Modelling stand basal area growth for radiata pine plantations in Northwestern Spain using the GADA

A stand basal area growth system for radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) plantations in Galicia (Northwestern Spain) was developed from data corresponding to 247 plots measured between one and five times. Six dynamic equations were considered for analysis and both numerical and graphical methods were used to compare alternative models. The equation that best described the data was a dynamic equation derived from the Korf growth function by the generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) and by considering two parameters as site-specific. This equation was fitted in one stage by the base-age-invariant dummy variables method. The system also incorporated an equation for predicting initial stand basal area, expressed as a function of stand age, site index, and the number of trees per hectare. This information can be used to establish the starting point for the projection equation when no inventory data are available. The effect of thinning on stand basal area growth was also analyzed and the results showed that the same projection equation can be used to obtain reliable predictions of unit-area basal area development in thinned and unthinned stands.     

河北省塞罕坝地区樟子松人工林的生物量

为了解塞罕坝地区樟子松人工林生长状况及生物量大小,给该地区樟子松林的经营及生态功能的评价提供科学依据,建立了该地区樟子松生物量模型,并对樟子松林生物量的大小及其分配规律进行了探讨。研究结果表明,该地区单株各器官生物量的最优模型形式均为CAR类型,且均达到显著或极显著水平,分别为W_干=0.026 8 D~(2.643 6)、W_枝=0.061 2 D~(1.862 7)、W_叶=0.112 4 D~(1.542 9)、W_果=0.000 04 D~(3.311)和W_整=0.093 D~(2.342 9);I地位级樟子松平均单株生物量明显高于II地位级,但林分总生物量则相反;与其他分布地区相比,该地区樟子松林生物量处于较高水平;樟子松生物量分配由高到低依次为干、枝、叶、果,其所占比重分别为50.87%~80.66%、10.76%~23.54%、7.31%~24.28%和0.34%~1.25%;树干生物量所占比重随林分年龄及胸径的增加而增加,枝和叶所占比例则随林分年龄和胸径的增加而逐渐下降。     

A stand dynamic model for red pine plantations with different initial densities

A stand dynamic model was developed to predict the growth response in even-aged forest plantations of different initial planting densities. The model is based on the integration of three subcomponents: height growth, self-thinning, and diameter increment. The integrated model uses the height of dominant trees to simulate stand response to site quality and internal growth potential. An extended self-thinning submodel is used to simulate mortality in stands due to crowding and inter-tree competition. A diameter increment submodel is used to link the height growth and self-thinning submodels. The height growth submodel is based on an application of the “Pipe Model” theory. The three-parameter self-thinning submodel is developed from an extended self-thinning law that captures self-thinning in stands before they attain full stocking. The diameter increment model is based on the assumption that diameter increment is related to height growth and available growing space described by stand density. The integrated model is applied to data collected from a 45-year-old red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantation subsectioned with different initial planting densities. For the data used, only two parameters were required to capture 99% of measured variation in height growth. Additional data from sites with different planting intensities are required to formulate a more generalized height growth model. The slope of the linear self-thinning limit for red pine is approximately −1.5. Model predictions are consistent with field measurements.     

北京西山油松人工林结构特征研究

以西山试验林场近自然经营试点区建立的11块中龄油松人工林样地为依据,对油松林分的结构特点、表达模型和树种多样性格局进行了分析。结果表明：油松人工林林分平均密度为1069株／hm^2,平均胸径为13．7cm,平均高为8．6m,蓄积量为86．36m3／hm^2。应用正态分布、Weibull分布、对数正态分布、Gamma分布和Beta分布拟合直径和树高结构,发现正态分布拟合直径分布和树高分布效果最好,也符合人工林的林分结构规律;油松人工林层次结构简单,物种多样性较低,乔木层、灌木层和草本层的Shannon—wiener指数、均匀度指数分别为0．355、0．726、0．160和0．372、0．651、0．266;幼苗更新各高度级均以构树和栾树为主,他们分别占总体更新树种的72．2％和10．2％。     

