A comparison of thinning methods in red pine: consequences for stand-level growth and tree diameter

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Bradford ◽  
Brian J. Palik
Keyword(s):  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Biomass Growth ◽  
Quadratic Mean ◽  
Stand Growth ◽  
Tree Diameter ◽  
Growth Increase

Long-term replicated experiments that contrast thinning method (dominant thinning, thinning from below) while controlling stocking level are rare. Stand growth and tree size responses to thinning method can be useful for making decisions to achieve desired objectives, whether these are timber or wildlife habitat related. We examined data from two long-term (>50 year old) silvicultural experiments in red pine to understand how alternative thinning prescriptions influence stand-level basal area, volume, and biomass growth, as well as quadratic mean tree diameter. We found that gross growth in stands treated with dominant thinning was often, although not always, greater than growth in stands treated with thinning from below. However, the differences in growth between thinning methods are smallest at stocking levels and stand ages typical for red pine management. We found that biomass growth increases with dominant thinning were generally less than basal area or volume growth increase. Furthermore, greater gross growth associated with dominant thinning versus thinning from below must be weighed against the significantly smaller average tree sizes that result from repeated dominant thinning.

Growth, yield, and structure of extended rotation Pinus resinosa stands in Minnesota, USA

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 1000-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony W. D’Amato ◽  
Brian J. Palik ◽  
Christel C. Kern
Keyword(s):  
Volume Growth ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Resinosa ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Growing Stock ◽  
Ecological Objectives

Extended rotations are increasingly used to meet ecological objectives on forestland; however, information about long-term growth and yield of these systems is lacking for most forests in North America. Additionally, long-term growth responses to repeated thinnings in older stands have received little attention. We addressed these needs by examining the growth and yield of red pine ( Pinus resinosa Ait.) in a growing stock experiment in northern Minnesota. Stands were 85 years old at the onset of this experiment and were repeatedly thinned to five levels of basal area (13.8, 18.4, 23.0, 27.5, and 32.1 m2·ha–1) over 58 years. Cumulative volume production and volume growth were lowest within the lowest stocking treatment and similar across other stocking levels. Late-successional structural attributes, such as the density of trees with ≥40 cm diameter at breast height, was similar across stocking levels. The mean annual volume growth culminated between 130 and 140 years. Additionally, positive growth responses were observed within the highest stocking-level treatments after thinning at 138 years, demonstrating the ability of older red pine to respond to reductions in competition. These results illustrate that extended rotations with repeated thinnings in red pine help achieve ecological goals, including the restoration of old-forest structure, while also maintaining high levels of stand productivity.

Canada's oldest permanent sample plots — thinning in white and red pine

1998 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darwin Burgess ◽  
Craig Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Woody Debris ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Residual Volume ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Permanent Sample Plots ◽  
Stand Management ◽  
Set Up

Two of the oldest permanent sample plots (PSPs) in Canada were set up at Petawawa, Ontario (45° 57′ N, 77° 34′ W) to examine the effect of thinning on the development of natural white (Pinus strobus L.) and red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait). Field data were collected periodically, starting in 1918 when the stand was 40 years old and continuing for 71 years. Six thinning treatments were completed, beginning in 1918, and then in 1933, 1941, 1959, 1969 and 1989. The intensity of thinning varied through time with 14, 27, 38, 8, 30, and 7% of the basal area removed. The sawlog volume mean annual increment for the thinned plot remained stable at about five m3 ha−1 yr−1, but the sawlog volume periodic annual increment for the control declined markedly during the last 10-year measurement period to less than 2 m3 ha−1 yr−1. The residual volume was higher in the control; but, if the harvested sawlog volume (264.5 m3 ha−1) was added to the residual sawlog volume (301.3 m3 ha−1) for PSP one, then the sawlog production on the thinned plot has been about the same and its residual volume concentrated on fewer, larger and more valuable trees. The level of natural mortality in the control plot (129.7 m3 ha−1 of sawlog volume) was greater than 10 times that in the thinned plot, thereby adding more coarse woody debris to improve wildlife habitat. These two approaches had a major influence on stand development. The approach used will depend on specific stand-level management objectives. Key words: white pine, red pine, natural stand management, shelterwood system, permanent sample plots.

