article id 688,
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                        Review article
                    
        
                                    
                                    
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                            Afforestation of marginal agricultural land in the Lower Mississippi  Alluvial Valley (LMAV) relies on native species, planted mostly in  single-species plantations. Hard mast species such as oak and pecan are  favored for their value to wildlife, especially on public land.  Successful afforestation requires an understanding of site variation  within floodplains and matching species preferences and tolerances to  site characteristics, in particular to inundation regimes. Soil physical  conditions, root aeration, nutrient availability, and moisture  availability during the growing season also must be considered in  matching species to site. Afforestation methods include planting  seedlings or cuttings, and direct-seeding. Both methods can be done by  hand or by machine. If good quality seedlings are planted properly and  well cared for before planting, the chances for successful establishment  are high but complete failures do occur. Mortality and poor growth are  caused by many factors: extended post-planting drought or flooding; poor  planting or seeding practices; poor quality seed or seedlings; animal  depredation; or herbicide drift from aerial application to nearby  cropland. More species can be planted, even on continuously flooded  sites. Direct-seeding, while limited to heavy-seeded species (oaks and  hickories), costs less than 50% of planting seedlings. Growth varies  considerably by soil type; most bottomland hardwoods grow best on silt  loam and less well on clay soils. Up to 200 000 ha of land in the LMAV  subject to spring and early summer backwater flooding could be  afforested over the next decade.
                        
                
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                            Stanturf,
                            USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, P.O. Box 227, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
                                                        E-mail:
                                                            jstantur/srs_stoneville@fs.fed.us
                                                                                          
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                            Schweitzer,
                            USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, P.O. Box 227, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
                                                        E-mail:
                                                            cjs@nn.us
                                                                                
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                            Gardiner,
                            USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, P.O. Box 227, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
                                                        E-mail:
                                                            esg@nn.us