Critical period of interspecific competition for four northern conifers: 10-year growth response and associated vegetation dynamics

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 2474-2485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G Wagner ◽  
Andrew P Robinson

The influence of the timing and duration of interspecific competition on planted jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) was assessed using 10-year growth responses in a northern Ontario experiment. Stand volume was 117%, 208%, 224%, and 343% higher for jack pine, red pine, white pine, and black spruce, respectively, with 5 years of vegetation control than with no vegetation control. Stand volume increased linearly with number of years of vegetation control, and the slope of the relationship varied among conifer species. Change-point regression analysis was used to derive segmented weed-free and weed-infested curves, and to simultaneously estimate key critical-period parameters. Weed-free and weed-infested curves in the 10th year were similar to those derived in year 5, indicating that the patterns established during the first few years after planting were relatively robust for the first decade. The critical-period was 2 and 3 years after planting for jack pine and red pine, respectively, and occupied most of the 5-year period for white pine and black spruce. Principal components analysis of the vegetation community indicated that repeated herbicide applications caused differential shifts in the relative abundance of shrub, fern, and moss species through the 10th year. Species richness, however, was not substantially different between the untreated control and the most intensive treatments. Difference modeling was used to quantify how annual volume increment during the first decade varied with time, conifer species, cover of woody and herbaceous vegetation, and stage of development.

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 890-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G Wagner ◽  
Gina H Mohammed ◽  
Thomas L Noland

Using critical-period analysis, we examined the temporal effects of interspecific competition from herbaceous vegetation on seedlings of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) during the first 5 years after planting. The critical period is the time period during stand development when interspecific competition reduces tree growth. We found both similarities and differences in responses among tree species. Gains in stem volume index associated with increasing duration of vegetation control (expressed by weed-free curves) differed among species. In contrast, declines in stem volume index with increasing duration of competition after planting (expressed by weed-infested curves) were equal among species. Critical periods for stem volume index were shorter for shade-intolerant jack and red pine (1 and 2 years after planting) than for more shade-tolerant white pine and black spruce (1-3 years for spruce and 1-4 years for white pine). Intolerant species had greater absolute stem volume growth, but smaller relative declines from continuous association with herbaceous vegetation (85, 81, 78, and 67% for white pine, black spruce, red pine, and jack pine, respectively). Herbaceous vegetation did not affect survival and had a variable influence on height growth of all species.


1989 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 183-185
Author(s):  
David I. Maass ◽  
Andrea N. Colgan ◽  
N. Lynn Cochran ◽  
Carl L. Haag ◽  
James A. Hatch

Abstract Long-term performance of container-grown seedlings in Maine was unknown in the late 1970s. A study was established to test the performance of five conifer species: Norway, white and black spruce, and red and jack pine, grown in four containers of similar volume: Can-Am Multipot #1, Multipot #2, Japanese Paperpot FH408, and Styroblock 4. Seven years after outplanting, stem heights of jack pine and red pine were significantly greater for trees started in Multipot #2 containers. Three spruce species with the greatest growth were started in Multipot #1 containers. Paperpot seedlings ranked second in height for pines, Norway spruce, and white spruce; Styroblock 4's ranked last for all species. North. J. Appl. For. 6:183-185, December 1989.


1959 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 670-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Bradley

While working at Cedar Lake in Northwestern Ontario in the summers of 1957 and 1958 the author was able to observe the feeding sites of various species of Cinara. Most of the observations were made within an area of a few square miles on either side of Highway 105, between Red Lake Road and Ear Falls, Ontario. This area is fairly typical of the Laurentian Shield, with numerous lakes, rocky ridges, sandy patches, and small bogs. The principal coniferous trees in this locality are black spruce, jack pine, and balsam fir. White spruce, white cedar, white pine, red pine, and common juniper are also present.


