scholarly journals Effects of pruning in Norway spruce on tree growth and grading of sawn boards in Finland

2014 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Makinen ◽  
E. Verkasalo ◽  
A. Tuimala
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Growth

scholarly journals A Novel Approach to Evaluate the Effect of Neighboring Trees and the Orientation of Tree Social Area on Stem Radial Increment of Norway Spruce Trees

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Jan Světlík ◽  
Jan Krejza ◽  
Pavel Bednář
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Radial Increment ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Social Area

Tree growth depends on many factors such as microsite conditions, vitality, and variations in climate and genetics. It is generally accepted that higher growth indicates both an economic benefit and better vitality of any tree. Here we use a modified approach of evaluating tree social area to study mutual tree competition based on the orientation and shape of trees social area. The investigation was performed in nine Norway spruce stands in the Czech Republic. The objective of this study performed from 2008 to 2012 was to quantify relative tree radial increments with respect to the lowest and highest competition found in specific sectors of tree social area (AS). Specific groups of trees (tree classes) were evaluated according to their classes (dominant, co-dominant and sub-dominant) and their composition status in ninety-degree sectors of AS using established classifying rules. The results showed that a spatially-available area (AA) is an inappropriate parameter for predicting tree growth, whereas AS provided robust explanatory power to predict relative radial growth. Tree size was observed as an important indicator of relative radial increments. A significantly positive correlation was found for a radial increment of sub-dominant trees with the lowest competition from western directions; whereas a negative correlation was observed when the lowest competition was observed from eastern directions. For dominant trees, there was an evident growth reaction only when more than 50% of the AS was oriented towards one of the cardinal points. Individual differences in the orientation of tree AS may be important parameters with regard to competition and its spatial variability within an area surrounding a particular tree and deserve more detailed attention in tree growth models and practice.

scholarly journals Stable Allometric Trajectories in Picea abies (L.) Karst. Trees along an Elevational Gradient

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1231
Author(s):  
Claudio Mura ◽  
Christian Bianchi Strømme ◽  
Tommaso Anfodillo
Keyword(s):  
Picea Abies ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Allometric Scaling ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Biomass Partitioning ◽  
Bud Break ◽  
Crown Volume ◽  
Value Range

The effect of temperature on tree phenology and growth has gained particular attention in relation to climate change. While a number of reports indicate that warming can extend the length of the growing season and enhance tree growth rates, it is still debated whether temperature also affects biomass partitioning. Addressing the question of whether trees grown at different elevations invest similarly in various organs, we established four sites along an elevational gradient (320 to 595 m a.s.l.) in managed Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karts) stands regenerating after clearcuts in central Norway. There, differences in temperature, bud break, tree growth, and allometric scaling were measured in small spruce trees (up to 3 m height). The results showed that bud break and shoot growth are affected by temperature, as lower sites completed the bud break process 5 days earlier than the higher sites did. There was some evidence indicating that the summer drought of 2018 affected tree growth during the season, and the implications of this are discussed. The allometric scaling coefficients did not change for the crown volume (slope value range 2.66–2.84), crown radius (0.77–0.89), and tree diameter (0.89–0.96) against tree height. A slight difference was found in the scaling coefficients of crown length against tree height (slope value range 1.04–1.12), but this did not affect the general scaling of the crown volume with tree height. Our results showed that different local environmental conditions affect both the growth rate and phenology in Norway spruce trees but, on the contrary, that the biomass partitioning among different parts of the tree remains essentially unchanged. This demonstrates that the allometric approach is an important tool for unraveling true vs. apparent plant plasticity, which in turn is an essential awareness for predicting plant responses to environmental changes.

scholarly journals Fertilization of Norway spruce forest with wood ash and nitrogen affected both tree growth and composition of chemical defence

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-600
Author(s):  
Kjersti Holt Hanssen ◽  
Johan Asplund ◽  
Nicholas Clarke ◽  
Ruben Selmer ◽  
Line Nybakken
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Wood Ash ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Annual Growth Rate ◽  
Basal Area Growth ◽  
Area Growth ◽  
N Treatment

