Residual Densities Affect Growth of Overstory Trees and Planted Douglas-Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Redcedar: Results from the First Decade

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Chandler Brodie ◽  
Dean S. DeBell
Keyword(s):  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Western Redcedar ◽  
Overstory Trees

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.

Influences of spacing on radial growth and percentage latewood of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Harry G. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Wood Quality ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Western Redcedar ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Good Site ◽  
Binocular Microscope ◽  
Reduced Costs ◽  
Ray Methods

Growth in ring width and percentage latewood on a very good site is described for 21-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), 20-year-old western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and western redcedar (Thujaplicata Donn) planted at five spacings (0.91 to 4.57 m). Cores extracted at breast height are used to show the effects of spacing through growth rate and crown development, and of age through number of rings from pith for the years 1965 to 1976. Percentages of latewood measured by binocular microscope are compared with results obtainable by X-ray methods for analysis of ring widths and densities. Influences of spacing on wood quality are discussed. It is concluded that wide initial spacings increase ring width and decrease percentage latewood significantly, but the reduced costs and increased sizes at wide spacings provide more than adequate compensation for the moderate reduction in wood quality.

Ionic balance and organic acids in western redcedar, western hemlock, and Douglas-fir seedlings grown in low- and high-N soils

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 669-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
J E Graff, Jr. ◽  
R K Hermann ◽  
J B Zaerr
Keyword(s):  
Organic Acids ◽  
Quinic Acid ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Thuja Plicata ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Ionic Balance ◽  
Total N ◽  
Western Redcedar

Seedlings of western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex. D. Don), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were transplanted into soils with low and high levels of available NO3-(and total N). Current-year foliage was sampled after 10 weeks to determine the effect of N availability on foliar cation-anion balance (C-A) and the concentrations of low molecular weight organic acids of the three species. Carboxylate concentrations were estimated by using the difference between sums of cations and anions (C-A): 750 mequiv.·kg-1for western redcedar, 351 mequiv.·kg-1for western hemlock, and 266 mequiv.·kg-1for Douglas-fir. Quinic acid was a primary constituent, accounting for 40% of the total for western redcedar and 75% for western hemlock and Douglas-fir. Oxalic acid was present in greatest concentration in the foliage of western redcedar (65 mequiv.·kg-1) but was a minor constituent in western hemlock and Douglas-fir. The quantified acids accounted for only 15% of the C-A of western redcedar but >80% of the C-A of western hemlock and Douglas-fir. A considerable portion of the C-A balance not accounted for in redcedar may be associated with the accumulation of CaCO3. Litterfall deposition of CaCO3may lead to the consumption of H+ions and enrichment of exchangeable soil Ca in the rooting zone of long-lived western redcedar trees. No statistically significant differences among the soils were detected with regard to C-A or the concentration of organic acids.

Influence of millipedes on litter decomposition, N mineralization, and microbial communities in a coastal forest in British Columbia, Canada

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 817-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
H A Cárcamo ◽  
T A Abe ◽  
C E Prescott ◽  
F B Holl ◽  
C P Chanway
Keyword(s):  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
N Mineralization ◽  
Sitka Spruce ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Thuja Plicata ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
Western Redcedar ◽  
Litter Consumption

Laboratory experiments were conducted with the millipede Harpaphe haydeniana haydeniana Wood (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) to determine (i) its litter feeding preferences, (ii) rates of leaf litter consumption, (iii) feeding effects on available nitrogen, and (iv) functional microbial diversity. The millipede exhibited a preference for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and, to a lesser extent, Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière) litter compared with western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) litter when given a choice. When only one litter type was provided, millipedes consumed considerably more western redcedar than Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, or western hemlock. Among the six broadleaf species tested, paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh), vine maple (Acer circinatum Pursh), and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) were consumed at much higher rates than swordfern (Polystichum munitum (Kaulf.) Presl.) or salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh). Daily rates of conifer litter consumption ranged between 10 and 20% of the millipede's fresh biomass and may translate to 36% of the annual litter fall. Our results suggest that transformation of conifer litter into millipede frass can increase rates of litter decomposition and N mineralization, as well as influence microbial activity and diversity in coastal forests.

Underplanted conifer seedling survival and growth in thinned Douglas-fir stands

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J Brandeis ◽  
Michael Newton ◽  
Elizabeth C Cole
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Understory Vegetation ◽  
Western Hemlock ◽  
Thuja Plicata ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Western Redcedar ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Conifer Seedling

In a multilevel study to determine limits to underplanted conifer seedling growth, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl.), western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedlings were planted beneath second-growth Douglas-fir stands that had been thinned to basal areas ranging from 16 to 31 m2/ha. Understory vegetation was treated with a broadcast herbicide application prior to thinning, a directed release herbicide application 2 years later, or no treatment beyond harvest disturbance. Residual overstory density was negatively correlated with percent survival for all four species. Broadcast herbicide application improved survival of grand fir and western hemlock. Western redcedar, grand fir, and western hemlock stem volumes were inversely related to overstory tree density, and this effect increased over time. There was a strong indication that this was also the case for Douglas-fir. Reduction of competing understory vegetation resulted in larger fourth-year stem volumes in grand fir and western hemlock.

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