Seasonal growth of black spruce and tamarack roots in an Alberta peatland
Keyword(s):
Seasonal growth of black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. BSP) and tamarack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) roots in an Alberta peatland were assessed by measuring growth into emplaced soil cores that did not contain plant roots. Five cores were positioned 1 m from the base of each tree and 10 replicates of this treatment were used for each species. Sequential lifting of these cores during the growing season showed that root growth by these species did not begin until midsummer. Tamarack root growth was restricted to August and September, while black spruce root growth continued into October. Key words: flooding, Larix laricina, peatland, phenology, Picea mariana, temperature, root growth.