热带薪材林经营技术的研究

根据多年对热带薪材林经营管理及林分采伐更新等的研究，总结了一整套经营技术，包括抹芽定株（保留２～３株／桩萌条）、追肥（复合肥３００ｇ／株）、采收更新的轮伐期（一般４ａ左右，超短轮伐期１．５～２ａ，桉树类与相思类树种的混交林约３年采收相思类树种）、采伐方式（短轮伐期薪材林皆伐、乔薪结合择伐或间伐）、采伐季节（避开雨季，最好时期为冬季，其次为夏季）、伐桩高度（桉树类约１０ｃｍ、相思类约６０ｃｍ高）以及其它与更新相关的林龄、桩径、树种等技术问题。     

四川盆地薪材树种选择及栽培技术研究

在四川盆地通过引进国内外薪材树种和选择乡土薪材树种,进行栽植密度、始伐年龄、轮伐期等试验研究,结果表明:从引进的8个新材树种中,选择出任豆为适宜生长的树种,新银合欢、黑荆、荆为为适宜部分地区生长的树种;从13个乡土薪材树(草)种中筛选出桤木、刺槐、麻栎、栓皮栎、马桑、卵花甜茅等为比较优良的薪材树(草)种。桤木、刺槐、马桑等薪炭林的合理造林密度为10000株(丛)/ha;麻栎、栓皮栎为6000～7000株(丛)/ha;印花甜茅以行距1m为宜。桤木、刺槐、麻栎、栓皮栎等薪炭林,始伐年龄不超过5年,轮供期3～6年;马桑薪炭林始伐年龄为3～4年,轮伐期2～3年、印花甜茅栽植1年后平茬,以后每年采收。合理的造林密度、始伐年龄、轮伐期,能使选择的几个树种提高生物产量1.0～2.5倍。     

桤木薪炭林研究

通过对桤木薪材特性及薪炭林栽培经营技术的研究,结果表明,桤木前期生长快,尤以萌生林为显著,4年生高达5.93m,单株地上部分生物量9.32kg,平茬后单株萌条数多为6～8株,干、枝、叶的热值均在4000kcal/kg以上,是一优良薪材树种;适宜桤木薪炭林的造林密度为10000株/ha,造林后第3年即可首次平茬,轮伐期4年,在一个轮伐期内可获薪材17.758t/ha·a,桤木薪炭林宜采用矮林平茬作业。     

热带薪材树种萌芽更新的研究

对15个热带薪材树种进行萌芽更新研究的结果表明,刚果12号桉、雷林1号桉、斑皮桉、细叶桉、伞房花桉、柠檬桉、托里桉、马占相思和大叶相思萌芽更新效果好。伐桩萌芽率达95—100%,伐后3年存活率在75%以上;萌条生长迅速,年平均径、高生长分别为1.43—2.10厘米和2.04—3.10米;萌芽林生物产量高,地上部分(不含伐桩)年均鲜重12.17—107.24吨/公顷。适于以矮林作业方式经营其薪材林。     

不同轮伐期和重复采收对大叶相思萌芽更新和林分产量的影响*

不同轮伐期和不同林分密度以及不同轮伐期组合和重复采收对大叶相思萌芽更新和林分产量影响的研究结果表明：①轮伐期对伐桩的萌芽力没有显著影响，但对萌芽林的生长有显著或极显著影响；林分密度对伐桩萌芽力和萌芽林生长均无显著影响。林分的材积和生物量总产量（种植后８ａ）随轮伐期的延长而减少。研究证明，大叶相思实生林萌芽更新的首采轮伐期以４ａ为最佳。②矮林作业能在一定程度上使大叶相思幼态化。在种植后５～６ａ内对这一树种进行第二次采伐的更新效果与第一次采伐的更新效果之间没有显著差异。对于以９ａ为一个经营期来说，以萌芽更新方式经营２代与３代其更新效果和林分总产量相当。为减少营林成本提高经济效益，建议经营两代即可，轮伐期组合以４＋５为最佳。     