Abstract We fertilized a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stand on rich mineral soil with 3 t ha−1 of wood ash (ASH), 150 kg ha−1 of nitrogen (N) or a combination of wood ash and nitrogen (ASH + N), in addition to unfertilized control plots. After five growing seasons, we remeasured the trees and took core samples. Current- and previous-year needles were sampled and analyzed for total nitrogen and carbon, low-molecular weight phenolics and condensed tannins. Annual volume increment and standing volume were significantly higher in the ASH + N treatment than in control plots after 5 years. N gave a significant positive effect on basal area growth in the third year, after which the effect diminished. The ASH + N treated trees, on the other hand, showed an increasing basal area growth trend throughout the period. ASH reduced the total concentration of low-molecular weight phenolic compounds significantly in current-year needles. Phenolic acids increased under both ASH and ASH + N, while flavonoids decreased significantly under the same treatments compared to N. By including annual growth rate before fertilization in the analyses, the effect of N-treatment on flavonoids was positive only in trees with higher growth rates, and in those trees the concentration was higher than in both ASH-treated plots and controls. An acetophenone, constituting more than half of the total low-molecular weight phenolics concentration, was strongly reduced under all fertilization treatments. These results demonstrate that in addition to effects on tree growth, fertilization of the forest floor also has a strong influence on other metabolic processes of trees, with potential implications for ecosystem functioning.

The influence of drought on tree growth in Germany – from models to general statements

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Бек ◽  
Volfgang Bek ◽  
Нахтин ◽  
Marko Nakhtin ◽  
Мюллер ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Climate Scenario ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Relative Increment ◽  
Statistical Analysis Tool

The scientific perspective on the climate-growth relationship is usually multivariate and too complex for decision makers, who need simpler statements. We analyse the relationships between the climate and tree growth with the help of 89 tree ring chronologies for Norway spruce, Scots pine and European beech in Germany. The statistical analysis tool CLIMTREG is used to discover climate-growth relationships and to model relative increment deviations caused by the force of climate scenario data.

The relative importance of environmental drivers on the growth of Norway spruce depends on soil types: A case study from Saxony and Thuringia, Germany

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Torsten Seltmann ◽  
Jakob Wernicke ◽  
Rainer Petzold ◽  
Martin Baumann ◽  
Kristian Münder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Boosted Regression Tree ◽  
Terrain Attributes

<p>In forest management and sience it is important to determine the drivers of tree growth and to quantify their relative importance with regard to forest site characteristics. The growth of individual trees depends on complex interactions between biotic and environmental drivers. Forest management can make use or buffer the effects of biotic drivers, e. g. through thinning strategies. However, large uncertainties emerge from environmental drivers and its effects on tree growth.</p><p>The aim of this study is to quantify the relative importance of environmental drivers (climate, soil, and terrain attributes) on the growth of Norway spruce trees (<em>Picea abies</em> (L.) Karst.). For that purpose we distinguished three common soil types of Saxony and Thuringia, Germany (Cambisols, Podzols and water-influenced soils, i.e. Gleysol, Planosol, Stagnosol). We used national forest inventory data, regionalized climate data and terrain inferred parameters with a Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) approach. The approach is particularly suitable, since BRT quantify the relative predictor importance, considering non-linearities and interactions among predictors.</p><p>The results of this study clearly demonstrate the importance of soil properties on the growth of Norway spruce trees. Terrain attributes and temperature are similarly important for Norway spruce growth on Cambisols and Podzols, whereas spruce growth is mainly influenced by the relative sand content of the soil, the available field capacity and terrain attributes on water-influenced soils. Interactions among environmental drivers are most relevant on Cambisols and Podzols but not on water-influenced soils. Thus, the implementation of the results in growth models of high spatial resolution will support decision making in forest management.</p>

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