Growth intercept models for black spruce, jack pine and balsam fir in Quebec

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Mailly ◽  
Mélanie Gaudreault
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Interim Testing ◽  
Growth Intercept ◽  
Mean Square Errors

The objective of this study was to develop variable growth intercept models for coniferous species of major importance in Quebec using Nigh's (1997a) modelling technique. Eighty-three, 68, and 70 stem analysis plots of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill) were used, respectively. The growth intercept models for black spruce were the most precise, followed by those for jack pine and finally by those for balsam fir, based on the root mean square errors. Results indicated that the accuracy of the models was good, relative to those previously published for other species in Canada. Interim testing of the models revealed a low mean error for all three species that may not be of practical significance for site index determination, although more data should be obtained to further test the models. Key words: balsam fir, black spruce, growth intercept, jack pine, model, nonlinear regression, site index

Modèles de croissance internodale pour l'épinette noire, le pin gris et le sapin baumier au Québec

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Mailly ◽  
Mélanie Gaudreault
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Interim Testing ◽  
Growth Intercept ◽  
Mean Square Errors

The objective of this study was to develop variable growth intercept models for coniferous species of major importance in Quebec using Nigh's (1997a) modelling technique. Eighty-three, 68 and 70 stem analysis plots of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill) were used, respectively. The growth intercept models for black spruce were the most precise, followed by those for jack pine and finally by those for balsam fir, based on the root mean square errors. Results indicated that the accuracy of the models was good, relative to those previously published for other species in Canada. Interim testing of the models revealed a low mean error for all three species that may not be of practical significance for site index determination, although more data should be obtained to further test the models. Key words: balsam fir, black spruce, growth intercept, jack pine, model, nonlinear regression, site index

Laboratory assessment of the effect of forest floor ash on conifer germination

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 822-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Kemball ◽  
A. Richard Westwood ◽  
G. Geoff Wang
Keyword(s):  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Laboratory Assessment ◽  
The Impact

Mineral soils exposed by fire are often covered by a layer of ash due to complete consumption of the forest floor (litter and duff). To assess the possible effects of ash on seed germination and viability of jack pine ( Pinus banksiana Lamb.), black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns, Poggenb.), white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), and balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), a laboratory experiment was conducted using ash derived from three types of forest floor samples. The samples represented areas of high conifer concentration, high aspen concentration, and mixed aspen and conifer and were collected from five mature aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.) – conifer mixedwood stands in southeastern Manitoba. Ash derived from each forest floor type neither prohibited nor delayed conifer germination, except that of balsam fir. Balsam fir had significantly less germination on ash derived from forest floor samples with high aspen concentration. When corrected for seed viability, balsam fir had significantly less germination on all three ash types compared with jack pine, black spruce, and white spruce. However, the impact of ash on balsam fir is unlikely to have meaningful ecological implications, as balsam fir is a climax species and will establish in undisturbed mature forests.

Short-term effects of cut-to-length versus full-tree harvesting on conifer regeneration in jack pine, mixedwood, and black spruce forests in Manitoba

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1938-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Waters ◽  
Steven W Kembel ◽  
Jean-François Gingras ◽  
Jennifer M Shay
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Understorey Vegetation ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
The Impact

This study compares the effects of full-tree versus cut-to-length forest harvesting methods on tree regeneration in jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), mixedwood (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss – Populus tremuloides Michx. – Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) sites in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. We surveyed tree regeneration densities, disturbance characteristics, and understorey vegetation in replicated control and harvested plots in each site type preharvest (1993) and 1 and 3 years postharvest (1994, 1996). In jack pine sites, the full-tree harvest method promoted regeneration of Pinus banksiana through increased disturbance of soil and the moss layer, and decreased slash deposition relative to the cut-to-length method. Conversely, in mixedwood sites the cut-to-length method resulted in less damage to advance regeneration and proved better at promoting postharvest regeneration of Abies balsamea and Picea glauca relative to the full-tree method. In black spruce sites, there were few differences in the impact of the two harvesting methods on regeneration of Picea mariana, which increased in frequency and density after both types of harvesting.