2011 ◽  
Vol 87 (03) ◽  
pp. 398-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.K. Hoepting ◽  
R.G. Wagner ◽  
J. McLaughlin ◽  
D.G. Pitt

A 15-year re-measurement of a study designed to identify the optimum timing and duration of herbaceous vegetation control in plantations of four commercial conifer species was completed in northern Ontario. Few differences were revealed in conifer growth when contrasting early and delayed timing of vegetation control. Conversely, each conifer species responded positively to increased duration of vegetation control, with stand volume gains of up to 209% achieved with four to five years of vegetation control following planting. Compared to earlier assessments, the timing of vegetation control appeared less important than duration. Diminishing returns in the fastest-growing species (jack pine [Pinus banksiana Lamb.] and red pine [Pinus resinosa Ait.]) are consistent with intraspecific competition related to the onset of crown closure in these stands. Quantification of a suite of soil nutrient pools along the gradient of increased duration of vegetation control indicated that the more intensive levels of vegetation control did not adversely affect the assessed soil nutrient pools in red pine or jack pine, but a cautionary approach should be considered for white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP), where some declines were evident. Vegetation control for two to three years following planting should maximize early conifer growth potential without adverse longer-term effects on soil nutrient pools.


1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 768-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Roebbelen ◽  
V. G. Smith

Product form (P) of a tree has been defined as the product of diameter-outside-bark at midheight above breast height (d) and total height (H) (P = d × H). It is used along with diameter breast height (D) in product form volume equations (VPF = f(P,D)) for estimating individual tree volumes. It is hypothesized that for each coniferous species, there exists some optimal height at which a diameter measurement can be taken and used in a product form term to estimate the inside-bark volume with minimum error. Regression equations and simpler expressions of the form V = D2 × H × F were developed for red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.), white pine (Pinusstrobus L.), jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.), and black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) using six upper diameter locations. The optimal location of the upper diameter was found to be 50% of the total height for red pine and white pine and 47% of total height for jack pine and black spruce. Product form is redefined as P = d* × H where d* = diameter-outside-bark at that average relative height on the tree where d* = (2 × V)/(D × H) as determined from a small sample of scaled trees, for each species and H = total height of tree.


1977 ◽  
Vol 109 (9) ◽  
pp. 1199-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy N. McNeil ◽  
Johanne Delisle ◽  
R. J. Finnegan

AbstractAn inventory was taken of aphid species occurring on balsam fir, white spruce, larch, red pine, white pine, jack pine, and black spruce at two sites where the introduced red wood ant, Formica lugubris Zett., had been released. Twenty-one aphid species were found, all in the genus Cinara Curtis. Nine of these species, and possibly a tenth, were new records for Quebec. Observations on colony size and distribution on host trees, in ant infested and control blocks, were recorded.


1978 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy D. Whitney ◽  
Donald T. Myren

The roots of 435 dead or dying saplings, averaging 10 years of age, of seven conifer species from the Boreal Forest of northern Ontario were examined for root rot. Only trees with no obvious cause of death or decline, other than root rot, were selected. Eighty-three percent of the trees had root rot. Cultures revealed that Armillariamellea (Vahl ex Fr.) Kummer was associated with root rot in 68% of all trees examined, including more than 45% of the trees in each species. Ten other root-rotting fungi were isolated from 1% or fewer of the trees, 7 of them from balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea [L.] Mill.) and 3 from black spruce (Piceamariana [Mill.] B.S.P.). Scytinostromagalactinum (Fr.) Donk was isolated from sapwood of roots and lower stems of red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.), balsam fir, white pine (P. strobes L.), and black spruce and appeared to be parasitic on these species. Coniophoraputeana (Schum. ex Fr.) Karst. was apparently associated with the death of one balsam fir.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 1740-1746 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Thomas ◽  
Ross W. Wein

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.


1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 477-478
Author(s):  
W. C. Stevens

Northern Ontario lies entirely in the Precambrian Shield with its many rock outcrops, sand plains, valleys and extensive lowlands.Tree planting started on a limited scale in Northern Ontario in the 1920's but it was not until the mid-fifties that the program really expanded into millions of trees.White spruce, black spruce, jack pine, red pine and white pine are the most important species planted for commercial forest products.The advent of new site preparation techniques has made possible the planting of areas that were previously by-passed.Due to the rugged conditions in Northern Ontario, tree planting by machine is still not too prevalent.For the purpose of this paper, Northern Ontario is that portion of the province lying north of the historic fur-trading route of the French and Mattawa Rivers and the Great Lakes. The area is made up entirely of Precambrian shield with many outcrops of rock, sand plains of jack pine, valleys and extensive lowlands of spruce.


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