The effects of soil and air temperature on CO2 exchange and net biomass accumulation in Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch seedlings

We studied the growth responses of boreal Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) seedlings to simulated climate warming of an average of 1.3 °C over the growing season in a controlled field experiment in central Finland. We had six replicate plots for elevated and ambient temperature for each tree species. The warming treatment lasted for the conifers for three growing seasons and for the birch two growing seasons. We measured the height and diameter growth of all the seedlings weekly during the growing season. The shoot and root biomass and their ratios were measured annually in one-third of seedlings harvested from each plot in autumn. After two growing seasons, the height, diameter and shoot biomass were 45%, 19% and 41% larger in silver birch seedlings under the warming treatment, but the root biomass was clearly less affected. After three growing seasons, the height, diameter, shoot and root biomass were under a warming treatment 39, 47, 189 and 113% greater in Scots pine, but the root:shoot ratio 29% lower, respectively. The corresponding responses of Norway spruce to warming were clearly smaller (e.g., shoot biomass 46% higher under a warming treatment). As a comparison, the relative response of height growth in silver birch was after two growing seasons equal to that measured in Scots pine after three growing seasons. Based on our findings, especially silver birch seedlings, but also Scots pine seedlings benefitted from warming, which should be taken into account in forest regeneration in the future.

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Effect of Peat-based Container Media on Establishment of Scots Pine, Norway Spruce and Silver Birch Seedlings after Transplanting in Contrasting Water Conditions

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1080/02827580050160466 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 49-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Juha Heiskanen ◽

Risto Rikala

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Water Conditions

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Estimation of crown and canopy cover from airborne lidar data

Forestry Studies / Metsanduslikud Uurimused ◽

10.2478/v10132-011-0079-5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 5-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mait Lang

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Airborne Lidar ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Lidar Data ◽

Crown Cover ◽

Pine Trees ◽

Airborne Lidar Data

Metsa katvuse ja liituse hindamine lennukilt laserskanneriga Tests were carried out in mature Scots pine, Norway spruce and Silver birch stands at Järvselja, Estonia, to estimate canopy cover (K) and crown cover (L) from airborne lidar data. Independent estimates Kc and Lc for K and L were calculated from the Cajanus tube readings made on the ground at 1.3 m height. Lidar data based cover estimates depended on the inclusion of different order returns significantly. In all the stands first order return based estimate K1 was biased positively (3-10%) at the reference height of 1.3 m compared to ground measurements. All lidar based estimates decreased with increasing the reference height. Single return (Ky) and all return (Kk) based canopy cover estimates depended more on the sand structure compared to K1. The ratio of all return count to the first return count D behaved like crown cover estimate in all stands. However, in spruce stand D understimated Lc significantly. In the Scots pine stand K1(1.3) = 0.7431 was most similar canopy cover estimate relative to the ground estimate Kc = 0,7362 whereas Ky(1.3) and Kk(1.3) gave significant underestimates (>15%) of K. Caused by the simple structure of Scots pine stand - only one layer pine trees, the Cajanus tube based canopy cover (Kc), crown cover (Lc) and lidar data based canopy density D(1.3) values were rather similar. In the Norway spruce stand and in the Silver birch stand second layer and regeneration trees were present. In the Silver birch stand Kk(1.3) and Ky(1.3) estimated Kc rather well. In the Norway spruce stand Ky(1.3) and K1(1.3) were the best estimators of Kc whereas Kk(1.3) underestimated canopy cover. Lidar data were found to be usable for canopy cover and crown cover assessment but the selection of the estimator is not trivial and depends on the stand structure.

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Effects of CMIP5 Projections on Volume Growth, Carbon Stock and Timber Yield in Managed Scots Pine, Norway Spruce and Silver Birch Stands under Southern and Northern Boreal Conditions

Forests ◽

10.3390/f9040208 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 208 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laith ALRahahleh ◽

Antti Kilpeläinen ◽

Veli-Pekka Ikonen ◽

Harri Strandman ◽

Ari Venäläinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Volume Growth ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Timber Yield

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Do decomposing Scots pine, Norway spruce, and silver birch stems retain nitrogen?

