The influence of soil rutting severity on regeneration potential and seedling performance for black spruce-dominated peatlands

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave M Morris ◽  
Rob W Mackereth ◽  
Dan R Duckert ◽  
Michael K Hoepting

Excessive rutting continues to be recorded in post-harvest compliance inspections in black spruce peatlands across Ontario. These qualitative, visual assessments, however, cannot provide the necessary data to determine a site disturbance threshold that is linked to poor regeneration and seedling growth. In an attempt to provide this quantitative link, harvested black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] peatland sites were surveyed and divided into severely rutted (non-compliant), moderately rutted, and non-rutted (compliant) blocks. In 1995, 2001, and 2006, each block was assessed for areal extent of rutting, number of plantable spots, moisture status, planting medium, competition level, stand density, species composition, and black spruce seedling survival and growth. Black spruce seedling survival in the severely-rutted block was significantly lower when compared with either the moderately rutted or the non-rutted blocks. A derived seedling survival model identified moisture class as having the largest influence on the probability of seedling survival. In terms of seedling growth, however, it was the non-rutted blocks that had the poorest performance. Based on a canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), competition factors, particularly ericaceous shrub cover, were the most important microsite factors influencing black spruce seedling growth. Overall, the moderately rutted block generated conditions that resulted in high conifer recruitment and good seedling survival and growth. Although the inference space of the study is small, the results suggest that black spruce peatland sites may benefit from a moderate level of site disturbance caused during harvest operations. Key words: Rutting severity, black spruce peatlands, survival, growth, microsite assessment

1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Craig Sutherland ◽  
Robert J. Day

Abstract This paper is the first general review of the affects of container volume on the survival and growth of containerized white spruce, black spruce, and jack pine seedlings. The review shows that the literature on this topic is fragmentary and inconsistent. Seedling growth in the greenhouse production phase has been more completely quantified than subsequent establishment and growth after out-planting in the field. In the greenhouse production phase, seedling growth increased from 72 to 360% when the container volume was tripled in size. After outplanting in the field, seedling growth trends were more variable. Seedling height growth increased from 34 to 84% when container volume was tripled in size. Seedling survival was more difficult to assess because of limited data. Only white spruce showed a 10% increase in survival with an increase in container volume. The indications from this literature review suggest that nursery managers and practicing foresters should become more aware of the limitations imposed on seedling survival and growth due to container volume. To maintain optional survival and growth for white spruce, black spruce and jack pine, the container volume should range from 90 to 120 cm3. North. J. Appl. For. 5:185-189, Sept. 1988.


1996 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Roden ◽  
Phillip E. Reynolds

Metsulfuron (ALLY or ESCORT), 36 and 72 g ai ha−1, and sulfometuron (OUST), 150 to 450 g ai ha−1, were applied to a northern New Brunswick clearcut (silty clay loams and silty clays) to reduce raspberry [Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim.] competition. Treatment, using skidder-mounted herbicide application equipment, occurred in May and August 1986, with planting of 2+2, bareroot, black spruce seedlings [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] in June 1986 and in June 1987. Seedling survival and growth were measured yearly for five growing seasons after planting. By August 1991, raspberry height was less in many treatments than in controls. Survival of seedlings planted one month after spring treatment was less than controls, and no significant height or stem diameter increases were observed. Growth and survival of seedlings planted approximately one year after spring treatment were greater than that of control seedlings. Fifth-year stem diameter of these seedlings, planted after site preparation with sulfometuron, was negatively correlated (r2 = 0.715) with raspberry height, decreasing as raspberry height increased. Survival of seedlings planted after some summer treatments was also less than controls, and no significant growth increases were noted for seedlings planted after site preparation with sulfometuron. Summer treatment with metsulfuron was more efficacious and resulted in greater seedling growth than spring treatment; however, greater seedling survival occurred after spring treatment. We conclude that spring treatment with sulfometuron (300 g ai ha−1), with planting delayed by one year, provided the optimal treatment to achieve maximal seedling survival and growth during plantation establishment. Black spruce seedlings appear to benefit (i.e. enhanced survival or growth) from site preparation with these herbicides only when planting is delayed by several months following their use. Key words: metsulfuron, sulfometuron, site preparation, black spruce, growth parameters, seedling survival, raspberry competitition


2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 862-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Kolb ◽  
Kelsey Flathers ◽  
John B. Bradford ◽  
Caitlin Andrews ◽  
Lance A. Asherin ◽  
...  

Trees in dry forests often regenerate in episodic pulses when wet periods coincide with ample seed production. Factors leading to success or failure of regeneration pulses are poorly understood. We investigated the impacts of stand thinning on survival and growth of the 2013 cohort of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex P. Lawson & C. Lawson) seedlings in northern Arizona, United States. We measured seedling survival and growth over the first five growing seasons after germination in six stand basal areas (BAs; 0, 7, 14, 23, 34, and 66 (unthinned) m2·ha−1) produced by long-term experimental thinnings. Five-year survival averaged 2.5% and varied among BAs. Mean survival duration was longer in intermediate BAs (11 to 16 months) than in clearings and high BAs (5 months). The BAs of 7, 14, and 23 m2·ha−1 had >2600 5-year-old seedlings·ha−1. In contrast, regeneration was lower in the clearing (666 seedlings·ha−1) and failed completely in the 34 m2·ha−1 and unthinned treatments. Seedling survival was highest during wet years and lowest during drought years. Many surviving seedlings had no net height growth between years 4 and 5 because of stem browsing. Results indicate that natural regeneration of ponderosa pine is influenced by stand BA, drought, herbivory, and interactions between extreme climatic events.


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.


