Forest Sciences Commons^™

Preliminary Assessment Of Climatic Sensitivity Of Riparian Old-Growth Eastern Hemlock, John B. Holden Iv, Sophan Chhin, Andrew Hirsch, Eric Yetter

Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review

Eastern hemlock is a long-lived, slow growing climax species in North America currently undergoing a major decline in population due to a combination of effects derived from hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) as well as changing climate patterns. Data was collected in an old-growth, riparian hemlock forest within the West Virginia University Research Forest to understand the effect of monthly climate factors (mean temperature, mean precipitation, and climate moisture index (CMI)) on hemlock radial growth. Results indicated that March mean temperature and May CMI of the current growth year are positively associated with hemlock growth whereas prior year summer conditions of …