[email protected], Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec Canada
SPRUCING UP EASTERN CANADIAN MIXEDWOODS:Do white spruce
(Picea glauca) trees respond to partial cutting?Jessica Smith, candidate M.Sc. Biology
B.Harvey PhD, A.Koubaa PhD, S.Brais PhD
INTRODUCTION
Canadian Boreal Forest
Canadian Boreal Forest• 90% of forested land in Canada
British Columbia
Newfoundland
Quebec
1(Baldwin et al., 2012)
Canadian Boreal Forest
Canadian Boreal Forest• 90% of forested land in Canada
Province of Québec
Region: Abitibi–Témiscamingue 48°14'55.0"N 79°20'11.7"W
Boreal Mixedwood Forest
2
INTRODUCTION
Boreal Mixedwood Forest• Transitional phase of succession
• Shade intolerant broadleaf and shade tolerant conifers
white birch(Betula
papyrifera)
trembling aspen (Populus
tremuloides)
white spruce (Picea
glauca)
black spruce (Picea
mariana)
balsam fir(Abies
balsamea)
shade intolerant
shade tolerant
Licher Stone Lane Gardens Tigner Fewless Maine Forest Service
3
(Bergeron and Harvey, 1997)
INTRODUCTION
Boreal Mixedwood Forest• Mature aspen: suitable for harvest
• Pre-mature white spruce: has not reached maximum growth potential
white birch(Betula
papyrifera)
trembling aspen (Populus
tremuloides)
white spruce (Picea
glauca)
black spruce (Picea
mariana)
balsam fir(Abies
balsamea)
shade intolerant
shade tolerant
Licher Stone Lane Gardens Tigner Fewless Maine Forest Service
4
INTRODUCTION
Boreal Mixedwood Forest• Mature aspen: suitable for harvest
• Pre-mature white spruce: has not reached maximum growth potential
white birch(Betula
papyrifera)
trembling aspen (Populus
tremuloides)
white spruce (Picea
glauca)
black spruce (Picea
mariana)
balsam fir(Abies
balsamea)
shade intolerant
shade tolerant
Licher Stone Lane Gardens Tigner Fewless Maine Forest Service
4
INTRODUCTION
Why partial cutting?
Ecosystem based management• Diversify silvicultural strategies• Emulate natural succession
dynamics• Maintain residual stand with
complex structure and attributesIndustry• Residual trees show
accelerated radial and volume growth rates following “release”
• Larger stems 5
(Youngblood, 1991; Yang, 1991; Man and Greenway, 2004; Grover et al. 2014)
INTRODUCTION
Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi–Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada
Partial Cutting Treatments: 2002
Control0% harvested
50% aspen BA harvested
65% aspen BA harvested
100% aspen BA harvested
3% balsam fir1% black spruce
1% white birch
75% aspen
20% white spruce
Pre-treatment species distribution by basal area
Boreal Mixedwood Forest
6
STUDY SITE
Experimental Units
65%Control
42.65
46.91
40.32
50%
38.79
37.50
25.92
22.32
25.69
37.88
53%
52%
52%
34.40
44.19
26.20
16.82
41.30
23.4961%
74%
64%
100%
14.12
2
3
Initial BA
(m2·ha-1)Residual BA
Aspen removed
(m2·ha-1)51.08
93%
31.65
100%11.44
58.04
99%10.03
1
7
STUDY SITE
Evaluate radial and volume growth responses of residual white spruce trees, 10 years after the implementation of the partial cutting treatments
1. Post-treatment radial and volume growth rates will be higher in intermediate treatments (50% and 65%) than in the extreme treatment (100%)
2. Tree social status will influence post-treatment radial and volume growth rates, with dominant and co-dominant trees having superior growth rates to suppressed trees 8
OBJECTIVE
HYPOTHESES
Experimental Design
3
3
3
3
1
1
1 1
2 2 2
2
65%50%0%
100%Scale 1:10,000
4 treatments 3 replications
12 Experimental Units
2002
2 trees3 social status
6 Trees/ Experimental Unit
72 Trees
2012
9
METHODS
Sampling and Data Collection
1 (30 cm)
3
4
5
7
6
8
9
10
11
2 (130 cm)
10
(Chhin et al., 2010)
METHODS
Annual Ring Width MeasurementsWin Dendro (Regent Instruments)
• annual radial growth rate (mm·year-1)
• 3 radii per disk• 5 years pre-treatment• 10 years post-treatment
Stem AnalysisWin Stem (Regent Instruments)
• annual volume growth rate (dm3·year-1)
11
METHODS
Statistical AnalysisLinear mixed effect
modelResponse Variable Explanatory Variables
1. Annual Radial Growth at 1.3 m (mm·year-1)
2. Annual Volume Growth (dm3·year-1)
Fixed effects
treatment intensity
social status
time
time2
mean growth rate 5 years pre-treatment
treatment intensity : time
treatment intensity : time2
social status : time
social status : time2
Random effects
experimental unit
tree number12
METHODS
Annual Radial Growth 1.3 m A) Suppressed B) Co-dominant C) Dominant
13
RESULTS
Annual Radial Growth 1.3 m
In the 100% aspen removal treatment, average annual radial growth rates at 1.3m were:
23.5% higher for dominant trees67.7% higher for co-dominant trees154.3% higher for suppressed trees
as compared to the control treatment over the 10 year post-treatment period