Modelling stand structure in young Scots pine dominated stands

The purpose of this study was to construct models for predicting the structure of young Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands. The two-parameter Weibull function characterized the height distribution of the stands. In young stands height was preferred to dbh as a random variable because of its continuous feature. Tree diameters were predicted using a multiplicative model, fitted as a linearized mixed-effect model. The modelling data consisted of repeatedly measured Scots pine dominated juvenile stands, carried out on a sub-sample of the 7th National Forest Inventory. The data covered a dominant height range from 0.2 up to 17 m. Two independent data sets were used to validate the models. The Weibull function was fitted using the maximum likelihood method. Four methods for predicting the distributions were compared: (1) parameter prediction models (PPM) consisting of seemingly unrelated regression equations, (2) a generalized linear model (GLM) which was a one-stage distribution and model fitting procedure, (3) a hybrid method including PPM for the shape parameter together with moment-based parameter recovery for the scale parameter, and (4) inclusion of moment-based parameter recovery for the scale parameter in the estimated GLM. Goodness-of-fit were tested in terms of Kolmogorov–Smirnov and error index statistics. Parameter recovery showed no improvement when used with PPM, but it improved GLM and gave the overall best performance for this new method. The constructed diameter–height model showed quite flexible and unbiased behaviour. Models are recommended as practical tools for Finnish forest management planning purposes.     

北京北部山区天然油松林与人工油松林比较研究

基于α多样性和森林群落结构,对北京北部山区的天然油松林与人工油松林进行了对比分析,北京北部山区的人工油松林与天然油松林的物种组成及重要值相似性较高;天然油松林的α多样性与群落结构总体优于人工油松林;油松适合作为造林树种栽种于北京北部山区,但要注意控制种植密度和阔叶树种搭配。     

沙地樟子松人工林合理经营密度的研究

通过调查不同密度的沙地樟子松人工林胸径、树高、蓄积、干形等生长指标和松枯梢病的发病情况等健康指标,分析了密度对樟子松人工林生长与健康的影响。综合分析得出:亚湿润干旱区樟子松人工林的造林密度可以控制在1 250~2 500株·hm-2;当樟子松人工林林龄达到21 a时保留密度1 000株·hm-2左右;当林龄31 a时,密度控制为500株·hm-2左右。     

Predicted leaf area growth and foliage efficiency of loblolly pine plantations

Foliage dynamics research is helpful for better understanding the process of forest production and improving silvicultural practice. However, the difficulty of measuring foliage amount has slowed down the research progress. Since leaf area of an individual tree can be reliably predicted from its diameter, growth and yield models that provide detailed information for each diameter class can be used to benefit foliage dynamics research. Simulation results from a growth and yield system for unthinned loblolly pine plantations indicated that foliage area increased with stand age, peaked between ages 36 and 51, and decreased after that. Volume growth increased with leaf area for young stands and decreased for older stands, whereas foliage efficiency consistently decreased with age. Better sites supported higher levels of leaf area index, volume growth, and foliage efficiency. Higher planting densities led to higher maximum leaf area indices and shorter time to reach that level. Initial density had no effect on foliage efficiency through time.     

Tree growth-competition relationships in thinned Eucalyptus plantations vary with stand structure and site quality

Growth responses to thinning can vary with site quality and age, however, the direction of the response varies. An understanding of the mechanisms behind thinning responses could help forest managers optimise production as well as inform modellers and ecologists about the functioning of tree stands. Thinning was used to create a range of stand densities in eleven Eucalyptus plantation stands on seven sites in south-eastern Australia. Basal area periodic annual increment (PAI; cm² year^?1) of individual dominant and codominant trees was then related to competition, such that PAI = a + b ln(Competition). Competition was defined as the sum of the basal area of neighbouring trees within a radius of 6.5 m. The relative (%) and absolute (cm² year^?1) responses to competition were quantified using b, which was correlated with site quality and stand structure of unthinned stands. Stand structure was quantified using statistics or parameters that describe the diameter distribution for the given age, species and site, including skewness, the coefficient of variation and parameters of the Weibull probability distribution. Relative and absolute responses both increased with increasing site quality and in stands with more negatively skewed diameter distributions (higher proportion of larger trees) or lower coefficients of variation. Absolute thinning responses often increased with increasing size class, while relative thinning responses often decreased. Variables describing diameter distributions (size-class structure) were able to describe some of the variation in competition responses that site quality could not. This indicates why stands on similar site qualities but with different stand structures can have correspondingly different thinning responses. Stand structural variables may be more useful predictors of thinning responses in stands that experience large temporal changes in diameter distributions compared with site quality, which is a more static variable. Thus, knowledge about the development of diameter distributions might help to refine thinning regimes.     

