Evaluation of coarse woody debris and forest vegetation across topographic gradients in a southern Ohio forest

In highly dissected landscapes, topographic gradients and their associated microhabitat conditions have been shown to greatly influence the distribution of woody vegetation. However, little is known about the influence of these gradients on the spatial distribution of coarse woody debris (CWD), especially in unglaciated eastern North America. The main goal of this study was to examine the influence of topography (slope aspect, percent slope, and slope position as calculated from a landform index (LI)) and plot characteristics (tree height, age, and canopy cover) on the distribution of trees (diameter at breast height, dbh≥10 cm), saplings (dbh