Seedling bank dynamics in boreal balsam fir forests

Age structures and growth curves were used to determine the origin and to follow the development of 17 balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.) stands in the middle of the Boreal Zone in the north of Lake Saint-Jean, Quebec. Every growth curve from the studied sites presented a more or less long period of suppression in the early growth of the balsam fir, followed by a marked release synchronous between the trees of a given site. Generally, a balsam fir cohort established just before the growth release. Characteristic growth releases generally occurred after the formation of exceptionally narrow rings, which took place around 1952, 1914, and between 1860 and 1890 in the sampled trees. Unimodal even-aged stands regenerated from balsam fir advanced growth following spruce budworm (Choristoneurafumiferana (Clem.)) outbreaks that rapidly defoliated the trees and caused openings, sometimes associated with blowdown; these outbreaks occurred between 1944 and 1953 (one stand), between 1909 and 1923 (six stands), and possibly between ca. 1860 and 1900 (seven stands). Bimodal and uneven-aged stands were associated with two spruce budworm outbreaks. In one stand, some of the trees regenerated from the spruce budworm outbreak that occurred between 1909 and 1923, but the 1944–1953 outbreak was intense enough to cause important defoliation and mortality, which released a second cohort. Finally, two stands regenerated from the possible spruce budworm outbreak that occurred around 1860–1900 and from the 1909–1923 outbreak. The presence of a fir cohort and associated growth release between 1860 and 1890 strongly suggests that an outbreak occurred at that time in the studied region. Every sampled stand from the Boreal Zone north of Lake Saint-Jean regenerated from a balsam fir seedling bank following a spruce budworm outbreak that affected the mature balsam fir canopy. These results are in good agreement with the hypothesis that spruce budworm outbreaks and balsam fir forests form an interdependent self-regulating system. Our study shows the drastic effect of spruce budworm outbreaks in the boreal forest, where black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) dominates.

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Early seedling demography in balsam fir seedling banks

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x99-090 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 29 (10) ◽

pp. 1502-1509 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Robin Duchesneau ◽

Hubert Morin

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Permanent Plots ◽

Seedling Mortality ◽

Dispersal Pattern ◽

Seedling Demography ◽

Seedling Bank ◽

Early Establishment

Following the 1995 mast year, we conducted detailed seedling demography surveys to characterize some ecological factors affecting germination and early establishment in understory balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) seedling banks and verify if recruitment from a cohort can potentially renew the balsam fir seedling bank. Twenty-five seed traps paired with 32 demography subplots were located in each of four permanent plots and regularly monitored over a 2-year period. Spatial patterns of newly emerged seedlings generally corresponded to those found for seed dispersal. However, at the end of the monitoring period, the spatial pattern of surviving seedlings was independent of the seed dispersal pattern. Seedbed types and understory light environments were the main factors explaining seedling mortality. Sphagnum mosses and decaying wood were the most favorable seedbeds for early establishment. The 0- to 25-cm seedling populations grew in size because of the addition of new recruits. If, in the years to come, mortality rates of the 1995 cohorts were similar to those of already established 0- to 25-cm seedlings, mast years of seed production, at least during endemic periods, would be crucial for recruitment and renewal of balsam fir seedling banks.

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Establishment and dynamics of the balsam fir seedling bank in old forests of northeastern Quebec

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x02-194 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 597-603 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Sylvain Parent ◽

Marie-Josée Simard ◽

Hubert Morin ◽

Christian Messier

Keyword(s):

Adventitious Roots ◽

Seedling Recruitment ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Disturbance Regime ◽

Hylocomium Splendens ◽

Substrate Type ◽

Age Classes ◽

Estimation Errors ◽

Seedling Bank

This study examines balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) recruitment in old fir stands. Studying the regeneration of these stands is essential to understand the regeneration dynamic of the species in the absence of stand-destroying disturbances. The objectives were (1) to obtain substrateseedling associations for different age-classes and according to the presence or absence of adventitious roots; (2) to evaluate the contribution of the seed rain to seedling recruitment; (3) to re-examine age structures using the most appropriate method that minimizes estimation errors due to the presence of adventitious roots. A total of 90 quadrats (1 m2) were established along transects. In each quadrat, subtrates were characterized (type and topography) and their area was estimated. All balsam fir seedlings (<50 cm tall) present in the quadrats were located, harvested whole (root and shoot), and described (age, height, presence of adventitious roots, etc). Fir seedlings were strongly associated with woody mounds covered with thin mats of mixed mosses and Pleurozium shreberi (Bird.) Mitt. but negatively associated with flat topography particularly dominated by Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G. The presence of adventitious root is related to seedling age more than substrate type or topography. The age structure is in agreement with seed production and disturbance regime.

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Chronologie de la croissance chez des semis de sapin baumier (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) après une coupe à blanc avec protection de la régénération

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc78876-6 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 78 (6) ◽

pp. 876-885 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Sylvain Parent ◽

Jean-Claude Ruel

Keyword(s):

Abies Balsamea ◽

Ring Width ◽

Complete Removal ◽

Moisture Stress ◽

Height Growth ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

White Birch ◽

Strong Response ◽

Seedling Bank ◽

Wide Range

The method of harvesting with protection of the advanced regeneration consists of a complete removal of the main canopy to release a seedling bank established under the overstory shade. After harvesting, seedlings acclimated to understory conditions could suffer from moisture stress, especially the small, juvenile seedlings (less than six years). The objective of the study is to determine the capacity of understory-acclimated balsam fir seedlings to respond positively and immediately to release. The response to release was studied in two seedling populations belonging to two distinct climatic regions of Quebec, the Western and the Eastern sections of the balsam fir-white birch ecological domain. Results show that the response patterns were similar in both populations. Response to release occurred in two steps. One year after harvesting, basal ring width was on the average five times larger than prior to harvesting (p > 0.001). Height growth only became significantly higher the second year after release (p < 0.001). On average, juveniles showed higher height growth rates (height growth/height) than older seedlings. This rate was negatively correlated to seedling height at harvesting (r = -0,68, p < 0.001). Our study clearly shows that balsam fir seedlings can respond immediately and positively to large openings. The strong response of juvenile seedlings to release indicates that these can contribute significantly to the future stand. The geographic and climatic differences between the two stands under study suggest that these observations apply to a wide range of balsam fir stands. Key words: advance growth, balsam fir, release

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