Effect of drainage and microtopography in forested wetlands on the microenvironment and growth of planted black spruce seedlings

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Roy ◽  
Pierre-Y. Bernier ◽  
André P Plamondon ◽  
Jean-Claude Ruel
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Forested Wetland ◽  
Drainage Ditch ◽  
Shoot Height ◽  
Rooting Zone

Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) seedlings were planted on eight drained forested wetland cutblocks to study the effects of soil type, distance from drainage ditch, and microtopography on the physical conditions of the rooting zone and on seedling growth, survival, and physiology. After two growing seasons, providing a raised planting spot had a greater impact on seedling growth than locally intensive drainage. Less saturated, better aerated, and warmer rooting zone on hummocks increased foliar N and Ca concentrations, which led to significantly greater relative growth rate, terminal shoot height growth, diameter, and survival compared with the seedlings in hollows. The effect of drainage on seedling growth is not conclusive. Depth of the aerobic layer and soil water content at 10 cm depth were similar at all distances to the ditch despite a significantly lower water table level in the 5-m plot. Thus, no significant differences were observed as a function of distance to drainage ditch for water relation and growth parameters except for better height growth in the 5-m plot the second year after planting. Water table levels were identical for both soil types and consequently growth was similar on wet mineral and organic soil types.

Effects of depth of water table and substrate temperature on root and top growth of Picea mariana and Larix lancina seedlings

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1201-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. J. Lieffers ◽  
R. L. Rothwell
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Substrate Surface ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Shoot Height ◽  
Copper Tubing ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Diffusion Rates

Three thermally insulated tanks were divided in half and one side of each was cooled using a network of copper tubing, through which chilled ethylene glycol was pumped. Tanks were filled with peat and seedlings of black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and tamarack (Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch.) were transplanted to both ambient and cooled sides. Water table levels of the tanks were maintained at either 4, 10, or 25 cm below the substrate surface. Root biomass, length, and maximum depth, and shoot height, biomass, and branching for both species were lowest in the tank with water table at 4 cm below the surface. Oxygen diffusion rates were lowest and lenticel intumescences of black spruce roots most abundant in this treatment. With water table depth at 25 cm, the cooling treatment (9 °C at the 10 cm level) had a negative effect on root growth compared with the ambient treatment (18 °C at the 10 cm level). The reverse was true for the tank with water levels at 4 cm; the cooled side had greater root growth than the ambient side.

Seedling growth and water use of boreal conifers across different temperatures and near-flooded soil conditions

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 2292-2300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Wolken ◽  
Simon M. Landhäusser ◽  
Victor J. Lieffers ◽  
Uldis Silins
Keyword(s):  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
High Water ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Flooded Soil

To test the hypothesis that seedling growth and water use increase with soil temperature and improved soil aeration and vary with species, we evaluated the above- and below-ground growth and water use of seedlings of four northern boreal conifer species: black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), tamarack ( Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) grown under different temperature and near-flooded soil conditions. Seedlings were grown in specialized pots that maintained the water table level at either 15 cm (high water table treatment: very wet) or 30 cm (low water table treatment: moderately wet) below the soil surface, and whole-seedling transpiration was assessed. Soil temperature (5, 10, or 20 °C) was controlled with a water bath surrounding the pots. Although some species were sensitive to the high water table treatment, soil temperature was the driver of seedling growth and water use. We ranked the ability of the seedlings of the species to tolerate the cold soil conditions examined as black spruce > lodgepole pine > tamarack > white spruce. The ranking of the ability to tolerate near-flooded conditions was tamarack and lodgepole pine > black spruce > white spruce.

Early progeny testing and evaluation of controlled crosses of black spruce

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1442-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dianne J. Williams ◽  
Bruce P. Dancik ◽  
Richard P. Pharis
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Branch Length ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Stem Volume ◽  
Progeny Testing ◽  
Branch Number ◽  
Shoot Height

Known parent F1 crosses of black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill) B.S.P.) were ranked in field progeny tests at ages 7 to 13 years for height and stem volume growth. Nine crosses, including two selfs, were chosen for early juvenile progeny testing in a glasshouse environment. Performance of early seedling growth for the same nine families grown under both field and glasshouse conditions were thus compared in a retrospective study. Juvenile–mature correlations were established between a number of traits associated with tree growth and vigor. Within the nine families there was a ranking from "fast"- to "slow"-growing family groups. Monthly measurements of morphological characters at ages 3 to 6 months in the glasshouse showed highly significant family variation for total height, root collar diameter, lateral branch number, needle number, volume, branch length, and shoot, root, and total seedling dry weights. Weekly application of gibberellin A4/7(GA4/7) beginning at age 3 months influenced 5- and 6-month shoot volume and shoot height, and final dry weight measurements (age 6 months). Height growth of the four slowest growing families (two outcrossed, two selfed) was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased by GA4/7 application, but the hormone had no significant effect on height growth of the five faster-growing families (all out-crossed). This may indicate that endogenous gibberellins are not limiting for height growth of faster growing families, but may be limiting for height growth of slower growing families. Simple correlations were highly significant between age 7 to 13 years for field height measurements, and 13-year field volume, versus glasshouse height, stem volume, and the several dry weight measurements at age 6 months. Similarly, Spearman rank order correlations were also significant. These strong correlations between early growth in the glasshouse environment and that of field growth (age 7 to 13 years) suggest that the poorest growing crosses can be identified in a juvenile growth progeny tets under glasshouse conditions by at least age 6 months. Rogueing of the poorest performers as a result of glasshouse testing would thus be at least as reliable as rogueing based on 13 years of field assessment. Selected families for such tests should of course come from similar latitudes and elevations

scholarly journals Germination and seedling growth in Afzelia africana Sm. ex. Pers.

