Economics of Thinning and Pruning – A Case Study

1978 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Dobie ◽  
D. M. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Grain Structure ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Mixed Stand ◽  
Tree Growth Rate ◽  
Treated Plot

This case study, conducted 20 years after thinning and pruning in a 33-year-old mixed stand of 86% Douglas-fir and 14% western hemlock, showed that the effect of thinning was to reduce mortality when compared with a control. Thinning increased merchantable volume by 88% compared with 44% in the control, although there was no difference in tree growth rate between the two plots.Associated with pruning, however, were severe grain distortions and very brittle grain structure of wood around pruning stubs, which resulted in poor lumber and veneer quality compared with product quality from the control.Indications are that total stand revenue would have been higher had the treated plot remained untreated, but would have been highest had it been thinned only and not pruned.

Effect of growth rate on the natural durability of Douglas-fir in western Europe

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 891-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Pollet ◽  
J.M. Henin ◽  
J. Hébert ◽  
B. Jourez
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Natural Durability ◽  
Mass Losses ◽  
Poria Placenta ◽  
Recent Species ◽  
Tree Growth Rate ◽  
European Forest

Douglas-fir is a relatively recent species in the central European forest landscape. It is not clear how its natural durability is influenced by silviculture. We therefore investigated how the natural durability of the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) varies according to tree growth rate; subsequently, the influence of the nature of the wood (juvenile or mature) and radial position was also analyzed. For this purposes, a total of 60 trees grown in Wallonia (Southern Belgium) was felled: these consisted of 6 trees in each of 10 stands where the average tree girth was approximately 150 cm. Since the age of these plantations ranged from 40 to 69 years, the radial tree growth rate ranged between approximately 3 and 7 mm. In all the trees, standardized heartwood test specimens were taken from different radial positions in the butt log. The mass losses caused by the fungi Poria placenta and Coniophora puteana were assessed according to CEN/TS 15083-1 (2005). Poria placenta exhibited a higher decaying efficiency than C. puteana, leading to classify Douglas-fir wood as slightly durable (class 4). No difference was observed between the durability against P. placenta of juvenile and mature wood. Similarly, growth rate seemed to have no direct impact on durability. Durability was, however, significantly correlated with wood density. The effect of site and tree on the natural durability of the wood was also examined.

scholarly journals Impact of Tree Growth Rate on the Mechanical Properties of Douglas Fir Lumber in Belgium

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marc Henin ◽  
Caroline Pollet ◽  
Benoit Jourez ◽  
Jacques Hébert
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Tree Growth Rate

Tree size and growth history predict breeding densities of Douglas-fir beetles in fallen trees

2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 697-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.L. Reid ◽  
S.S. Glubish
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Growth Increment ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Dendroctonus Pseudotsugae ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Tree Growth Rate ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Tree Characteristics

AbstractFor bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) breeding in fallen trees, the tree characteristics that are associated with higher breeding densities are poorly known. The breeding densities of Douglas-fir beetles, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, in freshly felled Douglas-fir, Pseudotsugae menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, were examined with respect to tree diameter, phloem thickness, and several measures of tree growth rate over the past year to 10 years prior to tree death. Trees were felled in 8 decks of 3–12 trees to provide a range of tree qualities in a given location. Stepwise regression revealed that of the tree characteristics measured, only diameter was needed to explain the density of beetle attacks on trees within decks. Because diameter, phloem thickness, and growth-increment measures were all highly correlated, attack density also increased with phloem thickness and growth rate prior to felling when these measures were analyzed individually. The apparent preference for larger trees with thicker phloem is consistent with published results for live trees, but the positive effect of tree growth rate prior to death is contrary to results for beetles attacking live trees. Thus, assessments of stand susceptibility to bark beetles based on tree growth rate may differ depending on whether beetles are initially breeding in live or dead trees.

