Regeneration and growth of white spruce and alpine fir in the interior of British Columbia

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-343
Author(s):  
S. Eis ◽  
D. Craigdallie

Survival and height growth of planted white spruce, Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss, and alpine fir, Abieslasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt., seedlings, the growth of competing shrubs, and height, diameter, and volume growth of spruce and fir up to about 130 years of age were studied on Alluvial and Aralia sites in the central interior of British Columbia to assess the suitability of alpine fir for restocking the sites where shrub competition causes heavy seedling mortality of spruce. Alpine fir regenerated successfully under heavy shrub competition where spruce generally failed, and its growth up to almost 100 years was better than that of spruce. Spruce maintained its growth longer. Spruce should be favored where its regeneration can be assured. Where shrubs prevent regeneration of spruce, however, alpine fir may provide a viable and even economically justifiable alternative.

1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Alm

Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) styrob-lock and paperpot and 3-0 and 2-2 seedlings were planted spring and fall. After four seasons of growth the container seedlings had survival and height growth as good or better than the nursery seedlings. There were no differences in performance between the two container systems. The 2-2 stock generally had better survival than the 3-0 stock. Survival of fall-planted stock was equal to or better than that of the spring-planted stock. Key words: white spruce, black spruce, styroplugs, paper pots, seedlings, transplants, artificial regeneration, fall vs spring planting


1990 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1378-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Youngblood

Seedling damage during overstory removal was compared among different yarding methods; almost three times more mortality was associated with rubber-tired ground skidding than with skyline cable yarding. Seedlings ranging in height from 0.4 to 1.0 m generally received less damage or had lower mortality rates from cable yarding than did shorter or taller seedlings. Snowpack disturbance and percentage of seedling mortality were positively correlated. Results suggested that with attention to seedling height growth and yarding method, the shelterwood regeneration system is a viable option for white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) stand regeneration in interior Alaska.


1982 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 567-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Eis ◽  
D. Craigdallie ◽  
C. Simmons

Height, diameter, volume growth, crown width, and stocking of lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Dougl.) and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) were studied on the three most common forest sites in the central interior of British Columbia, to estimate their potential growth and their suitability for pure or mixed stands in managed second-growth forests established by planting. Spruce only should be planted on moist to wet Alluvium sites; both species appear to be equally suitable on moist Aralia sites, and pine only should be planted on dry to moist Cornus–Moss sites. In mixed forest, suppressed spruce will have little volume at the time of pine harvest. In general, managed, fully stocked second-growth forests should produce greater volume per hectare than the present natural, unmanaged forests.


2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thompson K. Nunifu

In this study, compatible height and diameter increment models were fitted for lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm.), trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.), and white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), using the relationship between diameter and height growth. It was assumed that tree diameter increment is directly proportional to height increment, and the proportionality constant is a function of competition and site productivity. The results showed that the fit statistics are comparable with results of other studies, with adjusted R2 ranging from 30% to 50%. A validation test of the models, using independent permanent sample plots data, showed that the short-term predictions of the models for both pure and mixedwood stands are fairly unbiased. The models also gave reasonable average height growth and diameter growth trajectories for pure stands of the three species and also projected long-term mixedwood (aspen – white spruce mixture) volume growth dynamics reasonably well. The models also projected reasonably well (i) the effect of increasing initial stem density on average diameter and height, and (ii) the stand volume compared with an older version the Mixedwood Growth Model (ver. 2000A). It was concluded that explicitly linking tree height and diameter increment models does not only have a solid ecological basis, but it also results in a compatible prediction of tree growth and stand dynamics.


1991 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 706-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Yang

Release of white spruce from aspen competition improved spruce diameter at breast height (dbh), height and volume growth in the 35-year period following aspen removal. Overall, release improved spruce periodic growth by 41% in diameter, 38% in height and 82% in volume over the control for sample trees ranging from 5 to 65 years of age.Responses varied with site and age classes. Improved periodic dbh and height growth occurred in trees released throughout three age classes on good sites and in trees released at 26 to 45 years of age on medium sites.


1968 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
B. S. P. Wang ◽  
K. W. Horton

Experimental underplanting of 2-0, 3-0 and 2-2 white pine and white spruce stock was carried out on scarified strips in two low-grade hardwood stands in central Ontario to find the relative suitability for stand conversion. Three-year results show that site preparation is a key to successful survival and height growth. Comparisons of costs per "surviving inch of height growth" indicate that 3-0 stock is superior to the 2-2 and 2-0, that white pine is somewhat better than white spruce, and that the survival and, growth were better beneath the tolerant than beneath the intolerant hardwoods.