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x08-147 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (12) ◽

pp. 3047-3055 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Marjo Palviainen ◽

Raija Laiho ◽

Harri Mäkinen ◽

Leena Finér

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Nutrient Retention ◽

Silver Birch ◽

N Dynamics ◽

Early Stages ◽

N Pool

The contents of nitrogen (N) have generally been observed to increase in the early stages of decomposition in coarse woody debris and then to decrease slowly. This is potentially an important mechanism of nutrient retention in ecosystems after disturbances. We studied N dynamics in decomposing Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth.) stems in Finland. The oldest stems had decomposed for 34 (spruce and birch) or 45 (pine) years. Concentrations of N in both fallen logs and standing snags increased and C/N ratios decreased with time, and birch had significantly higher N concentrations and lower C/N ratios than pine and spruce. Even though increased N contents were observed in some cases, N was generally already released in the early stages of decomposition and more rapidly from birch than from conifers. Based on model analysis, from 40% (pine and spruce) to 50% (birch) of initial N was released within 30 years. The results suggest that decomposing stems of especially Scots pine and Norway spruce retain N rather effectively in boreal forest ecosystems and form a long-term, small but steady N pool with a slow release rate.

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Longitudinal height-diameter curves for Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch in Norway based on shape constraint additive regression models

Forest Ecosystems ◽

10.1186/s40663-017-0125-8 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Matthias Schmidt ◽

Johannes Breidenbach ◽

Rasmus Astrup

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Regression Models ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Shape Constraint ◽

Additive Regression

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Männi-, kuuse- ja kasepuistute majandamise tasuvus lühikese raieringi korral / Profitability analysis of short rotations in Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch stands

Forestry Studies / Metsanduslikud Uurimused ◽

10.2478/v10132-011-0093-7 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 28-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Henn Korjus ◽

Priit Põllumäe ◽

Siim Rool

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Simulation Software ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Rotation Length ◽

Profitability Analysis ◽

Optimal Rotation

Abstract. Estonian forest management is based traditionally on long rotations. Recent trends in wood industry and wood consumption promote also production of small-size timber for bioenergy and timber products. This opens a discussion about shorter rotations and intensive forest management again in Estonia. In current study, profitability of Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch stand management on fertile soils was analyzed according to three different rotation lengths: traditional long rotation, short rotation and economically optimal rotation according Finnish TAPIO rules. Stand simulation software MOTTI was used to simulate and optimize forest growth and management. Simulation results were compared with actual data on forest growth and yield in Estonia. Economically optimal rotations were for Scots pine stand 58 years, Norway spruce stand 53 years and silver birch stand 41 years. Short and optimal rotation length enable 5.9-6.5% profitability for forest owner, traditional long rotation length enables 4.8-5.4% profitability. Rotation forestry is challenging task. Based on our analysis, it is likely that applied practices can intensify wood production and reduce forest management risks. However, theoretical approach is not enough for assessing practical feasibility of short rotations. Thus further studies and experiments are needed for careful analysis and recommendations

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Effect of biochar amendment on the properties of growing media and growth of containerized Norway spruce, Scots pine, and silver birch seedlings

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2019-0399 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 31-40

Author(s):

Egle Köster ◽

Jukka Pumpanen ◽

Marjo Palviainen ◽

Xuan Zhou ◽

Kajar Köster

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Water Retention Capacity ◽

Retention Capacity ◽

Growing Media ◽

Collar Diameter ◽

Aboveground Growth ◽

Biochar Amendment

Common practices and several studies have demonstrated the positive effect of biochar amendment on climate change mitigation, soil properties, and plant growth. We performed a greenhouse experiment to assess the potential of wood biochar to improve the properties of the growing media and the growth of seedlings in boreal tree species. We added willow biochar (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) to raw peat and measured the growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) seedlings. In addition, the co-effect of biochar amendment with 0%, 50%, and 100% fertilization was estimated. We found that using up to 10% of biochar did not reduce the water retention capacity of the growing media significantly. Moreover, biochar amendment significantly increased carbon, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus concentrations and had a significant liming effect on the growing media. The biochar amendment increased the aboveground growth of spruce seedlings and root biomass, as well as the root collar diameter, of birch seedlings. Biochar amendment did not affect the quality of seedlings, estimated by the Dickson’s quality index, for spruce and pine, while the quality of birch increased. Based on our results, biochar has potential in forest seedling production.

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