Consequences of Shifts in Abundance and Distribution of American Chestnut for Restoration of a Foundation Forest Tree
Open accessAbstract
Restoration of foundation species, such as the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) that was devastated by an introduced fungus, can restore ecosystem function. Understanding both the current distribution as well as biogeographic patterns is important for restoration planning. We used United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data to quantify the current density and distribution of C. dentata. We then review the literature concerning biogeographic patterns in C. dentata. Currently, 431 ± 30.2 million stems remain. The vast majority (360 ± 22 million) are sprouts <2.5 cm dbh. Although this number is approximately 10% of the estimated pre-blight population, blight has caused a major shift in the size structure. The current-day population has a larger range, particularly west and north, likely due to human translocation. While climate change could facilitate northward expansion, limited seed reproduction makes this unlikely without assisted migration. Previous research demonstrates that the current, smaller population contains slightly higher genetic diversity than expected, although little information exists on biogeographic patterns in the genetics of adaptive traits. Our research provides a baseline characterization of the contemporary population of C. dentata, to enable monitoring stem densities and range limits to support restoration efforts.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The Appalachian coal mining region corresponds closely with the native range of the American chestnut.
“The Appalachian coal mining region corresponds closely with the native range of the American chestnut (Jacobs 2004; Fields-Johnson et al. 2010; Dalgleish et al. 2016).”
From Plantation performance of chestnut hybrids and progenitors on reclaimed Appalachian surface mines (2018) · cites this paper as Dalgleish et al. 2016
The Results and Conclusions place American chestnut within the Appalachians and describe the Appalachians as part of its range. The paper does not identify the Appalachian coal mining region or compare its boundaries with the chestnut’s native range, so it does not establish the claimed close correspondence. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Loss of foundation species: consequences for the structure and dynamics of forested ecosystems
Ellison, A. M., Bank, M. S., Clinton, B. D., Colburn, E. A., Elliott, K. J., Ford, C. R., Foster, D. R., Kloeppel, B. D., Knoepp, J. D., Lovett, G. M., et al. (2005) · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment · doi:10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0479:lofscf]2.0.co;2 · Cited by 1,854 · see citing works
Bechtold, W. A., Patterson, P. L., & [Editors] (2015) · doi:10.2737/srs-gtr-80 · Cited by 1,253 · see citing works
Failure to migrate: lack of tree range expansion in response to climate change
Zhu, K., Woodall, C. W., & Clark, J. S. (2011) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02571.x · Cited by 748 · see citing works
Chestnut Blight: The Classical Problem of an Introduced Pathogen
Anagnostakis, S. L. (1987) · Mycologia · doi:10.1080/00275514.1987.12025367 · Cited by 695 · see citing works
Ecological Restoration in the Light of Ecological History
Jackson, S. T., & Hobbs, R. J. (2009) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1172977 · Cited by 647 · see citing works
An indicator of tree migration in forests of the eastern United States
Woodall, C. W., Oswalt, C. M., Westfall, J. A., Perry, C. H., Nelson, M. D., & Finley, A. O. (2009) · Forest Ecology and Management · doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.12.013 · Cited by 266 · see citing works
Chestnut: history and ecology of a transformed species
Paillet, F. L. (2002) · Journal of Biogeography · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.2002.00767.x · Cited by 214 · see citing works
Jacobs, D. F., Dalgleish, H. J., & Nelson, C. D. (2013) · New Phytologist · doi:10.1111/nph.12020 · Cited by 183 · see citing works
Self-citationRestoring forests: What constitutes success in the twenty-first century?
