Container Volume Affects Survival and Growth of White Spruce, Black Spruce, and Jack Pine Seedlings: A Literature Review

1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Craig Sutherland ◽  
Robert J. Day

Abstract This paper is the first general review of the affects of container volume on the survival and growth of containerized white spruce, black spruce, and jack pine seedlings. The review shows that the literature on this topic is fragmentary and inconsistent. Seedling growth in the greenhouse production phase has been more completely quantified than subsequent establishment and growth after out-planting in the field. In the greenhouse production phase, seedling growth increased from 72 to 360% when the container volume was tripled in size. After outplanting in the field, seedling growth trends were more variable. Seedling height growth increased from 34 to 84% when container volume was tripled in size. Seedling survival was more difficult to assess because of limited data. Only white spruce showed a 10% increase in survival with an increase in container volume. The indications from this literature review suggest that nursery managers and practicing foresters should become more aware of the limitations imposed on seedling survival and growth due to container volume. To maintain optional survival and growth for white spruce, black spruce and jack pine, the container volume should range from 90 to 120 cm3. North. J. Appl. For. 5:185-189, Sept. 1988.

2010 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Geoff Wang ◽  
Kevin J Kemball

Two boreal mixedwood stands burned by the 1999 Black River wildfire in southeastern Manitoba, Canada were selected to study the effect of fire severity on early survival and growth of planted jack pine (Pinus banksiana), black spruce (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings. In each stand, three fire severity classes (scorched, lightly burned, and severely burned) were identified based on the degree of forest floor consumption. Fire severity was not a significant factor on mortality. No mortality difference was found among species, except for year 5 when jack pine had significantly higher mortality than both black spruce and white spruce. Jack pine and black spruce had their highest mortality in year 4, while white spruce had its highest mortality in year 1. Under natural competition, seedling growth increased with increasing fire severity. When competition was removed, fire severity did not affect seedling growth. Regardless of fire severity and competition, jack pine had better diameter and height growth than black spruce, which, in turn, grew slightly taller than white spruce. Planted seedlings faced less intense vegetation competition on severely burned plots compared to scorched or lightly burned plots. Regardless of fire severity and species, competition increased with time since planting. Our study results indicate that planting immediately after a wildfire is a viable option to establish conifer components on burned boreal mixedwood stands. Key words: fire severity, plantation, regeneration, Pinus banksiana, Picea mariana, Picea glauca


1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark H.R. Browning ◽  
Roy D. Whitney

The standard container (Japanese paperpot) and soil mix used in Ontario did not prevent abundant (60 to 70% of short roots) ectomycorrhizal development by Laccariaproxima Boudier or Laccariabicolor (Maire) Orton after inoculations on jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlings. Naturally occurring Thelephoraterrestris Ehrh.:Fr., which caused similar proportions of short roots to become ectomycorrhizal on uninoculated control seedlings of both tree species, was apparently prevented from forming ectomycorrhizae on seedlings originally inoculated with L. bicolor and to a lesser extent on those inoculated with L. proxima. Although it could not be proven statistically, it appeared that L. proxima mycorrhizae enhanced the drought tolerance of jack pine seedlings to a greater extent than either T. terrestris or L. bicolor.


2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave M Morris ◽  
Rob W Mackereth ◽  
Dan R Duckert ◽  
Michael K Hoepting

Excessive rutting continues to be recorded in post-harvest compliance inspections in black spruce peatlands across Ontario. These qualitative, visual assessments, however, cannot provide the necessary data to determine a site disturbance threshold that is linked to poor regeneration and seedling growth. In an attempt to provide this quantitative link, harvested black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] peatland sites were surveyed and divided into severely rutted (non-compliant), moderately rutted, and non-rutted (compliant) blocks. In 1995, 2001, and 2006, each block was assessed for areal extent of rutting, number of plantable spots, moisture status, planting medium, competition level, stand density, species composition, and black spruce seedling survival and growth. Black spruce seedling survival in the severely-rutted block was significantly lower when compared with either the moderately rutted or the non-rutted blocks. A derived seedling survival model identified moisture class as having the largest influence on the probability of seedling survival. In terms of seedling growth, however, it was the non-rutted blocks that had the poorest performance. Based on a canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), competition factors, particularly ericaceous shrub cover, were the most important microsite factors influencing black spruce seedling growth. Overall, the moderately rutted block generated conditions that resulted in high conifer recruitment and good seedling survival and growth. Although the inference space of the study is small, the results suggest that black spruce peatland sites may benefit from a moderate level of site disturbance caused during harvest operations. Key words: Rutting severity, black spruce peatlands, survival, growth, microsite assessment


1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven C. Grossnickle ◽  
Terence J. Blake

