The effect of water and nutrient availability on the productivity of Norway spruce in northern and southern Sweden

1999 ◽  
Vol 119 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Bergh ◽  
Sune Linder ◽  
Tomas Lundmark ◽  
Björn Elfving
1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1015-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urban Nilsson ◽  
Göran Örlander

A field experiment was established between 1989 and 1993 to study the effects of competing vegetation on growth of planted Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings. Effects of clearcut age, scarification (mounding), herbicide treatment, and seedling stock type were investigated 5 years after planting. On fresh clearcuts, amounts of vegetation were negligible, whereas 2.1-3.7 Mg·ha-1 was found on 4-year-old and older clearcuts. Soil temperatures were about 10% higher in mounds than in undisturbed ground, while herbicide and clearcut age only marginally affected soil temperatures. Seedlings planted on old clearcuts showed significant reductions in growth due to interference from vegetation. Five years after planting, the reduction in growth corresponded to about 1 year's growth. Most of the interaction between seedlings and vegetation occurred during the first 2 years after planting. Thus, scarification was just as effective as repeated herbicide treatments in reducing competition from vegetation. Differences in periods of drought between years could largely explain variation in leading shoot length. However, leading shoot length was affected in the same way irrespective of vegetation control treatments. Five years after planting, the relative differences in diameter between bare-root and containerized seedlings were the same as at the time of planting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1429-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matts Lindbladh ◽  
Lisa Petersson ◽  
Per-Ola Hedwall ◽  
Renats Trubins ◽  
Emma Holmström ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 2377-2385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Johansson ◽  
Göran Örlander ◽  
Urban Nilsson

Establishment of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings is often restricted by competition from vegetation, drought, and damage by pine weevils. In this study, effects of mulching on these factors were investigated. Norway spruce seedlings were planted on fresh and 1-year-old clearcuts treated with mulch on three sites in southern Sweden. Mulch was made of slash from the old stand and applied on whole blocks at three different depths: 0, 10, and 20 cm. Both insecticide-treated and untreated seedlings were planted. By reducing the competing vegetation and improving soil moisture and mineralization, mulching created a favorable growth environment. Mulching significantly improved growth in terms of height, diameter, and volume of the seedlings. Growth continued to increase over time in mulched treatments, probably as an effect of increased nutrient availability. The 20 cm mulch layer generated the greatest increase in growth throughout the 10-year experimental period. Soil moisture was preserved under the isolating mulch layer and during periods of drought soil water potential was significantly higher in mulched treatments. After 2 years, percent cover of competing vegetation was 50%–60% without mulch and 10%–20% with a mulch depth of 20 cm. Insecticide-treated seedlings achieved a survival rate close to 100% in all mulching treatments, whereas survival among untreated seedlings was only 40% on some clearcuts. Mulching alone did not affect survival or abundance of pine weevils.


2002 ◽  
Vol 161 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 133-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urban Nilsson ◽  
Pelle Gemmel ◽  
Ulf Johansson ◽  
Matts Karlsson ◽  
Torkel Welander

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 410-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seija Kaakinen ◽  
Riikka Piispanen ◽  
Satu Lehto ◽  
Johanna Metsometsä ◽  
Urban Nilsson ◽  
...  

The study was performed as part of a nutrient optimization experiment at Asa in southern Sweden. The experiment was established 1987, in a Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stand planted in 1975. In the nutrient optimization treatment (IL), all essential macro- and micronutrients were supplied, with irrigation water, every second day during the growing season. In October 2003, nine trees were harvested on both untreated control and IL plots. The IL treatment increased annual ring width during the first years of the experiment by ca. 30% and cumulative cross-sectional area 1.5-fold by the end of the experiment. Tracheid length was, however, not affected by the IL treatment. The nitrogen concentration of wood increased and starch concentration decreased as an effect of the IL treatment, suggesting that carbon was allocated to growth rather than storage. The IL treatment increased lignin concentration of wood by 3.4%. Chemical composition varied at different heights along the stem, but with no apparent trend.


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