Jacobs, D. F., Oliet, J. A., Aronson, J. C., et al. (2015) · New Forests · doi:10.1007/s11056-015-9513-5 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Self-citationPre-Blight Distribution of Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh
Russell, E. W. B. (1987) · Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club · doi:10.2307/2996129 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Jacobs, D. F. (2007) · Biological Conservation · doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.03.013 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Self-citationCrandall, B. S., Gravatt, G. F., & Ryan, M. M. (1945) · Phytopathology · Cited by 125 · see citing works
The Effect of Multiple Importations of Pests and Pathogens on a Native Tree
Anagnostakis, S. L. (2001) · Biological Invasions · doi:10.1023/a:1015205005751 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Wang, G. G., Bauerle, W. L., & Mudder, B. T. (2006) · Forest Ecology and Management · doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.12.063 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Huang, G., Dane, F., & Kubisiak, T. L. (1998) · American Journal of Botany · doi:10.2307/2446368 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Rhoades, C. C., Brosi, S. L., Dattilo, A. J., & Vincelli, P. C. (2003) · Forest Ecology and Management · doi:10.1016/s0378-1127(03)00147-6 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Identification of QTLs affecting adaptive traits in Castanea sativa Mill
Casasoli, M., Pot, D., Plomion, C., et al. (2004) · Plant Cell & Environment · doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.2004.01214.x · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Demography of American chestnut populations: effects of a pathogen and a hyperparasite
Davelos, A. L., & Jarosz, A. M. (2004) · Journal of Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00907.x · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Intercontinental genetic divergence of Castanea species in eastern Asia and eastern North America
Dane, F., Lang, P., Huang, H.-R., et al. (2003) · Heredity · doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800300 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Paillet, F. L., & Rutter, P. A. (1989) · Canadian Journal of Botany · doi:10.1139/b89-423 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Brewer, L. G. (1995) · Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club · doi:10.2307/2996402 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Wang, G. G., Knapp, B. O., Clark, S. L., & Mudder, B. T. (2013) · doi:10.2737/srs-gtr-173 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Joesting, H. M., McCarthy, B. C., & Brown, K. J. (2008) · Forest Ecology and Management · doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.09.009 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Atlas of United States trees. volume 5, Florida
Little, E. L., & States., U. (1978) · doi:10.5962/bhl.title.65462 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Modelling chestnut biogeography for American chestnut restoration
Fei, S., Liang, L., Paillet, F. L., et al. (2012) · Diversity and Distributions · doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00886.x · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Dalgleish, H. J., & Swihart, R. K. (2011) · Restoration Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.1526-100x.2011.00795.x · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Self-citationBailey's ecoregions and subregions of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Bailey, R. G. (2016) · Forest Service Research Data Archive · doi:10.2737/rds-2016-0003 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Fifty Years of Chestnut Blight in America
Beattie, R. K., & Diller, J. D. (1954) · Journal of Forestry · doi:10.1093/jof/52.5.323 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Gurney, K. M., Schaberg, P. G., Hawley, G. J., & Shane, J. B. (2009) · Restoration Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.1526-100x.2009.00544.x · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Shaw, J., Craddock, J. H., & Binkley, M. A. (2012) · Castanea · doi:10.2179/11-033 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Míguez-Soto, B., & Fernández-López, J. (2014) · New Forests · doi:10.1007/s11056-014-9445-5 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
COMPARATIVE PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF CASTANEA SPECIES
Dane, F. (2009) · Acta Horticulturae · doi:10.17660/actahortic.2009.844.29 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Genetic structure of American chestnut populations based on neutral DNA markers
Kubisiak, T. L., & Roberds, J. H. (2006) · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Li, X., & Dane, F. (2012) · Tree Genetics & Genomes · doi:10.1007/s11295-012-0538-z · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Nelson, C. D., Powell, W. A., Maynard, C. A., et al. (2014) · Acta Horticulturae · doi:10.17660/actahortic.2014.1019.27 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citationCurrent status of chestnut in eastern US forests
McWiliams, W. H., Lister, T. W., LaPoint, E. B., et al. (2006) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Gravatt, F. Chestnut blight in Asia and North America. Unasylva 1949, 3, 2-7.
- Steiner, K.C., Carlson, J.E., Eds.; National Park Service: Asheville, NC, USA, 2006; pp. 109-122.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Steiner, K. C., Westbrook, J. W., Hebard, F. V., Georgi, L. L., Powell, W. A., & Fitzsimmons, S. F. (2017) · New Forests · doi:10.1007/s11056-016-9561-5 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
Plantation performance of chestnut hybrids and progenitors on reclaimed Appalachian surface mines
Skousen, J. G., Dallaire, K., Scagline-Mellor, S., Monteleone, A., Wilson-Kokes, L., Joyce, J., Thomas, C., Keene, T., DeLong, C., Cook, T., et al. (2018) · New Forests · doi:10.1007/s11056-018-9643-7 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Dalgleish, H., Nelson, C., Scrivani, J., & Jacobs, D.
- Affiliations
- William & Mary (US)
- US Forest Service (US)
- Virginia Information Technologies Agency (US)
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jacobs, Douglass
- Venue
- Forests
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2015-12-24
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 4
- ISSN
- 1999-4907 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2208787431
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 4.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Forests (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- W&M Publish (College of William & Mary) (submittedVersion)
- UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Forest ecology and management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecological Modeling › Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Keywords
- American chestnut, Castanea dentata, chestnut blight, forest restoration, foundation species, population density, size structure, sprouts, biogeographic range, climate change, assisted migration, genetic diversity, adaptive traits, restoration monitoring
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
