scholarly journals Wood density traits in Norway spruce understorey: effects of growth rate and birch shelterwood density

1998 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 809-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Göran Bergqvist
Holzforschung ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuula Jyske ◽  
Seija Kaakinen ◽  
Urban Nilsson ◽  
Pekka Saranpää ◽  
Elina Vapaavuori

AbstractThe effects of thinning intensity on wood structure and chemistry of Norway spruce [Picea abies(L.) Karst.] have been studied in a long-term thinning experiment established in the 1960s in south-western Sweden. The experiment comprised datasets of unthinned control trees and trees of four thinning treatments, in which thinning operations of different intensities were carried out. These thinning operations were applied either once, three, or five times over the course of the stand rotation. Thinning intensities varied from 0% to 60% based on the stand basal area (BA) before thinning: (A) 5×20% (i.e., 20% of the BA removed five times); (B) 3×40% (i.e., 40% of the BA removed three times); (C) 1×60% (i.e., 60% of the BA removed once); and (D) 5×40% (i.e., 40% of the BA removed five times). Altogether 60 trees that were 67 years old were sampled 38 years after the treatment onset. Radial growth rate, wood density, tracheid properties, and the chemical composition of wood were studied in detail. All four thinning treatments increased growth rate and decreased wood density; however, treatment D showed the greatest change. Single, heavy thinning in treatment C resulted in unfavourable intra-stem variation in ring width and wood density. No significant differences in tracheid properties and wood chemistry were found between the treatments. We conclude that only a remarkable increase in growth rate would induce detrimental changes in tracheid properties and wood chemistry in the context of thinning.


2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu-Min Vaario ◽  
Arja Tervonen ◽  
Kati Haukioja ◽  
Markku Haukioja ◽  
Taina Pennanen ◽  
...  

Over a 5 year period, we examined the influence of substrate and fertilization on nursery growth and outplanting performance of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). We focused on the relative growth and development of roots and shoots and the colonization intensity and diversity of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. In the nursery, a conventional substrate (low-humified Sphagnum peat) supplemented with woody material (wood fibre and pine bark) and either mineral or organic fertilizers yielded shorter seedlings than those grown on the unmodified substrate. However, after outplanting, the growth rate of seedlings cultivated on modified substrates was higher than that of seedlings grown on the unmodified substrate. Seedlings cultivated in modified substrates had significantly higher root/shoot ratios and ECM diversity; the latter remained significant after ≥3 years of outplanting. Seedlings grown on a substrate containing 50% woody material and supplemented with organic fertilizer had the highest growth rate among all seedlings during the 3 year period of outplanting. Colonization intensity of ECM fungi was high in all seedlings except for those grown in heavily fertilized substrate. This study suggests that nursery techniques that produce seedlings with higher root/shoot ratios and ECM diversities could improve plantation success and growth rate for at least the first 3 years of outplanting.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 651-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Bouriaud ◽  
J.-M. Leban ◽  
D. Bert ◽  
C. Deleuze

Holzforschung ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. P. Denne ◽  
C. M. Cahalan ◽  
D. P. Aebischer

Summary To assess the likely effects of silvicultural treatment on the wood quality of Nothofagus nervosa grown in the UK, and the possibilities of independent selection within seed origins for density and growth rate, ring width and wood density were analysed from pith to bark of 19 trees. Variations in vessel lumen size, vessel number mm−2, and total lumen area mm−2 were analysed in ten trees. Since density increased by only 0.005g cm−3 per mm increase in ring width, silvicultural practices such as initial spacing and thinning are not likely to have a substantial effect on the wood density of rauli. Similarly, variation in density with cambial age was significant but relatively minor in the 40- and 60-year old trees of the present sample, suggesting that the rotation length is unlikely to have any practical influence on the density of rauli. Considerable between-tree differences in density were found which did not correspond to differences in ring width, suggesting it should be feasible to select independently for density and growth rate. These differences in density were associated with differences in both vessel lumen size and vessel number mm−2


1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 638-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. DeBell ◽  
John C. Tappeiner II ◽  
Robert L. Krahmer

Wood density of western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) was determined by X-ray densitometry of strips from breast-height samples consisting of rings 20–24 from the pith. Ring parameters were averaged over the 5 years for each strip. Wood density was negatively correlated with radial growth rate. Average wood density dropped from 0.47 to 0.37 g/cm3 as average ring width increased from 2 to 8 mm. Wood density decreased at higher growth rates primarily because earlywood width increased while latewood width remained the same; as a result, percentage of latewood decreased. Earlywood density decreased slightly at higher growth rates, but latewood density was not significantly related to growth rate.


2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2600-2611 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Zubizarreta Gerendiain ◽  
H. Peltola ◽  
P. Pulkkinen ◽  
R. Jaatinen ◽  
A. Pappinen ◽  
...  

Volume growth has typically been used as a selection trait of prime importance in forest tree breeding. Less attention has been given to the genetic or phenotypic relationships between the growth or yield and wood density traits. In the above context, we aimed to investigate the phenotypic relationships among different growth, yield, and wood density traits of 20 Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) clones grown in southeastern Finland, in order to identify whether a high growth rate was associated with low wood density in any of the clones. Compared with growth or yield traits, the wood density traits showed lower phenotypic variations. The phenotypic correlations between growth, yield, and wood density traits were, on average, from moderate to high, suggesting that selection for one trait would simultaneously affect the other traits. Compared with volume production, selection based on stem mass could be more profitable if a clonal stand is managed for pulpwood rather than mechanical wood processing and vice versa; whereas selection for overall wood density alone would reduce both the stem volume and stem mass. However, by compromising the gain or loss in wood density and stem volume, clones with high stem volume and a relatively high wood density could be found.


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