STUDY ON THE TREE GROWTH, ARCHITECTURE AND STAND STRUCTURE OF KOREAN PINE PLANTATION

lNTRODUCTIONTherhythInofKorcanpinegrowingandtrpearchitectUreissubjectedtoitsownl1crcd-ityandforeststructUre.Tl1cil11portantefTcctsofgapdynamicsarethereasonsthatmaketl1cKoreanpinetrceformhighqualityoftimbcr.Whilecurrentn1anagemcntofKoreanpincforestmainlyfocusesonpurestand,thccco-logicalrelationshipsbetWcenKoreanpineandothcrsPecicsinaconununityareneglected,thcprimitivebiologicalconditionislost.TheKo-reanpinetrecsinplantationcasilydivergeonthctOpofmainsten1,thesescverelyaITectthcgrOedqu…     

How timing of stem girdling affects needle xylem structure in Scots pine

While needles represent a proportionally large fraction of whole-plant hydraulic resistance, no studies to date have investigated how source–sink disturbances affect needle xylem structure. In this study, we evaluated structural changes in xylem in current-year needles of Scots pine 227 and 411 days after stem girdling (hereafter referred to as DAG). Maximum and minimum tracheid lumen diameters and therefore also the size of tracheid lumen areas increased in needles 227 DAG compared to control needles. In contrast, tracheid dimensions were similar in needles 411 DAG as in the control needles, but smaller xylem area and lower number of tracheids resulted in the lower theoretical needle hydraulic conductivity of those needles. Several needle xylem parameters were intercorrelated in both control and girdled trees. These observed changes provide a new understanding of the processes that occur following a source–sink disturbance. Considering anatomical parameters such as the number of tracheids, tracheid dimension, or needle xylem area, which are rarely described in physiological studies, could be helpful, for example, in understanding to tree hydraulic systems or for modeling gas exchange. Finally, empirical equations were developed to calculate needle theoretical hydraulic conductivity and the number of tracheids in needles using an easily measurable parameter of needle xylem area.     

Water use in thinned loblolly pine plantations

Soil moisture and throughfall were monitored for two growing seasons under three thinning intensities: basal areas of 7.8 m²ha⁻¹, 12.6 m²ha⁻¹ and 26.6 m²ha⁻¹ (unthinned control) in an 11- to 12-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. The first year after thinning soil water decreased at a rate of 0.8 mm day⁻¹, 1.0 mm day⁻¹ and 1.4 mm day⁻¹, respectively, in the 7.8 m²ha⁻¹, 12.6 m²ha⁻¹, and 26.6 m²ha⁻¹ basal area plots between May and late August. The more rapid development of soil moisture deficits in the unthinned stand was owing to both greater soil moisture use and reduced throughfall. For the same time period in the second year, with below-normal rainfall, soil moisture deficits developed at a rate of 1.5, 1.5 and 1.7 mm day⁻¹ for the two heavily thinned and the unthinned treatments. Estimated growing season soil water use rates were 4.4 mm day⁻¹, 4.2 mm day⁻¹, and 4.0 mm day⁻¹, respectively for the 7.8 m²ha⁻¹, 12.6 m²ha⁻¹ and 26.6 m²ha⁻¹ basal area levels in Year 1. The second year after thinning water use rates for the same period were 2.7 mm day⁻¹, 2.6 mm day⁻¹, and 2.5 mm day⁻¹, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the capacity to manage available water in loblolly pine stands by thinning is more a function of reduced interception loss and increased throughfall than reduced water use and is also weather dependent. Growing seasons with low rainfall or only one or two large rainfall events will not permit much opportunity to manage soil moisture.     