短轮伐期刚果12号桉的萌芽更新

对伐期龄5年的刚果12号桉采伐迹地萌芽更新调查结果表明：该树种具有旺盛的萌芽能力，且生长迅速。其伐桩萌发比、桩均株数及有效株平均树高、平均胸径1年生为97．2％、4．3株、2．7m和1.6cm；2年生为95．6％、2．4株、5．6m和4．4cm．显示了萌芽更新作为短轮伐期刚果12号按工业原料林的主伐更新具有高度的适用性。     

元谋干热河谷区薪炭林造林树种及模式研究

在对元谋小横山试验林多年跟踪调查研究的基础上,通过对19个参试树种生长量、生物量和热能产值的测定,筛选元谋干热河谷区适宜的薪材树种。同时,比较撩壕、大塘和牛犁沟3种整地方式、不同定植时间、不同定植密度等因素对造林后幼树生长的影响。结果表明,赤桉、银合欢、苏门答腊金合欢、念珠相思、山毛豆等5个树种为元谋干热河谷区适宜的薪材树种,其造林3年后,林木的生物量(气干材)达9.0 t/hm2以上(年平均3.0 t/hm2),其中薪材7.65 t/hm2。最适造林模式为:(1)撩壕整地;(2)造林密度:桉树类5 000株/hm2,银合欢、苏门答腊金合欢、念珠相思、山毛豆等10 000株/hm2;(3)定植季节是夏至到大暑节令之间。     

华南贫瘠丘陵短轮伐期能源、用材林培育技术研究

在水土流失严重的丘陵地，对尾叶按、刚果１２号按、雷林１号按、大叶相思和马占相思等树种的短轮伐期能源、用材林培育技术进行了８年研究。结果表明，在贫瘠立地培育短轮伐期能源、用材林，必须采取集约经营措施，即通过细致整地（坡地带垦，平原台地全垦）、适当施肥（按属树种以Ｎ肥为主，Ｐ、Ｋ肥为辅；相思类树种以Ｐ肥为主，辅以Ｎ、Ｋ肥）、合理密植（经营超短轮伐期能源林，宜采用０．５ｍ×１ｍ密度，轮伐期为２～３年；短轮伐期能源、用材林一般用１ｍ×１ｍ～１ｍ×２ｍ的株行距造林，轮伐期为４～５年；经营短轮伐期用材林，采用１．５ｍ×３ｍ株行距效果较好，植后６～７年采收，以及间种等措施，才能获得速生、高产和短轮伐效果。     

以芳香油和薪材为最终产品的桉树幼林地上部分生物量研究*

在2年生的桉树引种试验林内,对蓝桉和新引种的5种其他桉树的地上部分生物量进行了测定。研究发现,当轮伐期为2年时,不同桉树的芳香油和薪材收获量差异显著,而同一树种的芳香油和薪材产量在不同造林密度之间无显著差异。史密斯桉和贝克桉的芳香油和桉树脑含量均高于蓝桉,是生产桉树芳香油和薪材的优良树种,在我国亚热带地区有进一步试验和推广的价值。     

短轮伐期细叶桉人工林的生长研究

细叶桉为早期速生薪材和用材树种,3年生为林分材积和生物量连年和平均生长高峰期,4年后生长变缓。经营薪材林轮伐期以4年为宜,作用材林时轮伐期以7或8年为好。作用材林8年生时林分年平均纯利为3226.5元/hm~2。细叶桉具有适应性强和萌芽再生能力旺盛等特点,是优良的短轮伐期薪材和用材树种之一。     

