Evaluation of physiological responses of balsam fir and red spruce trees growing in two pre-commercial thinned (PCT) and four never-pre-commercial thinned (N-PCT) sites in Maine, USA

A study was established between 1959 and 1961 to study the long-term responses of balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and red spruce ( Picea rubens Sarg.) to precommercial thinning. Three nominal spacings of 4 ft (1.2 m), 6 ft (1.8 m), and 8 ft (2.4 m) were compared with an unthinned control in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. At the time of thinning, natural regeneration averaged 16 years of age, 8 years after harvest. Although thinning had minimal effect on gross total volume production over a 42 to 44 year observation period, actual spacings between 2.1 and 2.5 m produced an average of 360 m3·ha–1gross merchantable volume (GMV), representing a 21% gain over unthinned stands. The same spacings produced quadratic mean diameters of 21 and 23 cm, respectively, compared with 18 cm in the unthinned stands. These size increases translated to individual stem volume gains of 33% and 62%, significantly reducing the age at which thinned stands would meet a specified minimum requirement for merchantability or habitat. The mean annual increment of GMV ranged from 6 m3·ha–1·year–1in unthinned stands, to more than 7 m3·ha·–1·year–1in the thinned stands, and had not yet culminated an average of 50 years postharvest.

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CONTACT AND RESIDUAL EFFECT OF LOW-VOLUME DOSAGES OF PHOSPHAMIDON TO CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) ON TWO SPECIES OF CONIFERS

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent1041051-7 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 104 (7) ◽

pp. 1051-1054

Author(s):

J. F. Stewart ◽

N. R. Brown

Keyword(s):

Statistical Difference ◽

Choristoneura Fumiferana ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Residual Effect ◽

Spruce Budworm ◽

Picea Rubens ◽

Fourth Instar ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Low Volume

AbstractA series of low-volume spray treatments were conducted to study the contact and residual effect of two concentrations of the insecticide phosphamidon to fourth instar spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), on balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill, and red spruce, Picea rubens Sarg. Treatment of sprayed larvae on sprayed trees, unsprayed larvae on sprayed trees, and sprayed larvae on unsprayed trees, resulted in two principal conclusions: (a) Higher concentrations of phosphamidon (1% versus 0.5% active) accelerated mortality in all instances and (b) no statistical difference (P = 0.1%) was found in the final mortalities between treatments in which only the foliage was treated and where both larvae and foliage were treated with phosphamidon.

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A study of fungal endophytes of needles of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and red spruce (Picea rubens) in New Brunswick, Canada, using culture and electron microscope techniques

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b89-431 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 67 (12) ◽

pp. 3513-3516 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

John A. Johnson ◽

Norman J. Whitney

Keyword(s):

New Brunswick ◽

Fungal Endophytes ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Picea Rubens ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Intercellular Spaces ◽

Parenchyma Cells ◽

Spruce Needles ◽

Petiole Segment

Endophytic fungi were isolated from the interiors of surface-sterilized needles of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and red spruce (Picea rubens) in New Brunswick, Canada. Four different fungi were isolated frequently. One species, designated X-W, was isolated exlusively from the petiole segment of red spruce needles. There was no difference in the variety of species isolated from fir needles from two sites, but a difference in frequency of species did exist. Micrographs of the interior of balsam fir needles showed hyphae occupying intercellular spaces and adhering to the outer walls of parenchyma cells. No penetration of cells by either fungus was observed.

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Density Management Diagram for Northeastern Red Spruce and Balsam Fir Forests

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/16.1.48 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 48-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Duncan S. Wilson ◽

Robert S. Seymour ◽

Douglas A. Maguire

Keyword(s):

Stand Density ◽

Maximum Size ◽

Site Index ◽

The Self ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Stand Development ◽

Exponential Relationship ◽

Data Set ◽

Natural Stands

Abstract A stand-density management diagram is presented for use in northeastern red spruce and balsam fir forests. The diagram was derived from an extensive archived data set collected during the 1970s from fully stocked stands throughout northern Maine and a more recent study of precommercially thinned stands. The negative exponential relationship between mean stemwood volume per tree and stand density, commonly known as the "self-thinning rule, "was formulated to define a biological maximum stand density. The maximum size-density equation can be used to calculate the relative density of any stand and is accurate for thinned and unthinned natural stands as well as plantations. Equations for estimating quadratic mean diameter and stand top height are also derived for unthinned natural stands only. Data used to fit the self-thinning line are substantially above the A-lines on the familiar northeastern stocking guides, suggesting that these guides underestimate maximum density and thus overpredict self-thinning. Examples illustrate how to use the diagram to predict stand development under commercial and precommercial thinning scenarios, as well as natural stand development without thinning. Relevant site index and volume equations are included in an appendix. North. J. Appl. For. 16(1):48-56.

