Selection of Piceamariana for growing space efficiency

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 421-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laird Van Damme ◽  
William H. Parker

In an attempt to select black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) based on growing space efficiency, 398 candidate black spruce trees from a 60-year-old upland stand were measured for various growth and crown parameters. The best 10 trees were selected by two base lines: basal area increment vs. crown area and stem volume vs. crown radius. For comparison 10 trees were also selected by a height vs. age base line and 10 were randomly chosen to serve as a control. Only one tree was selected by all three base lines, but four other trees were selected by two of the three methods. Although discriminant analysis correctly classified 85% of the trees into the four selection and control groups, the high levels of variation associated with the growing-space efficiency base line trees made it impossible to identify a generalized form (crop ideotype) that was associated with either method. Short-term and long-term progeny tests were established to determine the relative gains associated with the different base-line selection methods. A greenhouse test was conducted over one growing season and included light intensity as a treatment; the long-term test was planted in 1984 and included spacing as a treatment. Results of the short-term test demonstrated strong family differences and strong family × light interaction, but no selection method differences or selection method × light interaction. While the long-term test was not yet mature enough to test the effect of spacing, the 2-year height growth results demonstrated strong family differences and no selection method differences. Correlation between the results of the two tests was significant (r = 0.61, P < 0.01), indicating a fairly high level of reproducibility in the juvenile progeny results. A weak, but consistent, trend of slower growth by the progeny of selected parents relative to randomly selected controls was observed. These early results suggest that if black spruce trees selected for superior growing space efficiency have inherent advantages in lower light intensities or more densely spaced situations in mature stands, their open-pollinated progeny do not express these qualities after one or two season's growth.

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-383
Author(s):  
William H. Parker ◽  
Annette van Niejenhuis ◽  
Laird Van Damme

Following selection of black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) for growing space efficiency using a base line of basal area increment vs. crown length × crown radius, the corresponding crown data were determined by large-scale (1:1250) aerial photography for 174 ground-measured trees to determine whether aerial photography would provide a more accurate and cost-effective alternative for plus-tree selection. Values obtained for ground- and photo-measured tree heights and crown lengths corresponded closely, but values of crown radii measured from the ground by a right-angle prism did not correspond in the same manner to values derived from crown horizontal projection areas on the photos. Nonetheless, the different base lines of basal area increments vs. various ground- and photo-measured crown parameters generally identified the same trees as having the greatest growing space efficiency. The inclusion of crown length together with crown radius did not improve the goodness of fit for regressions of basal area increments vs. crown parameters. Apparently, the two horizontal dimensions are adequate to describe growing space for black spruce, perhaps because its crown form is relatively constant. Our results indicate that large-scale aerial photography is well suited to plus-tree selections of black spruce if ground mesurements are not also required to establish base lines; the extra cost of the photos is offset by the greater speed in measuring tree heights or crown horizontal projection areas. Thus, while the technique is sufficiently accurate, it is not cost effective for establishing growing space efficiency base lines where the basal area increment is determined directly from increment cores.


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.


1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Rose ◽  
D. L. Haase ◽  
F. Kroiher ◽  
T. Sabin

Abstract This is the final summary of two studies on the relationship between root volume and seedling growth; early results were published previously. Survival, growth, and stem volume were determined for 2+0 ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings after 8 growing seasons. For each species, seedlings from three seedlots were assigned to one of three root-volume categories [<4.5 cm3 (RV1), 4.5-7 cm3 (RV2), and >7 cm3 (RV3) for ponderosa pine; <9 cm3 (RV1), 9-13 cm3 (RV2), and >13 cm3 (RV3) for Douglas-fir]. On a dry harsh ponderosa pine site on the eastern slopes of Mt. Hood in Oregon, where gopher and cattle damage decreased the number of seedlings, more seedlings in the highest root-volume category survived (70%) than in the smaller root-volume categories (62% and 50%). Douglas-fir on a good site in the Coast Range of Oregon showed significantly greater height and stem volume for the largest root-volume category, whereas annual shoot growth and survival did not differ. Root volume is one of several potentially useful criteria for predicting long-term growth and survival after outplanting. West. J. Appl. For. 12(3):69-73.