Growth of Phlebiopsis gigantea in wood of seven conifer species

Heterobasidion parviporum and Heterobasidion annosum are widely distributed root‐rot fungi that infect conifers throughout Europe. Infection of conifer stumps by spores of these pathogens can be controlled by treating fresh stumps with a competing non‐pathogenic fungus, Phlebiopsis gigantea. In this study, growth of three Latvian strains of P. gigantea and the biological control agent ‘Rotstop’ strain was evaluated in stem pieces of Norway spruce, Scots pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas‐fir, Weymouth pine, Siberian larch and Sitka spruce. The growth rates of one H. parviporum and one H. annosum isolate were also measured in the same stem pieces. The growth rate of P. gigantea varied greatly in wood of different conifer species. It was higher in the three pine species, lower in Norway spruce and lowest in Sitka spruce and Siberian larch, and in Douglas‐fir, this fungus did not grow. The largest area of wood occupied by P. gigantea was in lodgepole pine. Growth of Latvian isolates of P. gigantea in the wood of Pinus and Picea species was comparable to that of the Rotstop isolate. Consequently, stump treatment with local P. gigantea isolates should be recommended. However, our results suggest that Douglas‐fir stump treatment against Heterobasidion by P. gigantea may be ineffective and other stump treatment methods should be considered.     

Growth of Mixed Birch-Coniferous Stands in Relation to Pure Coniferous Stands at Similar Sites in South-eastern Norway

Mean age, mean and top heights and yield were studied in 20 mixed stands of birch ( Betula pubescens Ehrh. and B. pendula Roth) and Picea abies (L.) Karst. and nine mixed stands of birch and Pinus sylvestris L. in south-eastern Norway. Each mixed stand and the adjacent pure coniferous stand (control) were growing under the same site conditions and had not been commercially thinned. There were no significant differences in mean age at breast height or in top heights between birch and conifers in the mixed stands, while mean height was significantly higher for birch than for spruce. A growth index was calculated based on total volume and age at breast height. For the spruce sites the growth in young mixed stands (birch < 17 m) was superior to that of pure spruce, while the difference was insignificant in older stands. The growth index correlated positively with the ratio between generatively and vegetatively regenerated birch trees, and negatively with the age of the oldest species in the mixture and with site quality. For the pine sites there was no significant difference in the growth index between mixed birch-pine and pure pine stands. A mixture effect of birch on the volume yield of spruce or pine could not be demonstrated.     

Defoliation by the Needle-shortening Pine Gall Midge,Thecodiplosis brachyntera,on Pines in Central Sweden

An outbreak of the needle-shortening pine gall midge, Thecodiplosis brachyntera , occurred on Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris (L.) and lodgepole pine, P. contorta (Dougl.) in central Sweden during 1995-1998. The larval feeding of T. brachyntera kills current-year needles and heavy infestation causes severe defoliation. A pattern of fluctuating defoliation among years and sites was found on both pine species. Defoliation was evenly distributed in the crown of P. sylvestris during years of high as well as low infestation; apical whorls had as much defoliation as basal whorls. In P. contorta , however, there was a tendency for defoliation to be concentrated on branches in the most apical whorls. Growth ring increments on P. sylvestris with high levels of defoliation (71%) did not differ from trees with moderate levels (26%) of defoliation. Shoot lengths were significantly shorter, however, on heavily infested trees the year after defoliation.     

Decomposition and nutrient loss from prunings of different contour hedgerow species in tea plantations in the sloping highlands of Sri Lanka

