Do harvest methods and soil type impact the regeneration and growth of black spruce stands in northwestern Quebec?

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1843-1851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Lafleur ◽  
David Paré ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Forest Regeneration ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Harvest Method

Machinery traffic restrictions during forest harvest have been adopted to minimize soil damage and protect tree regeneration. However, this practice is questioned for paludifying black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) stands in which severe soil disturbance by wildfire restores forest productivity. The objective of this study was to determine, 8 years after harvest, how soil disturbance created by clearcutting and careful logging affected black spruce natural regeneration and growth and how this effect varied by soil type. While regeneration density was higher following careful logging, stocking was not influenced by harvest method. Regenerating stands were taller following clearcutting despite potentially greater damages to preestablished regeneration. Compared with careful logging, clearcutting also resulted in reduced cover of Sphagnum spp. and ericaceous shrubs. Spruce stem density and stocking were both higher on organic and subhydric soils and lower on mesic soils. No significant interactions were observed between harvest method and soil type, indicating that the observation of taller black spruce stands and adequate stocking with clearcutting may be applicable to all soil types considered in this study. These results suggest that an adequate level of soil disturbance is an important part of forest regeneration, particularly in ecosystems where an autogenic reduction in productivity occurs.

scholarly journals Comparative Height Growth of Eastern Larch and Black Spruce in Northwestern Ontario

1978 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 296-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Mead
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Larix Laricina ◽  
Stem Analysis ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Analysis Methods ◽  
Spruce Stands

Height growth of eastern larch (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) was determined using standard stem analysis methods on trees from two sites in northwestern Ontario. The data were obtained from mixed larch-spruce stands which were relatively undisturbed. The larch exhibited substantially better height growth than the spruce through age 65.

scholarly journals Forest Climax Phenomenon: An Invariance of Scale

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raimundas Petrokas
Keyword(s):  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Forest Regeneration ◽  
Forest Succession ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Red Queen Hypothesis ◽  
Habitat Dynamics ◽  
Process Pattern ◽  
Sensitivity To Initial Conditions

We can think of forests as multiscale multispecies networks, constantly evolving toward a climax or potential natural community—the successional process-pattern of natural regeneration that exhibits sensitivity to initial conditions. This is why I look into forest succession in light of the Red Queen hypothesis and focus on the key aspects of ecological self-organisation: dynamical criticality, evolvability and intransitivity. The idea of the review is that forest climax should be associated with habitat dynamics driven by a large continuum of ecologically equivalent time scales, so that the same ecological conclusions could be drawn statistically from any scale. A synthesis of the literature is undertaken in order to (1) present the framework for assessing habitat dynamics and (2) present the types of successional trajectories based on tree regeneration mode in forest gaps. In general, there are four types of successional trajectories within the process-pattern of forest regeneration that exhibits sensitivity to initial conditions: advance reproduction specialists, advance reproduction generalists, early reproduction generalists and early reproduction specialists. A successional trajectory is an expression of a fractal connectivity among certain patterns of natural regeneration in the multiscale multispecies networks of landscape habitats. Theoretically, the organically derived measures of pattern diversity, integrity and complexity, determined by the rates of recruitment, growth and mortality of forest tree species, are the means to test the efficacy of specific interventions to avert the disturbance-related decline in forest regeneration. That is of relevance to the emerging field of biocomplexity research.

Short-term effects of cut-to-length versus full-tree harvesting on conifer regeneration in jack pine, mixedwood, and black spruce forests in Manitoba

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1938-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Waters ◽  
Steven W Kembel ◽  
Jean-François Gingras ◽  
Jennifer M Shay
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Understorey Vegetation ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
The Impact

This study compares the effects of full-tree versus cut-to-length forest harvesting methods on tree regeneration in jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), mixedwood (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss – Populus tremuloides Michx. – Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) sites in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. We surveyed tree regeneration densities, disturbance characteristics, and understorey vegetation in replicated control and harvested plots in each site type preharvest (1993) and 1 and 3 years postharvest (1994, 1996). In jack pine sites, the full-tree harvest method promoted regeneration of Pinus banksiana through increased disturbance of soil and the moss layer, and decreased slash deposition relative to the cut-to-length method. Conversely, in mixedwood sites the cut-to-length method resulted in less damage to advance regeneration and proved better at promoting postharvest regeneration of Abies balsamea and Picea glauca relative to the full-tree method. In black spruce sites, there were few differences in the impact of the two harvesting methods on regeneration of Picea mariana, which increased in frequency and density after both types of harvesting.

scholarly journals A NEW APPROACH TO THE NORTHERN SPRUCE REGENERATION PROBLEM

1954 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri LeBlanc
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Normal Concentration ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Seed Supply ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Intensive Work

Lack of reproduction of black spruce, Picea mariana, in pure black spruce stands in old cut-over areas, has always been a great subject of discussion and one for intensive work among foresters. Many reasons such as the absence of an adequate seed supply stored on top of humus, or adverse germination conditions are said to be partly responsible.This study on the humus of this unregenerated cut-over area, indicates clear cutting of this stand will influence the normal concentration of definite micro-nutrients such as manganese and magnesium.The augmentation of manganese in the soil has a detrimental effect on the growth of plants when, its concentration is too high. The diminution of magnesium, which is an element necessary to stimulate the growth, must create abnormal nutritive conditions of the habitat. This visible lack of equilibrium might be the cause of the absence of seedlings of Picea mariana on certain parts of this cut-over area.