Thinned Loblolly Pine Stand Growth Improved by Early Hardwood Suppression

1991 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
Terry R. Clason
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Growth Data ◽  
Stand Growth ◽  
Pinus Taeda L

Abstract A hardwood suppression treatment applied to a 7-year-old, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation enhanced projected productivity through a 35-year rotation that included three commercial thinnings. By age 22, growth data showed that hardwood removal treatments had larger pines and smaller hardwoods than check treatments. Fifteen-year pine basal area and merchantable volume growth on hardwood removal plots exceeded the check plots by 25 and 27%. Projected growth between ages 22 and 35 indicated that 28 years after early hardwood removal thinned plantation merchantable volume yields improved by 840 ft³ per acre. South. J. Appl. For. 15(1):22-27.

scholarly journals Erratum

1998 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-811 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Woody Debris ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Residual Volume ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Permanent Sample Plots ◽  
Stand Management ◽  
Set Up

Two of the oldest permanent sample plots (PSPs) in Canada were set up at Petawawa, Ontario (45° 57′ N, 77° 34′ W) to examine the effect of thinning on the development of natural white (Pinus strobus L.) and red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.). Field data were collected periodically, starting in 1918 when the stand was 40 years old and continuing for 71 years. Six thinning treatments were completed, beginning in 1918, and then in 1933,1941,1959,1969 and 1989. The intensity of thinning varied through time with 14, 27, 38, 8, 30, and 7% of the basal area removed. The sawlog volume mean annual increment for the thinned plot remained stable at about five m3 ha−1 yr−1, but the sawlog volume periodic annual increment for the control declined markedly during the last 10-year measurement period to less than 2 m3 ha−1 yr−1. The residual volume was higher in the control; but, if the harvested sawlog volume (264.5 m3 ha−1) was added to the residual sawlog volume (301.3 m3 ha−1) for PSP one, then the sawlog production on the thinned plot has been about the same and its residual volume concentrated on fewer, larger and more valuable trees. The level of natural mortality in the control plot (129.7 m3 ha−1 of sawlog volume) was greater than 10 times that in the thinned plot, thereby adding more coarse woody debris to improve wildlife habitat. These two approaches had a major influence on stand development. The approach used will depend on specific stand-level management objectives. Key words: white pine, red pine, natural stand management, shelterwood system, permanent sample plots

Selection Management of Shortleaf Pine in the Ouachita Mountains

1991 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Murphy ◽  
James B. Baker ◽  
Edwin R. Lawson
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Echinata ◽  
Q Value ◽  
Shortleaf Pine ◽  
Ouachita Mountains ◽  
Tree Diameter ◽  
Area Growth ◽  
Experimental Watersheds

Abstract Selection (uneven-aged) management was instituted in shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) stands on three experimental watersheds in the Ouachita Mountains. The residual stand structure imposed on each was 60 ft² of basal area, a maximum tree diameter of 18 in., and a q value of 1.2 for 1 in. dbh classes. Hardwoods were injected with herbicide before the initial harvest. The average annual per-acre growth for the three watersheds for the first 6-year management period was 2 ft² of merchantable basal area growth, 57 ft³ of merchantable volume growth, and sawtimber growth of 157 board feet for the Doyle rule, 231 bd ft for the Scribner rule, and 274 bd ft for the International ¼-inch rule. Basal area and merchantable volume growth were up to expectations, but sawtimber growth was not. Sawtimber growth may increase as stand structure improves under management. South J. Appl. For. 15(1):61-67.

A new method for evaluating forest thinning: growth dominance in managed Pinus resinosa stands

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 843-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Bradford ◽  
Anthony W. D’Amato ◽  
Brian J. Palik ◽  
Shawn Fraver
Keyword(s):  
Tree Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Resinosa ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
New Method ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Individual Tree Growth

Growth dominance is a relatively new, simple, quantitative metric of within-stand individual tree growth patterns, and is defined as positive when larger trees in the stand display proportionally greater growth than smaller trees, and negative when smaller trees display proportionally greater growth than larger trees. We examined long-term silvicultural experiments in red pine ( Pinus resinosa Ait.) to characterize how stand age, thinning treatments (thinned from above, below, or both), and stocking levels (residual basal area) influence stand-level growth dominance through time. In stands thinned from below or from both above and below, growth dominance was not significantly different from zero at any age or stocking level. Growth dominance in stands thinned from above trended from negative at low stocking levels to positive at high stocking levels and was positive in young stands. Growth dominance in unthinned stands was positive and increased with age. These results suggest that growth dominance provides a useful tool for assessing the efficacy of thinning treatments designed to reduce competition between trees and promote high levels of productivity across a population, particularly among crop trees.

