systems on forest regeneration and structure as well as the on the faunal communities inhabiting these forests. We are most interested in changes occurring over entire forests rather than within forest stands or research plots and throughout long time periods rather than immediately following harvests.

Along with other scientists, I am developing and evaluating methods for regenerating bottomland oaks in mixed bottomland forests and restoring oaks to bottomlands previously cleared for agriculture. In many bottomland forests, oaks were an important component but have been lost through succession and bottomland forest clearing.

Oak decline has been a chronic issue in the Ozark Highlands for several decades. In addition to studying the causes and outcomes of oak decline, I also and working on methods for restoring a native mix of shortleaf pine and white oaks to declining stands presently dominated by red oak group species. We anticipate that this native mix of pine and white oaks will remain more resistant to decline.

I also am working with other scientists investigating the role of prescribed fire for regenerating oaks on mesic sites and for restoring native species in forests and woodlands where fire was an integral disturbance.

Dey, D.C., W. Lovelace, J.M. Kabrick, and M.A. Gold. (in press.) In: Michler, C.H. and others, ed. 6th Black Walnut Symposium. USDA FS NCRS Gen. Tech. Rep.

Kabrick, J.M., R.B. Renken, E.W. Kurzejeski, R.G. Jensen, W.K. Gram, R.L. Clawson, P.A. Porneluzi, J. Faaborg, D.K. Fantz, J.K. Grabner, and M. Johanson. 2004. The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project: Findings from ten years of evaluating management effects on forest systems. Pp 484-496. In: Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hix, David M.; Long, Robert P.; Goebel, P. Charles, eds. 2004. Proceedings. 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2004 March 16-19; Wooster, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. Northeastern Research Station. 539 p. [CD-ROM].

Kabrick, J.M., S.R. Shifley, R. G. Jensen, Z. Fan, and David R. Larsen. 2004. Factors associated with oak mortality in Missouri Ozark Forests. Pp 27-35. In: Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hix, David M.; Long, Robert P.; Goebel, P. Charles, eds. 2004. Proceedings. 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2004 March 16-19; Wooster, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. Northeastern Research Station. 539 p. [CD-ROM].

Kolaks, J.J., B.E. Cutter, E.F. Loewenstein, K.W. Grabner, G.W. Hartman, and J.M. Kabrick. 2004. The effect of thinning and prescribed fire on fuel loading in the Central Hardwood Region of Missouri. Pp 168-178. In: Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hix, David M.; Long, Robert P.; Goebel, P. Charles, eds. 2004. Proceedings. 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2004 March 16-19; Wooster, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. Northeastern Research Station. 539 p. [CD-ROM].

Kolaks, J., B. Cutter, E. Loewenstein, K. Grabner, G. Hartman, and J. Kabrick. Fuel loading in the Central Hardwoods. (in press). Proceedings of the 2nd International Wildland Fire Ecology and Fire Management Congress held concurrently with the 5th Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology, Orlando, FL. November 16-20, 2003

Dey, D.C.; Kabrick, J.M.; Gold, M.A. 2003. (in press.) Tree establishment in floodplain agroforestry practices. In Proceedings 8th North American Agroforestry Conference. 22-25 June 2003. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR.

Dey, D., J. Kabrick, and M. Gold. 2003. Establishing oaks in Big River floodplains. Missouri Forestry Newsletter. Vol. 19, No. 1. pp3-5.

Kabrick, J.M., S.R. Shifley, R.G. Jensen, D.R. Larsen, and J.K Grabner. 2004. Oak forest composition, site index patterns, and dynamics in relation to site factors in the southeastern Missouri Ozarks. Symposium Proceedings, Upland Oak Ecology: The history, current conditions, and sustainability, Oct 7-10, 2002, Fayetteville, AR.

Guyette, R. P., R.M. Muzika, J.M. Kabrick, and M.C. Stambaugh. 2004. A perspective on Quercus life history characteristics and forest disturbance. Symposium Proceedings, Upland Oak Ecology: The history, current conditions, and sustainability, Oct 7-10, 2002, Fayetteville, AR.

Shaw, G.W., D.C. Dey, J. Kabrick, J. Grabner, and R.M. Muzika. 2003. Comparison of site preparation methods and stock types for artificial regeneration of oaks in bottomlands. pp. 186-198. In: Van Sambeek, J.W., J.O. Dawson, F. Ponder, Jr., E.F. Loewenstein, and J.S. Fralish, eds. Proceedings of the 13th Central Hardwood Forest Conference 1-3 April 2002. Urbana-Champaign, IL. General Technical Report NC 234. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station. 565 p.

Dey D., J. Kabrick, J. Grabner, and M. Gold. 2003. Restoring oaks in the Missouri River floodplain. Proceedings of the 29th Annual Hardwood Symposium Sustaining Natural Resources on Private Lands in the Central Hardwood Region. 2001 May 16-19; French Lick, IN. National Hardwood Lumber Assoc.

Shifley S.R., and J.M. Kabrick. 2002. eds. Proceedings of the Second Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: Post-treatment Results of the Landscape Experiment; 2000 October 17-18; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-227. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Research Station.

Kabrick, J.M., R.G. Jensen, S.R. Shifley, and D.R. Larsen. 2002. Woody vegetation following even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest treatments on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Sites. pp 84-101. In: Shifley S.R., and J.M. Kabrick. eds. Proceedings of the Second Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: Post-treatment Results of the Landscape Experiment; 2000 October 17-18; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-227. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Research Station.