Survey and ecological aspects of presumed ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with black spruce in northern Minnesota

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 825-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Doudrick ◽  
Elwin L. Stewart ◽  
Alvin A. Alm
Keyword(s):  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Laccaria Bicolor ◽  
Site Preference ◽  
Geologic History ◽  
Aseptic Culture ◽  
Ecological Aspects ◽  
Spruce Stands

Twenty-two stands of black spruce, Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P., in northern Minnesota were surveyed for ectomycorrhizal fungi. Site selection criteria in black spruce stands included geologic history, soil type, stand origin, age, and productivity. Site preference relationships were noted for several of the 46 species of fungi collected during the 2-year study. Twenty-five isolates were tested in aseptic culture for their ability to form ectomycorrhizae with black spruce seedlings. Ectomycorrhizae were produced by Cenococcum sp., Laccaria bicolor (Maire) Orton, Laccaria laccata var. moelleri Singer, Rhizopogon sp., and Suillus cavipes (Opat.) Smith & Thiers.

The role of gaps and tree regeneration in the transition from dense to open black spruce stands

2010 ◽  
Vol 259 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annick St-Denis ◽  
Daniel Kneeshaw ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Spruce Stands

Ten-year results of strip clear-cutting in Quebec black spruce stands

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pothier
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Harvesting Method ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
One Year ◽  
Cutting System

Regeneration of first-cut strips in a two-cut system of strip clear-cutting was compared to that of large clear-cutting in four different areas representative of the black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) stands of the boreal forest of Quebec. Seedlings were more evenly distributed in clearcut strips than in large clearcuts. Differences of about 10 000 black spruce seedlings per hectare and 20% of stocking were observed in favour of clearcut strips compared to large clearcuts. Black spruce stocking was about 14% larger on lowland than on upland sites but height growth was better on upland sites. A regeneration problem similar to that of large clearcuts was observed when the second strips were cut. One year after cutting these second strips, winter harvesting resulted in a 23% gain in black spruce stocking as compared to summer harvesting. Even if black spruce stocking marginally increased during the years following winter harvesting, the height advantage of the preserved advance growth justifies the application of this harvesting method. The strip clear-cutting system effectively improved the stocking of former black spruce stands but if the stocking level of advance growth is adequate, careful harvesting to preserve advance regeneration should be the preferred method since it would be more cost-efficient.

scholarly journals Boreal tree regeneration after fire and fuelwood harvesting in coastal Nunatsiavut

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-403
Author(s):  
Lucas Brehaut ◽  
Carissa D. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Forest Regeneration ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Seedling Regeneration ◽  
The People

Consecutive landscape-scale disturbances are known to influence boreal forest regeneration, yet few published data exist on the compounding effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on regeneration in subarctic forests. We conducted a dendroecological study of eastern coastal boreal forest regeneration two decades after fire at three subarctic forest stands that are important sources of fuelwood for the people of Nunatsiavut (Labrador, Canada). We quantified spruce (Picea spp.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) seedling regeneration, standing dead tree density, trees harvested within burned forests, and aged proximal unburned stands. Age of unburned forest varied with site; however, each exhibited continuous regeneration over several decades. Despite low seedling regeneration at each site (stems·m−2; less than 35% of pre-fire stem density), model results indicated harvesting post-fire did not impact seedling regeneration. Findings suggest a negative pressure on seedling abundance from increased presence of tall multi-stemmed shrubs, yet we argue that because stands exhibit a range in tree age, shrubs may be a set of early successional species rather than indicating a change in successional trajectory. Examination of a larger chronosequence within coastal forest stands of Nunatsiavut is warranted to further understand forest regeneration in the eastern subarctic under changing disturbance regimes.

Régénération des interbandes dans un système de coupe par bandes de peuplements d'épinette noire

1989 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Claude Ruel
Keyword(s):  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Moisture Regime ◽  
Spruce Stands

A study on the regeneration of leave strips in an alternate strip clearcutting system was conducted in black spruce stands (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) in Abitibi in northwestern Quebec. The study consists of 49 leave strips scheduled for harvesting and 24 adjacent first-cut strips. Winter harvesting gave the best results while a prescription aiming at preserving advance growth did not result in any gain. Site moisture regime and harvesting system had no effect on advance growth destruction. Regeneration on first-cut strips was not significantly affected by the cutting of the leave strip.

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