Black spruce decline triggered by spruce budworm at the southern limit of lichen woodland in eastern Canada

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 2160-2172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Simard ◽  
Serge Payette
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Spruce Budworm ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Southern Limit ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Spruce Decline

Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) is the dominant tree species of the southernmost (48°N) lichen woodlands in eastern Canada. Most spruce trees in mature lichen woodlands appear to be declining, as shown by the massive invasion of the epiphytic lichen Bryoria on dead branches of dying trees. A dendroecological study was undertaken to identify the main causal factors of the decline. A decline index based on the abundance of Bryoria on spruce trees was used to distinguish healthy from damaged lichen–spruce woodlands and to select sampling sites for tree-ring measurements. Three conifer species (black spruce, balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.)) were sampled to compare their growth patterns in time and space. In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, black spruce and balsam fir experienced sharp and synchronous radial-growth reductions, a high frequency of incomplete and missing rings, and mass mortality likely caused by spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) defoliation. Jack pine, a non-host species, showed no such trend. Because black spruce layers were spared, lichen woodlands will eventually regenerate unless fire occurs in the following years. Black spruce decline can thus be considered as a normal stage in the natural dynamics of the southern lichen woodlands.

AN ANALYSIS OF MEASURES OF DENSITY IN EVEN-AGED BALSAM FIR AND JACK PINE STANDS

1964 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. Vezina
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Growing Stock ◽  
The One ◽  
Crown Closure

The concept of stand density in relation to thinning is examined and its development over the years is discussed. Present difficulties of objectively measuring stand density are recognized and probable future trends towards the development of better formulae to express stand density are outlined. Researchers should continue to collect information on interrelationships among stand variables. Certain merits accrue from description of stand density in terms of variables, such as crown closure, that can be measured with some precision from aerial photographs. Conversely, valid estimates of crown closure which are often difficult to obtain by means of devices from the ground, could be predicted from stand density. Three stand variables, used as expressions of stand density, were tested in crown closure simple regressions in even-aged, unmanaged stands of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.). These are: total number of trees, number of trees 4 inches and up, and basal area per acre. The strongest relationship found was the one where crown closure is compared with basal area; it was stronger for jack pine than for balsam fir. This was explained by differences in tolerance among the two species. The significance of these relationships for the stand development, and the feasibility of using height-and diameter-based indices as measures of growing stock in studies of yield are discussed.

Pines and porcupines: a tree-ring analysis of browsing and dynamics of an overmature pine forest

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amélie Rivet ◽  
Serge Payette ◽  
Dominique Berteaux ◽  
François Girard
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
The North ◽  
Feeding Activities ◽  
Ring Analysis

Past feeding activities of the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum L.) in an overmature forest were reconstructed using tree-ring dated feeding scars on jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) trees in Parc national du Bic (Quebec). Following a long fire-free period, most pines that regenerated after the 1847 fire are currently senescent, moribund, or dead, and the youngest trees are nearly 100 years old. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), the most abundant species in the regeneration layer, is predicted to replace jack pine given the absence of recent fire and present fire protection practices in the park. According to the age structure of feeding scars, porcupine activity has been particularly high during the 1980s, which is coincident with the creation of the park. Porcupine activity was lower before this decade and in the late 20th century and absent in this century (2000–2015). The recent decrease in the number of feeding scars is consistent with the decline of the porcupine population, as shown by censuses of active dens and inventories of individuals. Observed tree death is linked with tree senescence rather than excessive feeding. In the absence of fire, it is probable that the shift from the overmature pine stand to a balsam fir stand will profoundly affect porcupine activity. This research shows how the study of tree rings can unravel some of the ecological relationships structuring a forest ecosystem through fire, succession, and animal browsing.