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Influence of Soil Site Class on Growth and Decay of Northern White-Cedar and Two Associates in Maine

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/26.2.68 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 68-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Philip V. Hofmeyer ◽

Robert S. Seymour ◽

Laura S. Kenefic

Keyword(s):

Light Exposure ◽

Basal Area ◽

Site Index ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

White Cedar ◽

Basal Area Growth ◽

Area Growth ◽

Northern White Cedar ◽

Mineral Soils

Abstract Basal area growth of outwardly sound northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) was compared with that of balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) and red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) across site and light exposure class gradients on 60 sites throughout northern Maine. Once adjusted for sapwood area, northern white-cedar basal area growth was not strongly affected by site or light exposure class; growth was similar to that of red spruce but generally lower than that of balsam fir. Site index did not differ appreciably among soil drainage classes for red spruce and northern white-cedar, although small sample size limited analysis on upland site classes. Incidence of central decay was higher in northern white-cedar than balsam fir, which was higher than red spruce. Incidence of decay in outwardly sound northern white-cedar and balsam fir was highest on well-drained mineral soils, and mean proportion of basal area decayed at breast height increased in outwardly sound northern white-cedar as drainage improved from poorly drained to well-drained soils. These data suggest that northern white-cedar on lowland organic and poorly drained mineral soils in Maine have less decay, similar basal area growth, and similar site index relative to upland northern white-cedar communities.

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Mortality Patterns Following Spruce Budworm Infestation in Unprotected Spruce-Fir Forests in Maine

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/20.4.148 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 148-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Dale S. Solomon ◽

Lianjun Zhang ◽

Thomas B. Brann ◽

David S. Larrick

Keyword(s):

Abies Balsamea ◽

Basal Area ◽

Growth Function ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Stem Density ◽

Cumulative Mortality ◽

Time Period ◽

Composition Classes ◽

Annual Mortality

Abstract Cumulative and annual mortality of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.] were examined over a 10 yr period to follow the mortality patterns in unprotected spruce-fir forests in northern Maine. Different mortality patterns were determined based on stand composition classes and merchantability classes. In general, balsam fir was more vulnerable to budworm attack, and reached 92–100% basal area mortality and 84–97% stem density mortality 12 yr after the start of the outbreak. Red spruce, in contrast, had approximately 32–59% basal area mortality and 30–66% stem density mortality during the same time period. Balsam fir mortality started 1 to 2 yr before spruce, while spruce mortality continued 2 to 3 yr after fir mortality was completed. Higher mortality was found in smaller trees than sawtimber-sized trees. Stands with hardwood components (30–70% in basal area) had the lowest mortality rate for both species. Furthermore, Schnute growth function (Schnute 1981) was used to characterize the cumulative mortality trajectories after the defoliation of spruce and fir by stand composition classes. The models estimated the time when annual mortality achieved maximum, the cumulative mortality at that time, and the asymptotic mortality over a long time period after the start of the attack. The information can provide guidelines for predicting protection strategies and scheduling salvage harvests.

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Chlorophyll fluorescence response of red spruce and balsam fir to a watershed calcium fertilization experiment in New Hampshire

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x06-316 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (8) ◽

pp. 1518-1522 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Richard L. Boyce

Keyword(s):

Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽

New Hampshire ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Forest Tree ◽

Physiological Effect ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest ◽

Forest Species ◽

Fluorescence Measurements

Decreases in soil exchangeable calcium (Ca) due to acid deposition have been linked with declines of forest species in the northeastern United States, particularly red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.). In 2005, chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were taken on red spruce and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) trees growing on two watersheds at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) in New Hampshire. One watershed had been fertilized with CaSiO3 in 1999 to replace the soil Ca losses of the past 50 years, and the other was a reference watershed. In March, there were no differences in any chlorophyll fluorescence parameter between sites or species. In August, however, dark-adapted ratios of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) were significantly greater (p = 0.05) in the Ca-treated watershed for both spruce and fir, and spruce values were significantly greater than fir. No differences were found in the light-adapted fluorescence parameters. These results suggest that both spruce and fir respond to increases in Ca availability, even though fir does not exhibit the decline symptoms seen in spruce. It is unclear what physiological effect is responsible for the observed differences in Fv/Fm. The Fv/Fm values appear to respond to differences in Ca availability in forest tree species; thus, the ratio has the potential to be used in these two watersheds at HBEF to determine if other forest species are also responding to Ca additions.

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Étude rétrospective de l'accroissement en diamètre du sapin baumier (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) et de l'épinette rouge (Picea rubens Sarg.) en peuplements mixtes après une coupe a diamètre limite

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc81791-6 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 81 (6) ◽

pp. 791-800 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mathieu Fortin

Keyword(s):

Mixed Model ◽

Abies Balsamea ◽

Time Lapse ◽

Picea Rubens ◽

Red Spruce ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Diameter Growth ◽

Significant Variable ◽

Mixed Stands ◽

Harvesting Time

Diameter growth at breast height of 341 balsam fir and red spruce stems has been reproduced over a time lapse of 50 years following a diameter limit cutting. The available information has been analyzed with a statistical model in which the effects of time, species (two levels), ecological type (three levels) and diameter at harvesting have been tested. Results indicate that balsam fir saplings have higher diameter growths than red spruce saplings, but only in the case of better ecological types. The differences between both species are smaller for stems having a merchantable diameter (dbh > 9.0 cm) at harvesting time. On poor ecological station, red spruce diameter growth is more important than for balsam fir and this, whatever the diameter at harvesting time. On the other hand, as indicated by this analysis, stem diameter at the time of silvicultural treatment constitutes a significant variable in the prediction of diameter growth for red spruce stems, while the effect of this variable is less identifiable for balsam fir. Even if significant, the growth differences between the two species are small. The competition created by the balsam fir regeneration on red spruce saplings is definitely not the cause of the depletion of red spruce in second growth stands.. Key words: red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), diameter growth, partial cut, mixed stands, linear model, mixed model

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