A study was conducted to examine the influence of environmental conditions of boreal cutover sites on plant water status and needle conductance of newly planted bare-root black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.), and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings. As absolute humidity deficit between the needles and air (AHD) increased, xylem pressure potentials (ψx) became most negative in black spruce, intermediate in white spruce, and least negative in jack pine seedlings. Needle conductance (gwv) was strongly related to AHD in all three species, with increasing AHD resulting in a decrease in gwv. However, at low levels of AHD, gwv values for black and white spruce seedlings were approximately 50 and 25% higher, respectively, than those for jack pine seedlings. For black and white spruce seedlings, gwv decreased as ψx became more negative, while jack pine gwv responded to more negative ψx with a threshold for stomatal closure at approximately −1.7 MPa. In all three species, increasing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) resulted in greater gwv at all AHD levels. However, at high AHD levels, gwv, response to PAR was suppressed. The findings of this study indicate species differences in physiological response to atmospheric conditions under nonlimiting soil moisture conditions. The implications for successful reforestation are discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Roden ◽  
Phillip E. Reynolds

Metsulfuron (ALLY or ESCORT), 36 and 72 g ai ha−1, and sulfometuron (OUST), 150 to 450 g ai ha−1, were applied to a northern New Brunswick clearcut (silty clay loams and silty clays) to reduce raspberry [Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim.] competition. Treatment, using skidder-mounted herbicide application equipment, occurred in May and August 1986, with planting of 2+2, bareroot, black spruce seedlings [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] in June 1986 and in June 1987. Seedling survival and growth were measured yearly for five growing seasons after planting. By August 1991, raspberry height was less in many treatments than in controls. Survival of seedlings planted one month after spring treatment was less than controls, and no significant height or stem diameter increases were observed. Growth and survival of seedlings planted approximately one year after spring treatment were greater than that of control seedlings. Fifth-year stem diameter of these seedlings, planted after site preparation with sulfometuron, was negatively correlated (r2 = 0.715) with raspberry height, decreasing as raspberry height increased. Survival of seedlings planted after some summer treatments was also less than controls, and no significant growth increases were noted for seedlings planted after site preparation with sulfometuron. Summer treatment with metsulfuron was more efficacious and resulted in greater seedling growth than spring treatment; however, greater seedling survival occurred after spring treatment. We conclude that spring treatment with sulfometuron (300 g ai ha−1), with planting delayed by one year, provided the optimal treatment to achieve maximal seedling survival and growth during plantation establishment. Black spruce seedlings appear to benefit (i.e. enhanced survival or growth) from site preparation with these herbicides only when planting is delayed by several months following their use. Key words: metsulfuron, sulfometuron, site preparation, black spruce, growth parameters, seedling survival, raspberry competitition


2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole Coursolle ◽  
Francine J. Bigras ◽  
Hank A. Margolis

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1116-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongzhou Man ◽  
Pengxin Lu ◽  
Qing-Lai Dang

Conifer winter damage results primarily from loss of cold hardiness during unseasonably warm days in late winter and early spring, and such damage may increase in frequency and severity under a warming climate. In this study, the dehardening dynamics of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) were examined in relation to thermal accumulation during artificial dehardening in winter (December) and spring (March) using relative electrolyte leakage and visual assessment of pine needles and spruce shoots. Results indicated that all four species dehardened at a similar rate and to a similar extent, despite considerably different thermal accumulation requirements. Spring dehardening was comparatively faster, with black spruce slightly hardier than the other conifers at the late stage of spring dehardening. The difference, however, was relatively small and did not afford black spruce significant protection during seedling freezing tests prior to budbreak in late March and early May. The dehardening curves and models developed in this study may serve as a tool to predict cold hardiness by temperature and to understand the potential risks of conifer cold injury during warming–freezing events prior to budbreak.


2020 ◽  
Vol 452 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 441-455
Author(s):  
M. Pacé ◽  
D. Paré ◽  
N. J. Fenton ◽  
Y. Bergeron

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Paquette ◽  
Jean-Pierre Girard ◽  
Denis Walsh

Abstract Although studies in the past have reported that the deeper planting of conifers has no effect on seedling performance, most planting guidelines in use today still recommend that seedlings be planted to the rootcollar. Past studies were mostly observational, used bareroot seedlings, and often reported early results from just one or two depths of planting treatments. Most of the results available regarding planting depth for boreal species are anecdotal, although they are planted by the hundreds of millions every year. The present study reports no short-term (1 year) or long-term (15 to 19 years) negative effect of planting depth on the survival and height and diameter growth of black spruce, white spruce, and jack pine seedlings over three large, replicated experiments in the boreal forest of eastern and northern Quebec (eastern Canada). Four different depth treatments were compared, from manual planting at the rootcollar to the deepest mechanical planting treatment at 10 cm or more, making this the largest, longest-lasting study of its kind. Although, as expected, important differences in growth were present between species, all three commonly planted conifers reacted similarly to the planting depth treatments (no effect). This result can in part be attributed to an almost perfect control of frost heaving in the deepest two treatments. Planting depth effects were assessed using analysis of variance, multiple Tukey honestly significant difference, and uncorrected pairwise one-tailed t-tests to increase the probability of detecting a negative effect. Absolute differences and effect sizes (generally small and often positive with greater depths) were also analyzed.


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