Mineralization rates and factors influencing snag decay in four North American boreal tree species

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginie A. Angers ◽  
P. Drapeau ◽  
Y. Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Wood Density ◽  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Time Since Death ◽  
Trembling Aspen ◽  
Boreal Species

The rate at which the wood of dead trees decays has numerous ecological implications. Decay rates of fallen tree boles have been extensively documented. However, decay rates of snags and the factors that influence decay in snags have received much less attention, especially in boreal species of eastern North America. In this study, mineralization rates (measured as wood density loss) were assessed in snags of four boreal species: trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP). Wood density and variables potentially influencing decay rates (time since death, age, average radial growth, diameter at breast height, cerambycid larvae activity, and scolytid larvae activity) were measured on discs of 207 snags in northwestern Quebec, Canada. Mineralization rates varied significantly among species. Trembling aspen exhibited a more rapid rate of loss than conifers (k = 0.0274). Jack pine was the second most rapid species to lose wood density (k = 0.0152), followed by balsam fir (k = 0.0123). Black spruce was particularly resistant to mineralization (k = 0.0058), and its wood density was not significantly influenced by time elapsed since death for the time period sampled in this study. Time since death coupled with cerambycid larvae activity was associated with lower wood densities in trembling aspen, balsam fir, and jack pine, whereas slower growth was associated with a decreased mineralization rate in black spruce.

Ecological factors affecting abundance of advanced growth in jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands of the boreal forest of northwestern Quebec

1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 561-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Béland ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Moisture Regime ◽  
Mixed Stands ◽  
Pine Regeneration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pine Stands

Natural regeneration in jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands in Quebec is only sufficient 4% of the time and up to only 33% of the time in mixed stands. This study evaluates the usefulness of forest ecological types as defined by the Quebec Ministry of Forests in predicting abundance of advanced growth in pure and mixed jack pine stands of the Abitibi region, in north-western Quebec. Trees above 1.3 m in height and up to 5 cm DBH were tallied in 102 quadrats of 20 × 20 metres to evaluate advanced growth densities. No significant difference in advanced growth densities was observed between the two main types of surficial geological deposit in the region, lacustrine clays and glacial tills. Only shallow till and organic deposits over bedrock and fluvio-glacial sands showed significantly higher advanced growth densities. Prediction can be improved by using ecological variables such as soil texture, moisture regime, distance from a seed source and stand composition. Abundance of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) regeneration is positively associated with the proportion of sand in the soil profile and with drier sites; advanced growth of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.) is weakly associated with the distance to a fire-preserved zone containing seed trees. Abundance of pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica L.f.), probably associated with canopy openings, is positively linked with abundance of balsam fir and white spruce advanced growth. Jack pine regeneration by means of advanced growth occurs almost exclusively in jack pine stands on sand; higher proportions of hardwoods in the overstory appear to be negatively linked to jack pine advanced growth. Although the site variables studied showed some significant relationships with advanced growth abundance (maximum R2 = 0.32) which were slightly improved with stand composition variables (maximum R2 = 0.38), no satisfactory predictive model could be implemented. Key words: jack pine, advanced growth, ecological classification

Water availability and the comparative emergence of four conifer species

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 1740-1746 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Thomas ◽  
Ross W. Wein
Keyword(s):  
Water Availability ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Conifer Species ◽  
Eastern White Pine ◽  
Moisture Availability ◽  
Soil Moisture Availability

Some conifer species require shelter from direct sunlight to establish on surface charred organic matter. Since shelter slows the rate of soil drying, it has been postulated that the emergence of seedlings on such seedbeds is limited by soil moisture availability. In the greenhouse, the emergence of four species was observed from beds of soil watered at different frequencies. Compared with well-watered controls, emergence from infrequently watered seedbeds was higher in jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) than in eastern white pine (P. strobus L.) and lowest in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.) and the balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.). This is in the same order as the ability to emerge without shelter on postfire seedbeds. Coping with fluctuating moisture availability was concluded to be a major factor in determining emergence on this harsh seedbed. Seeds were also germinated in solutions of polyethylene glycol 6000. These data, together with measurements of the resistance to and tolerance of water loss, suggest that eastern white pine succeeds because preemergent seedlings can tolerate desiccating conditions. Measurements of radicle elongation rates indicate that jack pine succeeds by evading periods of low water availability.

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