The primary objective of many longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration programs is to enhance or restore habitat for wildlife dependent on herbaceous plant communities. Because herbaceous cover is inversely related to canopy cover, restoration programs often place restrictions on longleaf pine planting density. However, the influence of planting density on understory plant communities has been inadequately evaluated. Therefore, we initiated a study to examine the relative influences of planting density and other factors on overall understory composition and forage availability for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in nine longleaf pine stands throughout the Coastal Plain of Alabama during 2017–2018. We found that coverage of herbaceous plants decreased 3.5%, coverage of woody plants decreased 2.4%, and coverage of northern bobwhite forage plants decreased 1.9% for each 1 m²/ha increase in longleaf pine basal area. However, planting density was not a significant predictor of current basal area, nor coverage of any functional group of plants we examined, likely because current longleaf pine density averaged only 46% (range = 30–64%) of seedling planting density. We did not detect an effect of prescribed fire on stand condition or understory plant communities, likely due to variability in fire timing and frequency. Our findings related to planting density were likely a function of low longleaf pine survival, which is not uncommon. Because of this and the inherent variability in growth rates for young longleaf pine stands, restoration programs should consider placing greater emphasis on post‐planting monitoring and management than planting density.

中文翻译：

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长叶松树种植密度和其他因素对林分结构和相关野生动植物栖息地的影响

许多长叶松（Pinus palustris）恢复计划的主要目标是增强或恢复依赖草本植物群落的野生生物的栖息地。由于草本覆盖与冠层覆盖成反比，因此恢复计划通常会限制长叶松树的种植密度。但是，种植密度对林下植物群落的影响尚未得到充分评估。因此，我们发起了一项研究，以研究种植密度和其他因素对白尾鹿（Odocoileus virginianus）和北鲍勃白（Colinus virginianus）总体林下组成和牧草可利用性的相对影响。）在2017-2018年间遍布阿拉巴马州沿海平原的9个长叶松林中。我们发现，每1 m ²，草本植物的覆盖率下降3.5％，木本植物的覆盖率下降2.4％，北部bobwhite饲用植物的覆盖率下降1.9％。/ ha增加长叶松木的基础面积。但是，播种密度不是当前基础面积的重要指标，也不是我们检查的任何功能类植物的覆盖率的可能指标，这很可能是因为当前的长叶松树密度平均仅为幼苗播种密度的46％（范围为30-64％）。由于火灾发生时间和频率的变化，我们没有发现规定的火灾对林分状况或林下植物群落的影响。我们与种植密度有关的发现可能是低长叶松树成活率的函数，这并不罕见。由于这个原因以及年轻的长叶松林生长速率的内在变化，恢复计划应考虑比种植密度更重视种植后的监测和管理。