Jensen, R.G., J.M. Kabrick, and E.K. Zenner. 2002. Tree cavity estimation and verification in the Missouri Ozarks. pp 114-129. In: Shifley S.R., and J.M. Kabrick. eds. Proceedings of the Second Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: Post-treatment Results of the Landscape Experiment; 2000 October 17-18; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-227. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Research Station.

Guyette, R., and J.M. Kabrick. 2002. The legacy and continuity of forest disturbance, succession, and species at the MOFEP sites. pp 26-44. In: Shifley S.R., and J.M. Kabrick. eds. Proceedings of the Second Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: Post-treatment Results of the Landscape Experiment; 2000 October 17-18; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-227. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Research Station.

Kabrick, J., and D. Dey. 2001. Silvics of Missouri bottomland tree species. Notes for Forest Managers. Report No. 5. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO. 8p.

Bruhn, J.N., J.J. Wetteroff, Jr., J.D. Mihail, J.M. Kabrick, and J.B. Pickens. 2000. Distribution patterns of Armillaria species in upland Ozark Mountain forests with respect to site, overstory species composition, and oak decline. For. Path. 30: 43-60.

Dey, D., D. Burhans, J. Kabrick, B. Root, J. Grabner, and M. Gold. 2000. The Missouri River floodplain: History of oak forests and current restoration efforts. The Glade. Vol. 3, No. 2. Missouri Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology.

Nigh, T., Buck, C., Grabner, J., Kabrick, J., and D. Meinert. 2000. An ecological classification system for the Current River Hills Subsection. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Kabrick, J., D. Meinert, T. Nigh, and B.J. Gorlinsky. 2000. Physical environment of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project sites. pp 41-70. In: Shifley, Stephen R.; Brookshire, Brian L.; eds. Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Site History, Soils, Landforms, Woody and Herbaceous Vegetation, Down Wood, and Inventory Methods for the Landscape Experiment. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-208. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station.

Kabrick, J.M., and M. Anderson. 2000. Oak stump sprouting in mature bottomland forests at Duck Creek Conservation Area. Forest Research Report No. 2. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Kabrick, J.M., and R. Jensen. 1999. Diameter growth rates for tree species of Missouri Ozark forests. Notes for Forest Managers. Report No. 3. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Kabrick, J.M., R. Lawrence, D. Kurz, M. Roell, and L. Vangilder. 1999. Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Five Year Scientific Plan. Missouri Department of Conservation. 15p.

Kabrick, J.M., and D.R. Larsen. 1999. Aspect affects oak and pine basal area and site index in Ozark forests. Notes for Forest Managers. Report No. 2. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Kabrick, J.M., J.K. Grabner, and D.R. Larsen. 1999. Evaluating herbaceous vegetation sampling intensity at the Riparian Ecosystem and Assessment and Management (REAM) study sites. Riparian Reviews. Vol. 4, No. 1. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Bruhn, J.N., J.J. Wetteroff, J.D. Mihail, J.M. Kabrick and J.B. Pickens. 1998. Patterns of Armillaria gallica, A. mellea, and A. tabescens occurrence under field conditions. In: Proc. 9th Int. Conf. Root and Butt Rots, INRA Editions (France), Les Colloques no. 89, 247-257.

Meinert, D., T. Nigh and J. Kabrick. 1997. Landforms, geology and soils of the MOFEP study area. pp 56-68. In: Brookshire, Brian L.; Shifley, Stephen R.; eds. Proceedings of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: an experimental approach to landscape research; 1997 June 3-5; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-193. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station.

Kabrick, J.M., N.L. Meyers, and K. McSweeney. 1997. Comparison of sampling methods for estimating pit and mound microtopography. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61:1423-1427.

Kabrick, J.M., M.K. Clayton, A.B. McBratney, and K. McSweeney. 1997. Cradle-knoll patterns and characteristics on drumlins in Northeastern Wisconsin. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61:595:603.

Kabrick, J.M., M.K. Clayton, and K. McSweeney. 1997. Spatial patterns of carbon and texture among forested drumlins in Northeastern Wisconsin. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61:541-548.

Kabrick, J.M., D.R. Larsen and S. R. Shifley. 1997. Analysis of pretreatment MOFEP woody vegetation and environmental data: Evaluation for compartment, block and treatment trends in species counts, density, diameter and basal area. pp 150-168. In: Brookshire, Brian L.; Shifley, Stephen R.; eds. Proceedings of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: an experimental approach to landscape research; 1997 June 3-5; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-193. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station.

Kabrick, J.M., D.R. Larsen, and R.D. Hammer. 1997. Landform microsites in riparian ecosystems: Effect on leaf litter, woody debris and herbaceous plants. Riparian Reviews Vol. 2, No. 1. Missouri Department of Conservation.

Grabner, J.K., D.R. Larsen, and J.M. Kabrick. 1997. Analysis of MOFEP Ground Flora: Pre-treatment conditions. pp 169-197. In: Brookshire, Brian L.; Shifley, Stephen R.; eds. Proceedings of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: an experimental approach to landscape research; 1997 June 3-5; St. Louis, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-193. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station.

Kabrick, J.M., D.R. Larsen, and R.D. Hammer. 1996. Soils and landform microsites in North Missouri riparian forests. Riparian Reviews Vol. 1, No. 2. Missouri Department of Conservation.