1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-85
Author(s):  
Phillip E. Reynolds ◽  
Micheal J. Roden

Abstract Metsulfuron (ALLY or ESCORT), 36 and 72 g ai/ha (~ 0.5 and 1.0 oz ai/ac), and sulfometuron (OUST), 150, 300, and 450 g ai/ha (~ 2.1, 4.2, and 6.3 oz ai/ac), were applied to a northern New Brunswick clearcut (silty clay loam and silty clay soils) to reduce raspberry competition. Treatment, using skidder-mounted herbicide application equipment, occurred in May and August 1986, with planting of 2+2, bareroot, black spruce seedlings in June 1986 and in June 1987. Seedling survival and growth were measured yearly for 5 growing seasons after planting. By August 1991, raspberry cover was less in some treatments than in controls. Survival of seedlings planted 1 month after spring treatments was less than controls, and no significant stem volume increases were observed. Survival of seedlings planted approximately 1 yr after spring treatments was greater than that of control seedlings. Survival of seedlings planted after some summer treatments also was poor, and no significant stem volume increases were noted for seedlings planted after site preparation with sulfometuron. Optimal stem volume increases over control seedlings were observed for seedlings planted 1 yr after spring sulfometuron treatment. These increases occurred sooner than for seedlings planted 1 yr after spring metsulfuron treatment or after summer metsulfuron treatment. Fifth-year stem volume for these seedlings was correlated with raspberry cover (r² = 0.44), decreasing as raspberry cover increased. We conclude that the use of other less expensive silvicultural herbicides may provide equally effective raspberry control and better black spruce seedling survival and growth. North. J. Appl. For. 12(2):80-85.


1993 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. V. Pienaar ◽  
B. D. Shiver

Abstract The study reported here provides information on the yield potential of improved loblolly pine seedlings planted on marginal agricultural cropland in the Georgia Piedmont with control of herbaceous competition. Early growth rates greatly exceed those in existing plantations established on cutover and mechanically site-prepared land in this region without additional control of competing vegetation. After 8 growing seasons, average tree height, average dbh, basal area per acre, and stem volume per acre were all influenced by planting density, but the mean annual increment of merchantable volume (trees 4.0 in. dbh and bigger to a 2.0 in. top diameter) at age 8 yr, for planting densities of 400 to 1000 trees/ac, was 230 ft³, or approximately 3 cords/ac/yr. This is more than twice the average growth rate in this region of cutover and mechanically site-prepared loblolly plantations without additional vegetation control. These results should be of particular interest to prospective participants in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). South. J. Appl. For. 17(4):193-196.


1998 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. S. VAN DEN ABBEELE ◽  
Y. C. LOH ◽  
J. K. STANLEY ◽  
I. A. TRAIL

Twenty-two patients with a diagnosis of scapholunate instability underwent a modified Brunelli procedure. The overall results of this short follow-up study showed that a majority of patients (17 out of 22) had relief of pain. Grip strength recovered well. Postoperative range of motion was reduced in extension and flexion, remained unchanged for radial deviation and improved for ulnar deviation. The radiological appearance of dynamic or static scapholunate instability did not change after the procedure. Most patients (17 out of 22) felt subjective improvement and would have the operation again. A significantly poorer result was seen in those patients with an unresolved medicolegal claim. Although short-term results are encouraging for some patients, the authors feel that more long-term follow-up is needed before recommending the procedure.


2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas G. Pitt ◽  
Robert G. Wagner ◽  
William D. Towill

Abstract Responses of planted black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] and associated vegetation were studied for 10 years after conifer release options on two northeastern Ontario sites. Six treatments were compared to untreated check plots, including directed foliar application of glyphosate herbicide, basal bark treatment with triclopyr herbicide, glyphosate capsule injection with the EZ-Ject system, spot-treatment with hexazinone herbicide, manual cutting with brushsaw, and five growing seasons of annual vegetation removal with repeat applications of glyphosate. Ten years after treatment, black spruce survival averaged 86% and varied little among treatments (P > 0.5). Annual vegetation removal treatments resulted in nearly complete domination by spruce, with treated trees exhibiting 16–55% gains in height and 112–476% gains in stem volume growth over untreated trees. Despite rigorous vegetation control on these plots, each of the vegetation groups studied were well represented at the end of the observation period, including deciduous trees, tall shrubs, low shrubs, forbs, ferns, and grasses/sedges. Directed foliar treatment provided good control of herbaceous and woody vegetation around individual crop trees, providing an 8–46% gain in height and a 43–246% gain in stem volume growth. Both spruce and hardwoods shared dominance on these plots. Spot treatments with hexazinone provided similar short-term reductions in herbaceous vegetation, but tended to release shrub species that had a negative net effect on spruce growth. The other release treatments provided only short-term reductions in woody vegetation, which ultimately led to young stands dominated by deciduous tree species. North. J. Appl. For. 21(3):123–134.


