scholarly journals Implications of Reduced Stand Density on Tree Growth and Drought Susceptibility: A Study of Three Species under Varying Climate

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 627
Author(s):  
Mathias Steckel ◽  
W. Keith Moser ◽  
Miren del Río ◽  
Hans Pretzsch

A higher frequency of increasingly severe droughts highlights the need for short-term measures to adapt existing forests to climate change. The maintenance of reduced stand densities has been proposed as a promising silvicultural tool for mitigating drought stress. However, the relationship between stand density and tree drought susceptibility remains poorly understood, especially across ecological gradients. Here, we analysed the effect of reduced stand density on tree growth and growth sensitivity, as well as on short-term drought responses (resistance, recovery, and resilience) of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson). Tree ring series from 409 trees, growing in stands of varying stand density, were analysed at sites with different water availability. For all species, mean tree growth was significantly higher under low compared with maximum stand density. Mean tree growth sensitivity of Scots pine was significantly higher under low compared with moderate and maximum stand density, while growth sensitivity of ponderosa pine peaked under maximum stand density. Recovery and resilience of Scots pine, as well as recovery of sessile oak and ponderosa pine, decreased with increasing stand density. In contrast, resistance and resilience of ponderosa pine significantly increased with increasing stand density. Higher site water availability was associated with significantly reduced drought response indices of Scots pine and sessile oak in general, except for resistance of oak. In ponderosa pine, higher site water availability significantly lessened recovery. Higher site water availability significantly moderated the positive effect of reduced stand density on drought responses. Stand age had a significantly positive effect on the resistance of Scots pine and a negative effect on recovery of sessile oak. We discuss potential causes for the observed response patterns, derive implications for adaptive forest management, and make recommendations for further research in this field.

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwei Zhang ◽  
Martin W. Ritchie ◽  
Douglas A. Maguire ◽  
William W. Oliver

We analyzed 45 years of data collected from three ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex P. Lawson & C. Lawson) levels-of-growing-stock installations in Oregon (OR) and northern California (CA), USA, to determine the effect of stand density regimes on stand productivity and mortality. We found that periodic annual increment (PAI) of diameter, basal area (BA), volume, and aboveground dry mass were significantly related to stand density index (SDI) and stand age at start of the period; the quadratic trends varied among sites. Precipitation departure from the normal for each period explained a significant amount of residual variation in all PAI variables except diameter. BA production did not change significantly as SDI exceeded 270 trees·ha−1 at the OR sites and 320 trees·ha−1 at the CA site. Stand productivity was the highest at Elliot Ranch (CA) and the least at Blue Mountains (OR). A similar trend held in growth efficiency under lower stand densities (SDI < 600). Most of the mortality was caused by Dendroctonus bark beetles in stands that exceeded SDI of 500 trees·ha−1. Limiting SDI was about 900 trees·ha−1, although plots at Elliot Ranch reached much higher than that. The results demonstrate that silvicultural control of stand density can be a powerful tool for reducing bark beetle caused mortality without sacrificing stand productivity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 496-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwei Zhang ◽  
Kaelyn A Finley ◽  
Nels G Johnson ◽  
Martin W Ritchie

AbstractStand density affects not only structure and growth, but also the health of forests and, subsequently, the functions of forest ecosystems. Here, we integrated dendrochronology and repeated inventories for ponderosa pine research plots to determine whether long-term growth and mortality responded to climate trends and how varying stand density influenced the responses. The plots were established prior to 1975 on existing stands throughout northern California. Although annual temperature increased consistently for the last 65 years, ring-width indices produced by eliminating age and thinning effects failed to detect radial trend regardless of site quality. However, interannual variation for the indices was substantial, reflecting a strong influence of climate on tree growth. Plot-level basal area increments were significantly affected by tree mortality. Stand density index explained most variation of mortality. Lowering stand density enhanced remaining tree growth, reduced mortality, and increased stand resiliency to disturbances and climate change. Besides higher climate moisture indices or lower vapor pressure deficits, any treatments that improve tree vigor and reduce stress will have a similar effect to reducing stand density. Although neither biotic disturbances nor abiotic conditions can be controlled, forest managers can manage stand density appropriately to enhance resilience to climate change and disturbances.


Trees ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 517-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaël Trouvé ◽  
Jean-Daniel Bontemps ◽  
Catherine Collet ◽  
Ingrid Seynave ◽  
François Lebourgeois

2010 ◽  
Vol 181 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaan Klõšeiko ◽  
Katri Ots ◽  
Tatjana Kuznetsova ◽  
Henn Pärn ◽  
Malle Mandre

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilém Podrázský ◽  
Zdeněk Vacek ◽  
Stanislav Vacek ◽  
Jan Vítámvás ◽  
Josef Gallo ◽  
...  

