Baseline Overstory Conditions in Four Watersheds of Varying Management Intensity in the Eastern Ouachita Mountains

Experimental replication of watersheds of substantial size is impractical; it is impossible to achieve uniformity of topographic, edaphic, and physiographic conditions in such watersheds. Some other approach to the development of experimental error is needed if it is necessary to apply parametric statistical tests in this situation. We tackled this question with a study design that used time, rather than space, as an experimental replicate. Thus, 4 years of measurements were taken in these areas, and comparisons among watersheds included variation by year to determine whether treatment or year was the more significant variable.