1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 859-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. O'Hara

The growth of individual trees from four thinning treatments in a 64-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand was analyzed to determine desirable residual stand structures after thinning. Dominant and codominant trees had the highest individual tree stem volume growth rates over the previous 5 years, and accounted for most stand volume growth in thinned and unthinned stands. Two measures of growing space, crown projection area and sapwood basal area (a surrogate for leaf area), were used to measure how efficiently individual trees used their growing space. Crown classes were useful in characterizing growing space efficiency (volume growth per unit of growing space) only in the unthinned treatment. In thinned treatments, tall trees with medium-sized crowns were most efficient, while in the unthinned treatment, tall trees with relatively large crowns were most efficient. A large crown in an unthinned stand was comparable in size to a medium-sized crown in a thinned stand. Results suggest growing space is not limiting individual tree growth in thinned stands and that thinning to a particular stand structure is more appropriate than thinning to a particular level of stand density.


1995 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip E. Reynolds ◽  
Michael J. Roden

Liquid (VELPAR L) and dry-flowable (VELPAR ULW) hexazinone (2 kg ai ha−1) were aerially applied to a northern New Brunswick clearcut to reduce raspberry [Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim] competition. Treatments were applied in June 1987; planting with containerized (multipot) black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] was conducted 2 and 14 months after treatment in August 1987 and 1988. Seedling survival and growth were measured yearly through August 1991. Hexazinone formulation did not affect raspberry control, seedling survival, or growth. Five growing seasons after treatment, raspberry cover was generally less in treated plots than in controls. Seedling survival did not differ among treatments for seedlings planted at either time interval after hexazinone treatment. Seedlings planted 14 months after hexazinone treatment grew poorly compared with those planted 2 months after herbicide treatment. Stem volume of seedlings planted 2 months after hexazinone treatment exceeded that of control seedlings in the first growing season after planting and remained greater than that of control seedlings through 1991. Stem volume increases over controls were restricted to the second growing season after planting for seedlings planted 14 months after hexazinone treatment. Fourth-year stem volume of seedlings planted 2 months after hexazinone treatment was correlated with raspberry cover (r2 = 0.34). As raspberry cover increased, black spruce growth decreased. Key words: liquid hexazinone, dry-flowable hexazinone, site preparation, black spruce, multipot stock, seedling survival, stem volume, raspberry cover


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Samuel Roy Proulx ◽  
Sylvain Jutras ◽  
Alain Leduc ◽  
Marc J. Mazerolle ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
...  

The boreal forest is considered to be a low productivity forest due to its cold climate and poorly drained soils promoting paludification. These factors create conditions favouring accumulation of undecomposed organic matter, which causes declining growth rates of forest stands, ultimately converting mature stands into peatlands. Under these conditions, careful logging is conducted during winter, which minimizes soil disturbance in northwestern Quebec boreal forest. This results in water table rise, increased light availability and paludification. Our main objective was to evaluate the short-term effect of partial harvesting as an alternative method to careful logging in winter to mitigate water table rise on black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) stands. We quantified tree stem diameter variation and daily variation in water table depth in mature spruce stands before and after partial harvest (basal area reduction of 40%) and girdling (same basal area reduction with delayed mortality) during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. Water table variation prior to and following silvicultural treatments did not differ one year after treatment. Daily stem diameter variation in black spruce did not differ between treatments and control. Furthermore, temperature exerted a positive effect on variation in water table and on stem diameter. These results suggest that partial harvest could be more effective than clearcutting to mitigate negative effects of a high water table while limiting paludification.


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