Hydrological Conditions

J. A. Lundy*, R. Kandiah,

International Center for Water Resources Management,

Central State University, 1400 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, OH, USA.

          The Central Appalachian region of Ohio consists of oak species of varying vulnerability to the shifts in ecosystem conditions. Climate change and relevant parameters of hydrological processes such as streamflow conditions are components that can result in a shift in some oak species' development. As a result, a change in oak populations might have taken place. In the Athens county area consisting of Wayne national forest, the conditions over 50 years were assessed via historical archives. Extreme conditions, such as drought, forest fires, and heat waves, were studied. Temperature and rainfall data were also analyzed to assess the conditions under which the various oak trees are exposed and review their influence on the oak distribution in this region. The primary focus of this study is the hydrological stressors specific to the Ohio Appalachian region and how the oak-dominated systems persisted throughout years of adverse environmental changes.

Keywords: Oak species, Climate change, Streamflow, Temperature, Forestry