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most important tree species in Eurasia. During the past centuries, it has been extensively introduced into artificial monocultures, but is currently experiencing a number of problems related to climate change and extreme droughts. There is a large-scale disintegration of its stands and, in addition to its replacement by other native trees, it is possible to use a wide range of introduced species of the same genus. The aim of the investigation was to compare production parameters, structure and diversity of pine stands at the age of 35 years in school Arboretum of Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science in Central Bohemia (320 m a.s.l., medium rich habitats, water deficit site). Seven species of pine were compared: ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Hawson), Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Balf.), black pine (Pinus nigra J.F.Arnold), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas), Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce Griseb.) and the only native Scots pine. The results showed that significantly (P &lt; 0.001) highest height, diameter at breast height and mean stem volume were achieved in Pinus ponderosa and P. strobus stands, while these parameters were lowest in P. peuce and P. nigra. In contrast, the lowest stand volume was calculated for P. strobus (112 m3·ha–1) due to the lower stand density, while the highest production was again in P. ponderosa (430 m3·ha–1). In terms of structural variability, the highest diversity was found in P. jeffreyi and P. peuce. The introduced pine species, especially P. ponderosa, could therefore play an important role in terms of production and economic potential and even replace native P. sylvestris on suitable sites.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannu Hökkä ◽  
Risto Ojansuu

The effect of site properties and forest drainage on the dominant height development of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in peatland sites was studied using data from permanent sample plots located in natural and drained sites in northern Finland. The Korf model was used to describe the height development of dominant trees in natural sites. The effect of drainage on height development was accounted for by a term giving a nonlinear height increase for drained sites as a function of the time elapsed since drainage. The variance component model was applied to account for the hierarchical data structure. Natural height development after 30 years of age at DBH was significantly slower in PF sites (sparsely forested pine fens) than in PS sites (genuine forested pine swamps). Within PF sites, there were further differences in relation to nutrient availability. Temperature sum explained the variation in the intercept. In PS sites, drainage resulted in a moderate increase in the maximum attainable height, while in PF sites, drainage improved site productivity by 80%–85% in terms of the attainable height. The asymptote for drained stands was dependent on stand age at the time of drainage. Differences between the two major groups were assumed to be due to initial differences in site water regime.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Ilyas Lamuda

This study was to determine the effect of Short-Term Investments and Assets Assets in generating profits in the company PT. Taspen. The method of analysis used qualitative methods That is explained and analyzed by descriptive data. Quantitative methods to study whether the Short-term investment is profitable or not, can be determined either by the method Accounting Rate Of Return (ARR) That method that measures the level of profit from investments used to gain tersebut.dan the return on investment assets at PT. Taspen. To test the hypothesis then performed calculations using multiple linear regression analysis. Furthermore pengelohan data and hypothesis testing will be assisted by a computer program Softwere SPSS (Statistical Service and Solution product).Research shows that variable Short Term Asset Investments concluded that simultaneous effect relationship is negative and insignificant. But in partial, it provides a significant and positive effect on earnings. Assets Investments variable and not significant positive effect on earnings, but in partial, it provides a significant and positive effect on earnings.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3961
Author(s):  
Hussein Al-Hazmi ◽  
Xi Lu ◽  
Dominika Grubba ◽  
Joanna Majtacz ◽  
Przemysław Kowal ◽  
...  

The short-term effects of temperature on deammonification sludge were evaluated in a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Mathematical modeling was used for further evaluations of different intermittent aeration strategies for achieving high and stable deammonification performance at decreasing temperatures. As for the biomass cultivated at high temperatures (e.g., 30 °C), a higher temperature dependency (the adjusted Arrhenius coefficient θ for 11–17 °C = 1.71 vs. θ for 17–30 °C = 1.12) on the specific anammox growth rates was found at lower temperatures (11–17 °C) in comparison with higher temperatures (17–30 °C). Further evaluations of recovering the nitrogen removal efficiency at decreasing temperatures with the mathematical model by modifying the intermittent aeration strategies (aeration frequency (F) and the ratio (R) between non-aerated (non-aer) phase and aerated (aer) phase durations) indicated that intermittent aeration with a prolonged non-aerated phase (e.g., R ≥ 4 regardless of F value) would help to maintain high and stable deammonification performance (~80%) at decreasing temperatures (14–22 °C). Extending the non-aerated phases (increasing R) and reducing the frequency (F) of off/on phase changes have a positive effect on increasing energy savings, leading to increasing interest in this method.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Yuan Gong ◽  
Christina L. Staudhammer ◽  
Susanne Wiesner ◽  
Gregory Starr ◽  
Yinlong Zhang

Understanding plant phenological change is of great concern in the context of global climate change. Phenological models can aid in understanding and predicting growing season changes and can be parameterized with gross primary production (GPP) estimated using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. This study used nine years of EC-derived GPP data from three mature subtropical longleaf pine forests in the southeastern United States with differing soil water holding capacity in combination with site-specific micrometeorological data to parameterize a photosynthesis-based phenological model. We evaluated how weather conditions and prescribed fire led to variation in the ecosystem phenological processes. The results suggest that soil water availability had an effect on phenology, and greater soil water availability was associated with a longer growing season (LOS). We also observed that prescribed fire, a common forest management activity in the region, had a limited impact on phenological processes. Dormant season fire had no significant effect on phenological processes by site, but we observed differences in the start of the growing season (SOS) between fire and non-fire years. Fire delayed SOS by 10 d ± 5 d (SE), and this effect was greater with higher soil water availability, extending SOS by 18 d on average. Fire was also associated with increased sensitivity of spring phenology to radiation and air temperature. We found that interannual climate change and periodic weather anomalies (flood, short-term drought, and long-term drought), controlled annual ecosystem phenological processes more than prescribed fire. When water availability increased following short-term summer drought, the growing season was extended. With future climate change, subtropical areas of the Southeastern US are expected to experience more frequent short-term droughts, which could shorten the region’s growing season and lead to a reduction in the longleaf pine ecosystem’s carbon sequestration capacity.


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