Successful oak stand regeneration requires an abundance of well developed advance reproduction. Past studies have found that oak reproduction varies on upland landscapes by inferred measures of nutrient and water supply such as site index, slope-aspect, and slope position. There is a need to relate oak reproduction to soil nutrient and water supply parameters to better understand variations in oak reproduction on upland landscapes. On the USDA Forest Service, Sinkin Experimental Forest, located in the Missouri Ozarks, we used regression models for estimating the advance reproduction density of red oaks, white oaks, and non-oaks. The abundance of red oak advance reproduction was smaller on northeast-facing slopes and inversely related to soil plant available water capacity (AWC) and soil base saturation (BS) suggesting a greater accumulation on sites having both a lesser water and nutrient supply. The abundance of non-oaks was greater on northeast-facing slopes and positively related to site index and Bs suggesting a greater accumulation on sites having a greater site quality and nutrient supply. There were no significant models relating these factors to the abundance of white oak advance reproduction however it was significantly (P [lesser than] 0.05) correlated to the abundance of red oak advance reproduction.

Oak decline-induced mortality and failure of oak regeneration have become a concern in upland oak forests in the Missouri Ozarks. This project investigated the effects of timber harvesting on both oak regeneration and mortality of oak residuals following a suite of harvesting treatments in the Missouri Ozarks based on the sixteen-year monitoring data from the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP). On dry sites by year 10, clearcutting improved the density of oak reproduction the most, and intermediate cutting and clearcutting increased the proportion of black oak reproduction by 2% and 3%, respectively in the composition of the forests in the study area. Single-tree selection exacerbated the mortality of oak residuals, group selection and no harvesting had a similar effect on oak residuals. Intermediate cutting improved the survival of residuals the most. This project suggested well designed silvicultural practices would likely reduce oak mortality and increase understory oak reproduction.

Fifty-one papers address the ecology, history, current conditions, and sustainability of upland oak forests - with emphasis on the Interior Highlands. Subject categories were selected to provide focused coverage of the state-of-the-art research and understanding of upland oak ecology of the region.