郁闭度在不同坡向对油松人工林天然更新的影响

为了促进油松林的天然更新,选择河北省木兰林管局克勒沟林场不同坡向、不同郁闭度的油松林,在郁闭度分别为<0.3、0.3～0.6、>0.6的地块,设置5m×5m的样方,调查2年生以上实生苗数量。结果表明:阴坡郁闭度在0.3～0.6最适宜人工油松林天然更新。     

STUDY ON KOREAN PINE NEEDLE RUST

TheneedlerustofKoreanpine(tbceo3Poriam5bus=vureaeThUm)isacom-lnondiseaseinYichunforestregion.ltmainl}:hamstheneedlesofyoungtrCeswhichareundertheageoffifteen,affectsthegrowthofthemtosomedegree.Thepathogenicfungushadbeenreportedl"'].Inordertoidentifythepathogenand1ifehistoryoftheneedlerustsofKoreanpineandfindouttheoccurringlatvandeffecti\'econtfolmeasure,asystCmaticsurveyx`ascarriedoninYichunforestduringl992-'l994.DISTRIBUTlONANDHARMAccordingtothesurveyofinsectPestsandplantdiscasesin…     

Optimum stand density of Chinese pine forests in Taihang limestone mountains, Shanxi Province

lntroductionChinesepine(Pinust8blaeformNisoneofthemostimportanttreespeciesforafforestationandwidelyspreadinTaihanglimestonemountains,ShanxiProvince.Ittakes85%ofthetotaIareaofpIantations.ChinespineplantationsplantedaremainIyforpurposeofsoiIandwaterconservationandtimber.TheinvestigationofChinesepinepIantationsmadelastdecadeshowedthat,accordingtotheirsitecondition,theexistingstandsdidnotmeettheappro-priatedensity.Standsstructureisuniform.Waterlossandsoilerosionareserious,andsoiffertilitygetd…     

Bark beetle community structure under four ponderosa pine forest stand conditions in northern Arizona

We studied the bark beetle guild (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in the ponderosa pine forests of northern Arizona to explore if the species assemblages and relative abundance differ between managed and unmanaged stands. Four stand conditions were assessed: (1) unmanaged stands with high tree density, (2) thinned stands, (3) thinned and burned (with prescribed fire) stands and (4) stands that had been burned by stand replacing wildfires. The study was conducted in the ponderosa pine forests of the Coconino Plateau, northern Arizona. For several decades this area has been relatively free of bark beetle outbreaks despite the current overstocked condition of many stands. We found that a similar species assemblage composed of Dendroctonus frontalis, D. brevicomis, D. valens, D. approximatus, D. ponderosae, and Ips pini occurred across all four stand conditions over 3 years of study. The population levels of all these species were endemic across all stand conditions. The non-aggressive D. approximatus and D. valens were indicator species for thinned and unmanaged stands, respectively, but this was not consistent among years. The ambrosia beetle Gnathotrichus sp. and the bark beetle predator Enoclerus sp. consistently indicated stands burned by wildfire. In addition to our field experiment, we analyzed the historical pattern of attacks of bark beetles in our area of study. Our findings suggest that the pattern of attack of D. brevicomis (the only Dendroctonus species for which attacks have been reported) and Ips spp. has been through scattered small infestations in groups of 1–10 trees. Whereas small infestations by Ips spp. are increasing, those for D. brevicomis are decreasing. Although we agree that the high density stands in northern Arizona are in an “unhealthy” condition, our results do not show that they were supporting large bark beetle outbreaks. Our results challenge the theoretical assumptions about the relationship between stand structure, tree resistance and bark beetle performance.     

The influence of fertilizers on the occurrence of Armillaria mellea in Scots pine plantations

The spread of Armillaria mellea inside fertilized (with NPKCaMg) and non-fertilized roots of pine was evaluated by: growth of mycelium on extracts from roots with bark, de-barked roots and from bark with bast, hygroscopic property, water saturation, weight loss and microscopical observations. Negative as well as positive influences of fertilizers were observed. The problems of the multi-aspect influence of fertilizers on the development of disease are discussed.     

The influence of fertilizers on the occurrence of Armillaria mellea in Scotch pine plantations

The chemical analysis of needles and wood of roots of trees belonging to four stages of disease caused by A. mellea in fertilized (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and non-fertilized three Scotch Pine plantations were made. The attack caused gradual interruption of absorption and resulted in the exhaustion of some elements (N, P) and concentration of other ones (K, Ca) in needles and in the decrease of P and transitional growth of Mg-level in wood of roots. Considerable growth of concentration of some chemical substances in wood of roots of dead trees was observed. This referred to the fertilized and nonfertilized trees as well. The rate of these changes, however, was different after treatment: fertilization had no effect on the concentration of K in needles of trees in intermediate stages of disease, but it influenced in the lower rate the exhaustion of Mg in wood of roots. The role of K and Mg in defensive reactions is discussed.