1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 164-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Pipas ◽  
Gary W. Witmer

Abstract A 2 yr study on the Rogue River and Mt. Hood National Forests in Oregon evaluated physical barriers for protection of Pinus ponderosa seedlings against damage by Thomomys talpoides. Seedlings protected with one of three weights of: (1) plastic mesh tubing (Vexar®) or (2) sandpapertubing (Durite®) were evaluated against control seedlings. On the Rogue River sites, Vexar® seedlings had the highest survival (62.6%), followed by the controls (59.1%), then Durite® seedlings (17.9%). Gophers were the primary cause of death for the Vexar® seedlings, versus desiccation for the Durite® seedlings. On the Mt. Hood sites, heavyweight Vexar® seedlings had the highest survival (35.4%), medium-weight Durite® seedlings the lowest (2.7%). Seedling mortality caused by gophers was highest for controls (70.2%), followed by light-weight (62.2%) and heavy-weight (53.9%) Vexar® treatments. Overall survival was low (Rogue River = 42%, Mt. Hood = 19.8%). Growth was greatest for the control seedlings but only significantly greater than growth of Durite® seedlings on the Rogue River sites. Growth of seedlings was not compromised by the Vexar® tubing. Although neither type of tubing was highly protective, Vexar® tubes performed better than Durite® tubes. West. J. Appl. For. 14(3):164-168.


1988 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 252-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen G. Dicke ◽  
John R. Toliver

Abstract Crown thinning a 63-year-old stand of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum [L.] Rich.) averaging 220 ft²/ac of basal area to 180, 140, and 100 ft²/ac resulted in 5-year diameter growths of 0.44, 0.51, and 0.77 in., respectively. The unthinned control was significantly less at 0.31 in. Six-year height growth averaged 3.1 ft and was not influenced by treatment. Thinning to 140 and 100 ft²/ac stimulated epicormic branching on many trees, which may lower log quality. All crown thinning treatments appeared to increase sawtimber volume increment and sawtimber volume/ac over the control 5 years after thinning. South. J. Appl. For. 12(4):252-256.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola A. Kokkonen ◽  
S. Ellen Macdonald ◽  
Ian Curran ◽  
Simon M. Landhäusser ◽  
Victor J. Lieffers

Given a seed source, the quality of available substrates is a key factor in determining the success of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) natural regeneration. We examined the influence of substrate and competing vegetation on survival and growth of natural regeneration of white spruce up to 4 years following harvesting in deciduous-dominated upland boreal mixedwood sites. Feather moss, thick soil surface organic layers, litter, and solid wood were poor substrates for establishment. Early successional mosses establishing on mineral soil, thin organics, and rotten wood were generally favourable microsites but were not highly available on postharvest sites. Mineral soil substrates were not as suitable as expected, likely because on a postlogged site, they are associated with unfavourable environmental characteristics (e.g., low nutrient availability, exposure). There was some evidence that survival and growth of seedlings were improved by surrounding vegetation in the first years, but heavy competing vegetation had a negative impact on older seedlings. Burial by aspen litter greatly increased seedling mortality, especially when combined with a brief period of submergence due to heavy spring snowmelt. The results provide insight into conditions under which natural regeneration could be an option for establishing white spruce following harvesting of deciduous-dominated boreal mixedwood forests.


1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 909-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. S. Park ◽  
D. P. Fowler ◽  
J. F. Coles

Natural inbreeding and relatedness among neighboring trees were studied in several central New Brunswick populations of white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss). Coefficients of relationship (r) were estimated by comparing the self-, neighbor-, open-, and unrelated-pollination effects on percent full seed. The estimates were 0.29 and 0.28 for neighbor and open pollinations, respectively. The effects of natural inbreeding on juvenile traits, e.g., germination and early growth, were slight while the effect on height growth increased with age at least to age 7 years. Neighboring white spruce trees growing in natural stands appear to be related at about the half-sib level (r = 0.25). Based on percent full seed, open-pollination approximates a level of inbreeding expected from trees related at a level well above that of half-sibs. Differential selection at the pre-embryo to early seedling stages results in progenies again related at the half-sib level. It is suggested that an inbreeding equilibrium exists in natural stands of white spruce and that this equilibrium approximates that expected from half-sib matings (F = 0.125). The inbreeding equilibrium is controlled, at least in part, by the frequency of lethal genes in the populations.


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