Impact of competitor species composition on predicting diameter growth and survival rates of Douglas-fir trees in southwestern Oregon

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 2237-2247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Bravo ◽  
David W Hann ◽  
Douglas A Maguire

Mixed conifer and hardwood stands in southwestern Oregon were studied to explore the hypothesis that competition effects on individual-tree growth and survival will differ according to the species comprising the competition measure. Likewise, it was hypothesized that competition measures should extrapolate best if crown-based surrogates are given preference over diameter-based (basal area based) surrogates. Diameter growth and probability of survival were modeled for individual Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees growing in pure stands. Alternative models expressing one-sided and two-sided competition as a function of either basal area or crown structure were then applied to other plots in which Douglas-fir was mixed with other conifers and (or) hardwood species. Crown-based variables outperformed basal area based variables as surrogates for one-sided competition in both diameter growth and survival probability, regardless of species composition. In contrast, two-sided competition was best represented by total basal area of competing trees. Surrogates reflecting differences in crown morphology among species relate more closely to the mechanics of competition for light and, hence, facilitate extrapolation to species combinations for which no observations are available.

2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Matney ◽  
Emily B. Schultz

Abstract Many growth and yield models have used statistical probability distributions to estimate the diameter distribution of a stand at any age. Equations for approximating individual tree diameter growth and survival probabilities from dbh can be derived from these models. A general procedure for determining the functions is discussed and illustrated using a loblolly pine spacing study. The results from the spacing study show that it is possible to define tree diameter growth and survival probability functions from diameter distributions with an accuracy sufficient to obtain a link between the individual tree and diameter growth and yield models.


1973 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Moore ◽  
Carl A. Budelsky ◽  
Richard C. Schlesinger

A new competition index, modified Area Potentially Available (APA), was tested in a complex unevenaged stand composed of 19 different hardwood species. APA considers tree size, spatial distribution, and distance relationships in quantifying intertree competition and exhibits a strong correlation with individual tree basal area growth. The most important characteristic of APA is its potential for evaluating silvicultural practices.


2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance A. Harrington ◽  
Walter G. Thies

Abstract Laminated root rot caused by Phellinus weirii is a significant disease of western conifers; it is important to understand the effects of the disease on tree growth and survival and, for some management objectives, to develop treatments that will reduce those effects. This study was conducted in a 47-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stand in northwest Oregon. First, we evaluated the effects of root system infection on diameter and height growth. Growth rates were lowest in trees with high infection levels; root infection level affected diameter growth more than height growth. Second, we evaluated the effects of fumigation treatments on tree growth. The nine treatments were as follows: three dosages of methylisothiocyanate (MITC), four dosages of chloropicrin (trichloronitromethane), one dosage of Vorlex [20% MITC, 80% chlorinated C3 hydrocarbons (v/v)], and a control. The fumigants were applied by inserting them into holes drilled into the base of live trees. After nine growing seasons, all three of the treatments applying different dosages of MITC and the treatment applying the lowest dosage of chloropicrin had higher tree survival rates than the untreated control, and the growth rates in those four fumigation treatments were not significantly different from growth in the surviving control trees.


1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory M. Filip ◽  
Stephen A. Fitzgerald ◽  
Lisa M. Ganio

Abstract A 30-yr-old stand of ponderosa pine was precommercially thinned in 1966 to determine the effects of thinning on tree growth and mortality caused by Armillaria root disease in central Oregon. After 30 yr, crop tree mortality was significantly (P = 0.02) less in thinned plots than in unthinned plots. Tree diameter growth was not significantly (P = 0.17) increased by thinning. Crop-tree basal area/ac growth was significantly (P = 0.03) greater in thinned plots. Apparently, from a root disease perspective, precommercial thinning of pure ponderosa stands significantly decreases the incidence of crop-tree mortality after 30 yr and significantly increases basal area/ac growth but not individual tree diameter growth. Recommendations for thinning based on stand density index (SDI) are given. West. J. Appl. For. 14(3):144-148.


2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 753-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Groot ◽  
Hannu Hökkä

The persistence of suppression effects on peatland black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) advance regeneration following overstory removal was examined (i) by analyzing post-harvest growth patterns and (ii) by comparing observed post-harvest growth with predictions from an individual-tree growth model. Analysis of growth patterns revealed critical points (inflections or maxima) in annual basal area, diameter, and height growth series, and in specific volume increment. Critical points occurred at different times (ranging from 1 to 29 years after harvest) for different variables and often occurred earlier for trees with greater height at time of harvest. These critical points do not necessarily coincide with the cessation of persisting suppression, however, since post-harvest growth patterns also reflect current influences on growth. The comparison of observed basal area and diameter growth with model predictions isolated persisting suppression effects. The effects of suppression on basal area and diameter growth decline linearly with time since harvest and become negligible 12 years after harvest. The persistence of suppression effects on basal area and diameter growth is largely independent of the height of the tree at the time of harvest.