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
E.R. Ogbimi ◽  
A.M.A. Sakpere
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Shoot Height ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Seedling Growth Rate ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Afzelia Africana ◽  
Plant Seedlings

This study determined the best pre–treatment regime required for germination of the seeds of Afzelia africana Sm.Ex.Pers. and also provided information on the early growth parameters of the plant seedlings. Seeds of A. africana were collected from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife (Lat 7° 32'N, Long 4° 31'E) and authenticated at the IFE-herbarium. One hundred and twenty five (125) seeds were sown per treatment (n=5 with 5 replicates and 5 repeats). Five (5) seeds each were sown in small petri dishes, without pre–treatment (control), or treated by subjecting to mechanical scarification and chemical scarification using Tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid (H SO ) and Trioxonitrate (V) acid (HNO3 ) for germination studies. Germination counts were made  at an interval of 2 days. For the six different pre–treatments, five seedlings per plastic bowl were transferred into soil in a total of twenty plastic bowls laid out in a randomized design and their growth monitored for 40 weeks. Results showed that pre–treatment of seeds with mechanical  scarification gave the highest percentage germination. Significant differences (P ˂ 0.05) occurred in the shoot height and in the number of leaves between 4 and 12 weeks of growth. The study established that pre–treatment with mechanical scarification was the best for uniform germination of seeds of the plant. This study has provided alternative means of pretreating A. africana seeds apart from using H2SO4 – the first to subject seeds to mechanical scarification and 2 4 chemical scarification using HNO3 , in addition to providing information on the germination parameters and the seedling growth rate of Afzelia africana. Key words: Propagation, Growth, Acid, Scarification

Growth and ectomycorrhiza formation of containerized black spruce seedlings as affected by nitrogen fertilization, Inoculum type, and symbiont

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 922-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gagnon ◽  
C. G. Langlois ◽  
J. A. Fortin
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fertilization ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Shoot Height ◽  
Available N ◽  
Nitrogen Levels ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Collar Diameter ◽  
Substrate Fertility ◽  
Inoculum Type

Piceamariana (Mill.)B.S.P. seedlings were grown in containers under three levels of nitrogen fertilization (6, 8.5, and 15 mg/seedling per season). Seedlings were inoculated at sowing with Laccariabicolor and Hebelomacylindrosporum, using two methods: mycelial suspension liquid inoculum and peat–vermiculite solid inoculum. Results show that liquid inoculum was as effective as solid inoculum for development of Laccariabicolor ectomycorrhizae on black spruce seedlings. After 20 weeks in the greenhouse, seedlings fertilized with 8.5 mg N and inoculated with L. bicolor had the highest percentage of ectomycorrhizal short roots for both inoculum types, with 59 and 53% for liquid and solid inocula, respectively. These L. bicolor seedlings had significantly more ectomycorrhizae with 8.5 mg N than with 15 mg N. Very few ectomycorrhizae were obtained with Hebelomacylindrosporum for any of the nitrogen levels or either of the inoculum types. There were no significant differences for any growth parameters except shoot/root ratio between L. bicolor seedlings and the controls, regardless of the N level and inoculum type. For both inoculum types, only shoot height of seedlings differed significantly among the three N levels. Seedlings fertilized with 8.5 mg N had root-collar diameter and dry weights that were not significantly less than those that received 15 mg N for both inoculum types. It is only at the lower level of 6 mg N that seedlings inoculated with liquid L. bicolor inoculum absorbed significantly more N than the controls. Analysis of percent N and P concentration in seedlings with the greatest ectomycorrhizal development and analysis of available N and P in their substrate indicated that tissue concentrations of 1.9% N and 0.2% P and substrate fertility of 40 ppm N and 50 ppm P would be appropriate to maintain the ectomycorrhizal association Piceamariana–Laccariabicolor. Salinity in the substrate of control seedlings was generally significantly different between the three N levels during the growing period.

Persistence of early growth of planted Picea mariana seedlings following clear-cutting and drainage in Quebec wetlands

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1157-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Roy ◽  
André P Plamondon ◽  
Pierre Y Bernier
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Forested Wetland ◽  
Drainage Ditch ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Drainage Networks ◽  
Survival And Growth ◽  
Early Effects ◽  
Over Time

A study was carried out to test the persistence of the early effects of forest drainage and planting position on the growth of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) seedlings planted in eight drained forested wetland cutovers. Initial results, 2 years after planting, had shown that seedling response was most affected by planting position within the microtopography, and to a lesser extent, by distance to the drainage ditch. Persistence of these effects was tested by measuring the survival and growth rates of seedlings for an additional 4 years after planting. Increased growth owing to raised planting position was maintained over time. The small effect of distance to ditch on seedling growth observed after two growing seasons did not evolve into larger differences over time, and after 6 years there was no significant effect of distance to drainage ditch. Given the marginal growth improvements of black spruce seedlings planted closer to the ditch, drainage networks with narrow ditch spacing are not necessary on these site types after clear-cutting.

scholarly journals Comparative Height Growth of Eastern Larch and Black Spruce in Northwestern Ontario

1978 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 296-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Mead
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Larix Laricina ◽  
Stem Analysis ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Analysis Methods ◽  
Spruce Stands

Height growth of eastern larch (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) was determined using standard stem analysis methods on trees from two sites in northwestern Ontario. The data were obtained from mixed larch-spruce stands which were relatively undisturbed. The larch exhibited substantially better height growth than the spruce through age 65.

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