1987 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Zasada ◽  
Rodney A. Norum ◽  
Christian E. Teutsch ◽  
Roseann Densmore

Seedlings of black spruce, aspen, green alder, and grayleaf willow planted on black spruce/feather moss sites in the boreal forest in interior Alaska survived and grew relatively well over a 6-year period after prescribed burning. Survival of black spruce was significantly greater than that of the broad-leaved species, but height growth was significantly less. Development of feltleaf willow and balsam poplar from unrooted cuttings was poor. Severity of burn appeared to have an important effect on height growth of all species but not on seedling survival. Key words: Planting, Picea, Alnus, Populus, Salix, microsite.


1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1481-1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francine J. Bigras ◽  
Carole Hébert

Spring frosts frequently cause significant damage to conifer seedlings during bud flushing and shoot elongation in forestry nurseries. To insure adequate protection, levels of frost sensitivity must be known during these stages of development. Eight- or 9-month-old containerized black spruce seedlings (Piceamariana (Mill.) BSP) were submitted to freezing temperatures of 0° to −10 °C for 1–6 h at the following stages: (1) nonswollen terminal buds, (2) swollen terminal buds, (3) terminal bud scales bursting, needle tips emerging, and (4) shoots elongating, 1−5 cm. After freezing, seedlings were grown for 130 days in a greenhouse. Seedling survival was estimated; dead seedlings discarded; and damage to buds, needles, and roots as well as diameter and shoot increment were measured on the remaining seedlings. Frost sensitivity increased as buds flushed and new shoots elongated. Decreased seedling and bud survival was noted with increasing time of freezing exposure and decreasing temperature in stages 2, 3, and 4. Damage to needles and roots increases, while diameter decreases, with decreasing temperatures at all stages; however, shoot increment was influenced by decreasing temperatures only at stages 2 and 3.


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 2359-2374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick H. Brose

Timely development of newly germinated oak (Quercus spp.) seedlings into competitive-sized regeneration is an essential part of the oak regeneration process. The amount of sunlight reaching the forest floor partly governs this development, and foresters often use the shelterwood system to expose oak seedlings to varying degrees of insolation. To further understand the seedling development–sunlight–shelterwood relationships, I conducted a multiyear study at five locations in Pennsylvania. Each location had four stands either uncut or recently treated with one of three shelterwood harvest methods (preparatory cut, first removal cut, or final removal cut) resulting in four different levels of sunlight reaching the forest floor. In each stand, four 32 m2 plots were prepared, and each was planted with 400 acorns of black (Quercus velutina Lam.), chestnut (Quercus montana Willd.), northern red (Quercus rubra L.), or white oak (Quercus alba L.) and protected from wildlife. Germination success was universally high and for the next 8 years, I monitored seedling survival and measured seedling growth. The final and first removal cut treatments had higher seedling survival than the preparatory cut and uncut treatments. Oak seedling growth was positively related to sunlight availability; seedlings in the final removal cut grew the most, followed in descending order by those in the first removal cut, preparatory cut, and uncut treatments. These findings provide insight into the subtleties of regenerating oak forests with the shelterwood system.


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


2010 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Geoff Wang ◽  
Kevin J Kemball

Two boreal mixedwood stands burned by the 1999 Black River wildfire in southeastern Manitoba, Canada were selected to study the effect of fire severity on early survival and growth of planted jack pine (Pinus banksiana), black spruce (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings. In each stand, three fire severity classes (scorched, lightly burned, and severely burned) were identified based on the degree of forest floor consumption. Fire severity was not a significant factor on mortality. No mortality difference was found among species, except for year 5 when jack pine had significantly higher mortality than both black spruce and white spruce. Jack pine and black spruce had their highest mortality in year 4, while white spruce had its highest mortality in year 1. Under natural competition, seedling growth increased with increasing fire severity. When competition was removed, fire severity did not affect seedling growth. Regardless of fire severity and competition, jack pine had better diameter and height growth than black spruce, which, in turn, grew slightly taller than white spruce. Planted seedlings faced less intense vegetation competition on severely burned plots compared to scorched or lightly burned plots. Regardless of fire severity and species, competition increased with time since planting. Our study results indicate that planting immediately after a wildfire is a viable option to establish conifer components on burned boreal mixedwood stands. Key words: fire severity, plantation, regeneration, Pinus banksiana, Picea mariana, Picea glauca


1995 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Roden ◽  
Phillip E. Reynolds

Granular (PRONONE 10G and 5G) and liquid (VELPAR L) hexazinone (1 to 4 kg ai ha−1) were applied to a northern New Brunswick clearcut (loams, silt loams, and clay loams) to reduce raspberry [Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim] competition. Treatment, using skidder-mounted herbicide application equipment, was completed in May and September 1986, with planting of 2+2, bareroot, black spruce seedlings [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] in June 1986 and in June 1987. Seedling survival and growth were measured yearly for five growing seasons after planting. By August 1991, raspberry cover for three treatments remained less than that for controls. Survival of seedlings planted approximately one month after spring treatment was less than controls, but seedling height and stem diameter were greater than that of control seedlings for most treatments. Survival and growth of seedlings planted approximately one year after spring treatment or nine months after fall treatment were greater than that of control seedlings for most treatments. Fifth-year height and stem diameter of seedlings planted nine months after fall treatment were negatively correlated with raspberry height (r2 = 0.729, height and 0.745, diameter), decreasing as raspberry height increased. Over the five-year observation period, hexazinone formulation did not affect raspberry control, but did affect seedling survival and growth. Spring treatment with PRONONE 10G (2 kg ai ha−1), with planting delayed by one year, provided the best treatment to achieve both optimal seedling survival and growth during plantation establishment. Key words: liquid hexazinone, granular hexazinone, site preparation, black spruce, growth parameters, seedling survival, raspberry competition


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