A) Suppressed B) Co-dominant C) Dominant
13
RESULTS
Annual Radial Growth 1.3 m
C) 65% Aspen BA removal D) 100% Aspen BA removal
A) Control B) 50% Aspen BA removal
14
RESULTS
Annual Volume GrowthA) Suppressed B) Co-dominant C) Dominant
15
RESULTS
Annual Volume Growth
In the 100% aspen removal treatment, average annual volume growth rates were:
7.2% higher for dominant trees24.1% higher for co-dominant trees65.6% higher for suppressed trees
as compared to the control treatment over the 10 year post-treatment period
A) Suppressed B) Co-dominant C) Dominant
15
RESULTS
Annual Volume Growth
C) 65% Aspen BA removal D) 100% Aspen BA removal
A) Control B) 50% Aspen BA removal
16
RESULTS
1. Post-treatment radial and volume growth rates will be higher in intermediate treatments (50% and 65%) than in the extreme treatment (100%)
2. Tree social status will influence post-treatment radial and volume growth rates, with dominant and co-dominant trees having superior growth rates to suppressed trees
Validating Hypotheses
17
RESULTS
1. Post-treatment radial and volume growth rates will be higher in intermediate treatments (50% and 65%) than in the extreme treatment (100%)
2. Tree social status will influence post-treatment radial and volume growth rates, with dominant and co-dominant trees having superior growth rates to suppressed trees
Validating Hypotheses
17
RESULTS
2. Tree social status will influence post-treatment radial and volume growth rates, with dominant and co-dominant trees having superior growth rates to suppressed trees
1. Post-treatment radial and volume growth rates were higher in 100% aspen removal treatment
Validating Hypotheses
17
RESULTS
2. Tree social status will influence post-treatment radial and volume growth rates, with dominant and co-dominant trees having superior growth rates to suppressed trees
1. Post-treatment radial and volume growth rates were higher in 100% aspen removal treatment
Validating Hypotheses
√
17
RESULTS
1. Effect of partial cutting in 100% aspen removal treatment
Annual Radial and Volume Growth
2. Treatment effect changes through time following a quadratic form
• Radial Growth: peaking 6 years post-treatment
• Volume Growth: plateau for suppressed and co-dominant trees, continuing linearly for dominant trees
4. Dominant and co-dominant trees superior to suppressed trees
3. Treatment effect across time is the same for all social statuses
18
5. Relative growth increases greatest for suppressed trees, least for dominant trees, and intermediary for co-dominant trees
CONCLUSIONS
2. Monitor regeneration and mortality
1. Remove high proportion of dominant, shade intolerant broadleaf species
SaviojaSchreiber 19
RECOMMENDATIONS
Fewless, Gary. http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/gymnosperms/picmar01.htmLicher, Max. http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3892Maine Forest Service. https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/archive/balsamfirtipblight.htmSavioja,Jouko.http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/appearance-of-dry-dead-trees-alarms-residents-1.1253376Stone Lane Gardens. http://stonelanegardens.com/shop/betula-papyrifera-paper-birch-or-canoe-birch/Tigner, Daniel. Canadian Forest Tree Essences. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/ClimateChange/2 ColumnSubPage/267351.html
Photos
Arun Bose, Marc Mazerolle,Manuella Strukelj,Igor Drobyshev, Suzie Rollin,Fred Coulombe, Field Crew
ReferencesBaldwin et al. Canadian Regional Team of the Circumboreal Vegetation Map Project. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre (2012). Bergeron Y, Harvey B. Basing silviculture on natural ecosystem dynamics: an approach applied to the southern boreal mixedwood forest of Quebec. Forest Ecology and Management (1997) 92:235-242Chhin S et al. Growth–climate relationships vary with height along the stem in lodgepole pine. Tree physiology (2010) 30:335-345Grover et al. White spruce understory protection: From planning to growth and yield. The Forestry Chronicle (2014) 90:38-43. Man R, Greenway KJ. Meta-analysis of understory white spruce response to release from overstory aspen. The Forestry Chronicle (2004) 80:694-704. Yang R. Growth of white spruce following release from aspen competition: 35 year results. The Forestry Chronicle (1991) 67:706-711. Youngblood AP. Radial growth after a shelterwood seed cut in a mature stand of white spruce in interior Alaska. Canadian Journal of Forest Research (1991) 21:410-413
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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