Contour hedgerows of multipurpose tree species in the sloping tea lands of Sri Lanka are expected to reduce soil erosion and also add significant amounts of plant nutrients to the soil via periodic prunings. The objective of this experiment was to characterize the biomass decomposition pattern and quantify the amount of nutrients added through prunings of six tree species (Calliandra calothyrsus, Senna spectabilis, Euphatorium innulifolium, Flemingia congesta, Gliricidia sepium and Tithonia diversifolia) currently being used in hedgerows associated with tea. Withered leaf and stem prunings (50 g) were enclosed in 2-mm litter bags, placed at 5-cm depth and retrieved after one, three, six, nine and 12 weeks. Loss of initial dry weight, N, P and K was measured. Single exponential decay function adequately described both dry weight and nutrient loss. Tree species differed significantly in their rate of breakdown with decomposition constants (k) varying from 0.0299 to 0.2006 week⁻¹ for leaves and from 0.0225 to 0.0633 week⁻¹ for stems. Gliricidia showed the highest k for leaves with the rest in the following descending order: Senna > Tithonia ≥ Euphatorium > Calliandra > Flemingia. A similar pattern was observed for loss of all nutrients with Calliandra and Flemingia always having lower k values than the rest. Although N immobilization was not observed, immobilization of P and K was observed during the first week of incubation in some species, particularly in stem prunings. Annual biomass of prunings differed significantly between tree species in the following descending order: Calliandra > Senna > Flemingia > Tithonia > Gliricidia > Euphatorium. Calliandra added the greatest amount of nutrients annually to the soil with Euphatorium adding the least. Calliandra prunings provided the annual total K requirement and 49% of the N requirement of mature tea. However, none of the species provided more than 5% of the P requirement. It is concluded that among the tree species tested, Calliandra and Flemingia are the most suitable for contour hedgerows in tea plantations of this agroclimatic region because of their higher soil nutrient enrichment capacity and slower decomposition rates which would minimize leaching losses. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Seed Weight and Seed Type on Early Seedling Growth of Pinus sylvestris under Harsh and Optimal Conditions

The effects of seed weight and seed type on seedling growth of Pinus sylvestris (L.) were studied by seeding individually weighed orchard and stand seed in different mixtures under harsh (direct seeding in field) and optimal (seeding in nursery) conditions. In the nursery experiment an increase in the seed weight from 3 to 7 mg increased the seedling height by 10-27% and total weight by 27-113%, and decreased the height/diameter ratio by 5-6% after 2 yrs. With elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 2% taller than stand seedlings in year 2. Without elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 7-13% taller. In the field experiment an increase in the seed weight from 3 to 7 mg increased seedling height by 18-65%, stem volume by 81-274% and the number of top-buds by 23-34% in year 5. After elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 7-13% taller than stand seedlings and without elimination of seed weight effects 20-21% taller after 5 yrs. Even after elimination of both seed weight and genetic effects orchard seedlings were 3-9% larger than stand seedlings in the field experiment. In conclusion, the influence of seed weight and seed type on growth traits and slenderness is highly significant and the influence seems to be greater in harsh conditions.     

Modelling of adequate pretwist for obtaining straight timber

Abstract

Wood in general and wooden studs in particular are often distorted owing to uneven shrinkage during the drying process in the sawmill. Twist is often the most detrimental of all types of distortion, and it is caused by spiral grain in combination with variations in moisture content. For sawmills, the objective is to produce dried, straight boards, and one method of dealing with boards with excessive spiral grain is to sort them out and then dry them in a pretwisted position to obtain straight boards after drying. A model using the finite element (FE) method for the simulation of drying twist distortions was first calibrated against laboratory experiments in which boards were dried with and without restraints and pretwists. After the calibration, the FE results were compared with industrial test results for boards that were dried without restraints or with restraints with zero pretwist, i.e. straight restraints. The FE model used an elastic–ideally plastic material model to obtain permanent deformations. The calibration was to set the yield stresses so that there was a good match between FE results and results from the laboratory experiments. The comparison between the industrial test results and the FE results showed that the FE model is capable of realistic simulations of drying boards with and without restraints and presumably also pretwists.     

Potential to harness superior nutritional qualities of exotic baobabs if local adaptation can be conferred through grafting

Baobab leaves form an important part of the local diet in Sahel countries and elsewhere in Africa. Existing leaf nutritional data and agroforestry performance information are based solely on Adansonia digitata L., the baobab of continental Africa. The introduction potential of Adansonia species from the center of diversity in Madagascar and from Australia remains untapped. To assess this potential, the mineral contents and B₁ and B₂ vitamin levels of dried baobab leaves were determined for five-year old trees of A. digitata, A. gibbosa (A. Cunn.) Guymer ex D. Baum, A. rubrostipa Jum. & H. Perrier (syn. A. fony Baill.), A. perrieri Capuron and A. za Baill. grown in an introduction trial in Mali. Nutritional data were evaluated against survival and vigor to identify promising germplasm. Leaf vitamin and crude protein contents were highest in the Madagascar species, especially A. rubrostipa (B₁ 88 mg 100 g⁻¹, B₂ 187 mg 100 g⁻¹, protein 20.7% dry weight). However, the local species far outperformed the introductions in survival, tree height, basal diameter and resistance to termites. We suggest grafting as a way of harnessing the vigor of well-adapted local baobab varieties to the superior nutritional profiles of A. rubrostipa and others. Cross-species grafting tests in Adansonia were successful, thus creating new agroforestry possibilities with different scion/rootstock combinations.     