1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1355-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew R. Gillespie ◽  
Harold W. Hocker Jr.

A model predicting white pine (Pinusstrobus L.) diameter growth after thinning included competition, initial diameter, and crown class as independent variables. Model coefficients indicated a decrease in percent 8-year diameter growth with increasing crown suppression, crown competition, or tree size class. Variables selected were superior to age, percent live crown, and prethinning growth. Equations predicting basal area and volume growth were similar in form to diameter growth. Height growth, however, was more closely correlated with crown characteristics and unaffected by competition. Annual growth patterns were similar to periodic growth patterns, revealing decreased growth with increasing competition or crown suppression. Trees having little competition and dominant crowns utilized their growing season longer, with earlier initial growth and faster growth than trees having greater competition or crown suppression. Within a crown class, diameter growth decreased as competition increased. Individual tree competition was seen as the most important factor influencing tree growth that a forester can control.


1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 859-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. O'Hara

The growth of individual trees from four thinning treatments in a 64-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand was analyzed to determine desirable residual stand structures after thinning. Dominant and codominant trees had the highest individual tree stem volume growth rates over the previous 5 years, and accounted for most stand volume growth in thinned and unthinned stands. Two measures of growing space, crown projection area and sapwood basal area (a surrogate for leaf area), were used to measure how efficiently individual trees used their growing space. Crown classes were useful in characterizing growing space efficiency (volume growth per unit of growing space) only in the unthinned treatment. In thinned treatments, tall trees with medium-sized crowns were most efficient, while in the unthinned treatment, tall trees with relatively large crowns were most efficient. A large crown in an unthinned stand was comparable in size to a medium-sized crown in a thinned stand. Results suggest growing space is not limiting individual tree growth in thinned stands and that thinning to a particular stand structure is more appropriate than thinning to a particular level of stand density.


2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 2394-2402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas B Mainwaring ◽  
Douglas A Maguire ◽  
Alan Kanaskie ◽  
Jeff Brandt

Concern has risen about the degree to which Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stands with severe infections of Swiss needle cast (SNC) respond to thinning. A retrospective study was established in the fall of 2001 to assess the growth of Douglas-fir stands that were commercially thinned between 4 and 10 years ago. Current SNC infection levels in these stands ranged from severe to very light. Past volume and basal area growth declined with increasing severity of SNC, as measured by current foliage retention and crown length / sapwood ratio. As has been observed in many other studies, thinning to lower residual stock reduced stand level growth; however, individual tree growth increased with lower residual stand density. The ratio of growth in successive periods and analysis of annual basal area growth since thinning suggested that trees did respond to thinning, although less so as SNC increased. A positive response to thinning, regardless of infection level, was confirmed by an analysis of annual trends in basal area growth over the first 5 years after thinning.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tzeng Yih Lam ◽  
Douglas A. Maguire

Abstract Interest in managing Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) forests in the Pacific Northwest under silvicultural systems other than traditional clearcutting has prompted research on the efficacy of alternative systems for successful regeneration and sustained timber productivity of Douglas-fir. The College of Forestry Integrated Research Project, implemented by Oregon State University, was established to compare various ecosystem responses and public perceptions among treatments implemented under clearcutting, shelterwood-with-reserves, and group selection silvicultural systems. The objective of this analysis was to quantify the following three responses of planted Douglas-fir seedlings to initial regeneration cuts: cumulative 13-year height growth (H13yr; 1992–2004), cumulative 13-year diameter growth (D13yr; 1992–2004), and most recent 5-year height growth (ΔH5yr; 2000–2004). Differences in variability of overstory density at the treatment level led to significant differences in the variance of understory growth responses. After accounting for heterogeneous variance, analysis of variance indicated significant treatment effects for all three responses. Treatment effects were explained by the decline in H13yr, D13yr, and ΔH5yr with increasing overstory competition as represented by basal area of residual trees immediately after harvesting (initial basal area). Predicted height:diameter ratio of Douglas-fir seedlings increased as IBA increased. Under regeneration methods that retain a portion of the overstory, a residual overstory with basal area <80 ft2/ac allows establishment, growth, and continued survival of Douglas-fir regeneration during the 13 years following harvest.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 440-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuaichao Sun ◽  
Quang V. Cao ◽  
Tianjian Cao

Competition indices play a significant role in modeling individual-tree growth and survival. In this study, six distance-independent competition indices were evaluated using 200 permanent plots of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The competition indices were classified into three families: (1) size ratios, which include diameter ratio and basal area ratio; (2) relative position indices, which include basal area of larger trees (BAL) and tree relative position based on the cumulative distribution function (CDF); and (3) partitioned stand density index and relative density. Results indicated that different families of competition indices were suitable for different tree survival or diameter growth prediction tasks. The diameter ratio was superior for predicting tree survival, whereas the relative position indices (BAL and CDF) performed best for predicting tree diameter growth, with CDF receiving the highest rank.


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