Comparison of stochastic and deterministic mortality estimation in an individual tree based stand growth model

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 1139-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Weber ◽  
Alan R. Ek ◽  
Terry D. Droessler
Keyword(s):  
Growth Model ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Deterministic Approach ◽  
Projection Model ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Stand Growth ◽  
Mortality Estimation ◽  
Stochastic Mortality ◽  
Growth Projection

Long-term projections (100 years) were made using the deterministic and stochastic mortality algorithms of the STEMS individual tree based stand growth projection model. Deterministic versus averaged stochastic projection results showed no practical differences in mean stand values for number of trees, basal area, volume, or diameter distributions. The deterministic approach also eliminates the need for making repeated stochastic runs and averaging the results where interest lies only in mean projected values.

Foliage and stand growth responses of semimature lodgepole pine to thinning and fertilization

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1794-1804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard C Yang
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Fascicle Length ◽  
Stand Growth

The aim of this study was to quantify the interactive response of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.) to thinning and nitrogen (N) fertilization in midrotation stands by assessing foliar and stand growth response relationships and determining the optimum fertilizer regime. The experiment design was a factorial arrangement of treatments with two thinning intensities (thinned and unthinned control) and four N levels (0, 180, 360, and 540 kg·ha-1). Foliage was sampled annually from trees in buffers for 4 years following treatment and plot trees measured at a 5-year interval. Results indicated that the effect of fertilization on fascicle length and needle dry mass disappeared 2 years after N treatment, while thinning effects on foliage emerged 3 years after fertilization. Both first year fascicle length and dry mass were reliable predictors (r2 = 0.87 and 0.82, respectively) of subsequent stand volume growth. Applications of N at 360 kg·ha-1 to thinned and unthinned plots, respectively, improved 10-year periodic height increment by 20 and 19%, diameter at breast height by 29 and 34%, basal area by 21 and 36%, and total volume by 25 and 28%. Fertilization of N at this level appears to be optimal based on foliar and mensurational responses. High N loadings increased tree mortality and accelerated stand development and so it could be advantageously used as a tool for managing overstocked stands.

scholarly journals Response of White Spruce Plantation to Three Levels of Thinning from Below 1958-1978

1980 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Stiell
Keyword(s):  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Standing Crop ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Field Site ◽  
Old Field ◽  
Stand Growth ◽  
Growing Stock

In 1958 a thinning experiment to examine the relation of stand growth of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) to density of residual growing stock was established at the Petawawa national Forestry Institute in a 33-year-old plantation growing on a sandy old-field site. A treatment series consisted of sample plots thinned from below to basal area levels of 18.4, 25.3 and 32.1 m2/ha, together with unthinned plots serving as controls. Two such replicates were established. The plots were remeasured and thinned again to the prescribed basal areas in 1968 and 1978. Diameter growth and form quotient were clearly related to degree of thinning. Volume growth was reduced at the lowest residual basal area. The untreated plots contained the highest volume in 1978 but mortality had reduced their total production of merchantable wood by about 10% compared with the thinnings plus standing crop of the two lighter treatments. Thinning to leave a basal area in the range of about 22 to 35 m2/ha should yield 11 to 60 m3/ha of merchantable wood, depending on plantation age and intensity of cut, without reducing stand growth.

Pin cherry effects on Allegheny hardwood stand development

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd E Ristau ◽  
Stephen B Horsley
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
High Density ◽  
Stand Development ◽  
Black Cherry ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
White Ash

Pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica L.) develops an early height advantage over associated species. Data from three long-term studies, extending up to 70 years after complete overstory removal, were used to evaluate the effects of pin cherry density on associates. Survival of seedling-origin stems of black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) at age 15 decreased as the density of pin cherry >1.5 m tall at age 3 increased. The regression of pin cherry with black cherry was particularly strong (R2 = 0.632). Height of the tallest black cherry and white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) at age 15 also decreased. If the density of pin cherry at age 3 was > 1 stem > 1.5 m tall per 0.0004 ha (high density), the number of black cherry fell below full stocking at age 15. When pin cherry occurred in high density, it lived longer than when it occurred at low density (< 1 stem > 1.5 m tall per 0.0004 ha). High pin cherry density early in stand development delayed the time when shade-intolerant and shade-intermediate species reached a stable proportion of the total basal area. In the long term, pin cherry reduced stand diameter and volume growth, particularly of black cherry.

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