Biogeochemical impacts of clearfelling and reforestation on blanket-peatland streams: II. major ions and dissolved organic carbon

Streams and drains in blanket-peatland forest in western Ireland were sampled weekly over 5 years, 1996–2000, using continuous, depth-proportional passive sampling. Analysis was for pH, alkalinity by Gran titration, anions by IC, metals by ICP, aluminium speciation by loaded-resin exchange, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by absorbance at 320 nm.

Effects of felling are identified graphically from two forest drains whose catchments (both about 1 ha) were clearfelled, and partial clearfelling of one larger catchment (somewhat over 1 km²), in summer 1999. Calcium concentrations and alkalinity were increased in the drain- and streamwater from the felled areas. The pH was increased in drains, while in the larger stream, pH range decreased while the mean increased. Phosphorus increased markedly with clearfell, in the absence of recent fertilising, and also increased with fertilising; these results are reported in an accompanying paper. Ammonium-nitrogen concentrations were increased in the two drains with felling, and temporarily decreased in the larger stream. Nitrate increased in some cases. Potassium and manganese concentrations also increased. Concentrations of DOC and organic monomeric aluminium increased gradually, subject to a continuing strong annual cycle. There were no clearfelling effects on concentrations of solphate, suspended solids or inorganic monomeric aluminium. In the two drains (fully clearfelled), concentrations of sodium, chloride and magnesium, and conductivity, were all reduced after felling. Fertilising effects other than for phosphorus were indistinct.

Effects of the combined clearfell–reforestation treatment were testable statistically, using randomised intervention analysis, between two larger streams (1 km²) as a treatment–control comparison. There were statistically significant positive responses in streamwater concentrations of nitrate, potassium, calcium, DOC and aluminium fractions. The implications for management practice depend on whether the loss of nutrients is sustainable for future crop productivity, and whether critical limits and loads of receiving ecosystems are exceeded.     

Effect of Drought on Growth and Mortality of Actively Growing Norway Spruce Container Seedlings Planted in Summer

Survival, root egress and height growth of 13-month-old actively growing Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) container seedlings exposed to preplanting drying treatments (0, 4, and 8 days) and postplanting drought periods (1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks) were studied in the field between 5 July and 18 August 1999. The mortality of seedlings increased and the height growth and root egress decreased throughout the postplanting drought period. Postplanting performance was also affected by preplanting drying treatments. The results indicate that no risk of excessive mortality and growth restrictions occurs when actively growing seedlings are planted in summer, provided that seedlings are well watered before planting and the drought period does not exceed 3 weeks.     

Rehabilitation of diseased cacao fields in Peru through shade regulation and timing of biocontrol measures

The objective of this case study was to test the effectiveness of biocontrol for the rehabilitation of abandoned, diseased (moniliasis, witches' broom and black pod) cocoa and to develop testable hypotheses regarding the effect of shade and biocontrol timing. Three trial fields differed in their shade regimes. Biocontrol was administered starting either at flowering or pod filling. Disease incidence and yield were compared with cultural control alone. Biocontrol reduced moniliasis from 49% to 25%, independent of the shading regime and application time. Witches' broom was most severe without shade and unaffected by biocontrol. No significant effects on black pod were observed. Although biocontrol increased percentage healthy fruit independent of shading and timing, only the shaded plot with biocontrol from flowering onwards responded with increased yield. Our hypothesis is: 'In the rehabilitation of abandoned cacao, only fields under sustainable shade management and early onset of biocontrol can realise their production potential.' This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.