Disentangling the role of competition, light interception, and functional traits in tree growth rate variation in South Asian tropical moist forests

2021 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
pp. 118908
Author(s):  
Mizanur Rahman ◽  
Masum Billah ◽  
Md Obydur Rahman ◽  
Debit Datta ◽  
Muhammad Ahsanuzzaman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Light Interception ◽  
Rate Variation ◽  
Tree Growth Rate

Comparing productivity of pure and mixed Douglas-fir and western hemlock plantations in the Pacific Northwest

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1484-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
M M Amoroso ◽  
E C Turnblom
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Mixed Stand ◽  
Mixed Stands ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Increase In Productivity

We studied pure and 50/50 mixtures of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) plantations to compare attained total yields between mixed-species stands as opposed to monocultures of equal densities. Whether overall stand density influences this outcome has not been adequately investigated, and to address this we included three density levels (494, 1111, and 1729 trees/ha) in the analysis. At age 12, as components of the mixed stands, Douglas-fir exhibited greater height, diameter, and individual-tree volume than western hemlock at all densities. At 494 and 1111 trees/ha the monocultures had a higher volume per hectare than the mixed stand, but at 1729 trees/ha the mixed stand appeared to be just as productive as the pure stands. The increase in productivity by the mixture at high densities seems to have resulted from the partial stratification observed and most likely also from better use of the site resources. Because of this, less interspecific competition was probably experienced in the mixed stand than intraspecific competition in the pure stands. This study shows the important role density plays in the productivity of mixed stands and thus in comparing mixed and pure stands.

Five-year growth responses of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar seedlings to manipulated levels of overstory and understory competition

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 2439-2453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy B Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Volume Index ◽  
Stem Volume ◽  
Western Redcedar ◽  
Foliar Nitrogen ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Vegetation Control

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) seedlings were planted in March 2001 within three clearcut-harvested, shelterwood, or thinned stands of mature Douglas-fir near Olympia, Washington. From 2002 to 2005, areas of vegetation control of 0, 4.5, or 9 m2 were maintained with herbicides around a total 162 seedlings per species. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was 34%, 62%, and 100% of full sunlight in thinned stands, shelterwoods, and clearcuts, respectively. Effects of overstory level and vegetation control on seedling growth and resource availability generally were additive. Seedling stem volume index in clearcuts averaged four to eight times that observed in thinned stands, and with vegetation control, it averaged two to four times that observed without it. In thinned stands, relative growth rate of seedling stem volume index had a positive linear relationship with PAR (R2 = 0.38). Foliar nitrogen content of Douglas-fir explained 71% of the variation in relative growth rate. Factors explaining the most variation in foliar nitrogen content differed between thinned stands (PAR, R2 = 0.34) and clearcuts or shelterwoods (midday water potential, R2 = 0.63), suggesting that light and root competition, respectively, were the primary growth-limiting factors for these overstory levels.

Effects of thinning on water stress and growth in Douglas-fir

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilbert Aussenac ◽  
André Granier
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Water Reserve ◽  
Growth Increase ◽  
Northeastern France

The effects of a systematic thinning (alternate row) on water stress and growth in a 19-year-old Douglas-fir plantation (Pseudotsugamenziesii var. menziesii Franco) was studied during 5 years in northeastern France. Thinning has an important effect on water balance. The increase of the soil water reserve led to a lower duration and level of water stress in the thinned plot, especially during the first 3 years after thinning. This study revealed a rapid evolution of the water balance, since the evapotranspiration ratio of the two plots (control and thinned) had increased from 0.83 during the 1st year to 1.03 during the 5th year after thinning. Together with microclimate influences, thinning increased tree growth substantially (more than 100%); this growth increase resulted from a higher growth rate and longer growth periods (from 26 to 49 days).

Effects of enhanced tree growth rate on the decay capacities of three saprotrophic wood-fungi

2006 ◽  
Vol 232 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 12-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Edman ◽  
Rebecca Möller ◽  
Lars Ericson
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Tree Growth Rate

Intra-Ring and Inter-Ring Variations of Tracheid Length in Fast-Grown Versus Slow-Grown Norway Spruces (Picea Abies)

IAWA Journal ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Herman ◽  
Pierre Dutilleul ◽  
Tomas Avella-Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Picea Abies ◽  
Frequency Distribution ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Fast Growth ◽  
Tracheid Length ◽  
Tree Growth Rate ◽  
The Mean

Our study was conducted on 40 Norway spruces [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] from a stand located in the Belgian Ardennes. Twenty trees were randomly sampled from a slow-growth category, and twenty others from a fast -growth category. The hypothesis under testing is fourfold: increased tree growth rate may affect 1) the intra-ring weighted frequency distribution of tracheid length, 2) the inter-ring variation (from pith to bark) of the parameters describing this frequency distribution, 3) the interring variation of the mean tracheid length, and 4) the correlation between yearly mean tracheid length and yearly ring width.

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